The Public Administration in the Third World Conference was held to aid a project for boys and girls in Villa Mella. The activity took place in the Professional Orientation Salon of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo´s (UASD) Pedro Mir Library on Monday, March 30, 2009, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Dr. Michael Frazier (Ph.D.), Director of the Department of Political Science at Howard University in Washington DC, and his collegue Dr. Addul Karim (Ph.D.) were the guest speakers. The conference was sponsored and organized by the Guanín Cultural Tourism Center, Inc.

Dr. Frazier is a member of more than 10 federal agencies, governmental groups, volunteer and military organizations. He has presented talks, lectures, and training programs in the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, Latvia, Brazil, Japan, China, Serbia, Dominican Republic, and other countries.

The Guanín Cultural Tourism Center, Inc. has had the privilege of inviting these two experts in public administration and international relations from Howard University, Washington D.C., U.S.A., to become involved in the Center´s activities and to help in the development of our country and the Dominican people.

The aim of the conference was to launch a project for boys and girls in the community of Villa Mella, to develop a work agenda, and to provide opportunities for Dominican students and professionals who are interested in earning their Masters and Doctoral degrees in the field of public administration. In his lecture, Dr. Michael emphasized the quantity of fellowships that his university could offer students and professionals in the Dominican Republic, and he also talked about the various programs that could be supported by his university, such as training and improvement programs, workshops, and university courses.

Lic. Severino Polanco, President of the Guanín Cultural Tourism Center, Inc., accompanied by Dr. Lino Reyes Tamayo, the Center´s legal assessor, and others, went to visit the land that has been selected for the boys´ and girls´ project. Dr. Michael Frazier and Addul Karim had a good look at both the land and the outlines of the project.

The project will include the following: Classrooms and various rooms or areas designed for use as conference rooms, a library, computer laboratory, dining room, kitchen, bedrooms for volunteers, a recreation area, basketball court, volleyball court, baseball diamond, and swimming pool, among others.

• Full-time study to earn a MAPA degree
  (This professional degree is accredited by the National Association of schools of Public Affairs and Administration)
• Exchange of faculty members
• Exchange of students
• Joint research activities
• Participation in seminars and academic meetings
• Exchange of academic materials and other information
• Special short-term academic programs " Professional Development Programs

RATIONAL FOR COOPERATION:

For many public administration is the key instrument of economic development in poor and developing societies. Howard University's MAPA program can help train non-elected officials in public policy and public administration subjects. That is, if adequate funding can be secured. In this regard the MAPA curriculum can increase these non-government officials as well as civil servants public administration skills, abilities and competence in the following:

• Ethical guidelines concerning decision making
• Accountability of public agencies
• Technological complexities of government
• Economy of efficiency
• Effectiveness of programs

A collaborative exchange program is one way to foster increase competence for officials managing public administration program and activities in developing societies. A collaborative exchange program is one way to foster increase competence for officials managing public administration program and activities in developing societies. The Dominican Republic's economy is highly dependent upon the US, the source of nearly three-fourths of exports, and remittances represent about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. The need is greater than ever for talented and well trained individuals to develop and carry out programs that constitute a third of the gross national product in the Dominican Republic. This program will promote U.S. society and values and will contribute to share positive visions.

MAPA TIME FRAME: Two years of full time study including a summer internship ideally somewhere in an appropriate assignment in the Dominican republic, August - May.

AUDIENCE: University students and teaching staff; NGOs and cultural institutions; media, broader audiences

PROPOSED FUNDING: USAID, religious institutions, scholarships, grant from government of the Dominican Republic.

NAME OF COLLABORATIVE UNIVERSITY: A university is to be identified by the Centro Cultural "Guanin" Inc.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT: The program will be conducted in English.

For further information Contact: Lic. Severino Polanco guanin@guanin.org

We wish to thank the architect Thereza Santiago for her great efforts and for having translated to English the presentations of the Conference, engineer Manuel Eduardo Feliz and engineer Cristian Javier David about the logistics of the project; arquitect Marlenin Antigua Nina, designer of the project; Dr. Lino Reyes Tamayo, the Centro Guanín´s legal assessor; Mrs. Rosa Wessin, President of the Neighborhood Committee, Colonial Zone; Lic. Severino Polanco, President of Centro Guanín; Dr. Ph.D. Lynne Guitar, Cultural Advisor, Melvi Moronta, accountant; Marinnely, Esthel and others.
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