Over sixty public sector officials on Thursday completed the fourth edition of Spanish as a Foreign Language course conducted by Professor Nelson Giraldo, the Department of Public Information (DPI) said.
This programme is under a cultural agreement signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Colombia in 2014 to promote Spanish as a foreign language.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, at Parc Rayne Banquet Hall, Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge commended the public sector officials for their participation, DPI said.
“We (government) have recognised the importance of ensuring that (this) is not only for the services of officers involve in this exercise within the Foreign Service but categories of staff are encouraged and across the public sector,” Greenidge added. He said that the course has also helped to strengthen the relationship between Guyana and Colombia; one he hopes will continue to blossom in the years to come.
Director of Cultural Affairs attached to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Santiago Jara explained that the language course offered is part of his country’s foreign policy strategy to consolidate a stronger relationship with the Caribbean region. Other Caribbean countries also participating in the Spanish as a Foreign Language programme are Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
The participants were selected from the Ministry of the Presidency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guyana Revenue Authority, Carnegie School of Home Economics, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Department of Public Information, Guyana Lands and Survey Commission, the Ministry of Business, the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Public Health, the Teaching Service Commission and the Ministry of Education.
