Timeline By Earl Brown

Memorandum

To: Jason Pearce, Peace Corps Trainee

From: Earl M. Brown, Jr. CD/Guyana

Subject: Interrupted Service per MS 284, 5.1

Date: August 21, 2002

Chronology of Events:

June 4th

Guy 10 trainees arrived in country to begin training. A Guy 10 trainee along with other PCV's established a website: peacecorpsguyana. It was stated that this website was established to allow trainees to communicate with family and friends. A number of trainees, volunteers and RPCV' subscribes to this site which was linked to other sites. The IT specialist advised me that approximately 37 people had subscribed to this site.

Interviews.
In early, June the first of a series of interview was held with all Guy 10- trainees. The purpose of these interviews is to ascertain the emotional health of trainees related to training, preference relative to site (urban vs. rural site etc.) During this process Jason was clear as to his interest given his experience and background. Jason stated that as an IT person he preferred "not to teach" but specifically wanted to do "website development and or small business development". It was indicated that Peace corps Guyana did not have a small business program at this time, although its was an areas that is being explored with various NGO's and governmental agencies working in this area. It was indicated to Jason that his interest in the small business area could very well be used to help in the development of this sector. During this interview, Jason said, "if I cannot get the type of assignment desired, I probably would not likely stay." The CD and Terrence Simmons, APCD program stated very clearly that given his narrow interest, that it might be somewhat difficult to identify a site placement that would meet all of Jason's requirements. This is particularly difficult since many of the IT sites are located in secondary schools and at the community based level. Few IT sites are at a level of needing website development.

19 July

The second interview was held. Trainees were asked that now that they have visited with volunteers in the field, do they have any changes in terms of types of sites of nature of specific tasks. The urban/rural scenario was revisited. During this interview the matter of peacecorpsguyana website was discussed with Jason and all IT volunteers, Trainees were asked to define their role in the development and management of this site. Trainee Jason Pearce indicated the links to other sites including his personal site that existed before he was invited to train for Peace Corps. During this interview, when asked to remove some information on this site, Jason replied, "I'll try." Jason indicated that he could not remove content for his website because he did not have access to a particular program, which would allow him to do so.

13 August 2002

I have expressed to you both as part of your training group and to you individually, the concerns relative to the creation and use of website peacecorps.guyana and its links to your personal site and to that of others associated with the Peace Corps that was initiated and managed by you. The purpose of this website as you and members of your training class is intended to serve as a vehicle for communications with family and friends in the US. However, the placement of images (for sale), written and audio monologues that are accessible to the general public are, therefore, placed in the public domain does constitute "publishing." Guidance relative to Peace Corps Trainees/Volunteer publishing was available to you in your Peace Corps Handbook and has been further discussed in the Peace Corps Guyana Handbook. Individual discussions, the most recent occurring on August 12th (all trainees) and individually with you and others on August 13th, during which you were specifically asked about your role in the establishment and used of this website and your use of the images, and monologues (audio and written) found on this website.

It is noted that the concerns discussed during the following meeting were about materials which appeared on the peacecorpsguyana site were placed after the 19 July with you and other trainees.

During the August 13th meeting between you, Claudius Prince, APCD Training, and myself the following things issues were discussed.

  1. Your judgment and sensitivity in the placement of private and personal information in the Internet that is accessible to more people than your family and friends.

  2. Putting personal information (visual and audio) including medical (privileged) of other trainees, host families on the website without securing permission to do so. Even if someone has told you about his or her medical or other personal information, that individual would have no reason to expect that you would then literally "broadcast it" to the entire world by means of the Internet and the person should not be assumed as having, tacitly, given you permission to post the information.

  3. Providing detailed information, names, locations of placement and training sites presents a serious safety and security risk. You should be aware that the Peace Corps do not routinely release this information to the public, absent permission from the Trainee or Volunteer.

  4. Expressed concerns about the Yahoo Groups Peace Corps Guyana website and other websites developed by you and others being associated with the Peace Corps. We all are guests in this country and as such we have to be extremely sensitive to language and images used beyond personal expression that could be considered or construed to be negative representations of Guyana by Guyanese. If I remarked as the Peace Corps Country Director that an official acts like a "jerk," which might describe my personal opinion, I cannot nor should not allow that opinion to become public knowledge nor put in the public domain. Public pronouncement (putting information in the public domain) is not an acceptable action by a foreign visitor representing and international agency, specifically the Peace Corps.

  5. Putting in the public domain your daily impressions (written, images or audio monologue) that are available to visitors to the site is, in the context of Peace Corps regulation, constitutes publishing under Peace corps rules as set forth in the Volunteer Handbook and elsewhere, and as such, must be cleared by the Country Director. Additionally, such information in the public domain, if it became publicly known, may result in the Peace Corps and the US Mission in Guyana having to make an apology for words or images shown.

  6. Putting information in the public domain about others without their permission and information that is confidential and personal (medical information, illness, etc.) is a violation of their individual rights.

In some instances your seemed reluctant or unwilling to modify your insistence on expressing "your views and opinions" on your site because "as you put it, you have published many websites and it is the manner in which you communicate with family and friends."

14 August 2002

I presented to you the Condition Precedent "memo which outlined certain condition that you are to fulfill in order to be sworn as a Peace Corps Volunteer. (Memo is attached) In response to my memo, you presented your response. This memo is also attached. You were not sworn in on 16 August.

19 August

Terrence Simmons APCD program and I met with Dr. Patrick Williams, Director, and WWF-Guyana to brief him as to your status and the reason for you not being sworn on 16 August. Dr Williams indicated to us that, Dr. Fountaine, Director of the WWF- Guiana's had indicated that there were a number of issues about Jason which now causes them some concerns. First, WWF is a non-political organization and serves in Guyana as a guest of the Government. The organization has strong concerns that statements made of a political nature by someone associated with the organization would jeopardize the integrity of the organization. Secondly, Jason has had an on-going communication with the PCV in Suriname who currently manages the Guianas Web. Dr. Williams was particularly distressed that Jason had not (did not) consult with him before sending any correspondence relative to WWF Guiana's program. Given this situation, Dr. Williams indicated that that would not want to have Jason be assigned to WWF-Guyana. (WWF letter is attached)

APCD Simmons was asked to access if any other sites were suitable for Jason. Jason himself asked that I contact the Tourisms and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) an organization that Jason had identified as a potential secondary site. I visited the THUG office. The THAG office has need for some one to assist them with their website, but it represent as best two to three months of work. Additionally, this organization has not made any request for assistance from Peace Corps nor has any dialogue been initiated in this regard. This organization does not represent a long-term assignment for Jason.

Conclusion: Jason is being given an Early Termination/Interrupted Service per MS 284, 5.0. "The host country (or other cooperating agency to which the volunteer is assigned) requests that the volunteer be removed from service for reasons that would not consist grounds for administrative separation."

Jason has been quite consistent in his desire to be able to do web page development and or work with small business development only. He has been equally forceful in not wanting to teach, work at the community level. Given these parameters established by Jason, there were limited opportunities such that the WWF site would have been the best match. The best and only site available, which requires website knowledge and skills, was the WWF-Guiana's placement. The decision by the cooperating agency not to accept Jason Pearce, therefore, removes this site from consideration, has resulted in this action.

I have read the above memo and have affixed my signature as having read it only.

Jason Pearce, Peace Corps Trainee (August 22, 2002)