The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, held it's second Annual Diplomatic Week of Activities from 17th - 21st February under the theme “Maximizing Benefits from International Relations- Building Partnerships for Mutual Advantage”

 Among the distinguished diplomats was Her Excellency, Dr. Harriet L. Elam-Thomas, Retired U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Senegal, and Director of Diplomacy at the University of Central Florida.

Kittivisian Life took the opportunity to speak with Dr. Elam-Thomas. 

OB: Dr. Elam-Thomas, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by Kittivisian Life on such short notice. I felt it was important to take advantage of the opportunity of your visit to St. Kitts to speak with you about your experience as a diplomat and get your advice on how to go about becoming one to relay to our young readers, as an interesting and honourable career option.

OB:  As a career Diplomat for over 40 years, what advice would you give a young person considering a career in the Diplomatic Service?

Dr. E-T:  Do whatever you can to get exchange experience abroad. Even in the most challenged societies, there are opportunities for scholarships. That experience could be anywhere in the world; no two cultures are exactly alike, and the experience of learning about another culture will help you to develop a tolerance of differences.

They should also learn a second language; it opens lines of communication in a different way, and gives honour and respect to that culture. Speaking with someone in his or her own language, lowers barriers and allows for more open communication.

OB: As a young nation, our Diplomatic Service is also very young. What training would you suggest for our aspiring diplomats?

Dr. E-T:  A university education is essential; consider subjects such as Political Science, International Relations, Public Policy, History, The Humanities – Western and non-Western Civilisations, Languages.

OB:  As the keynote speaker at the Ministry of International Trade staff development retreat recently, you discussed the topic of Professionalism in Working Life. “Professionalism” is a term that is often used; how exactly would you define it in the context of the Diplomatic Service?

Dr. E-T:  Develop and maintain a loyalty to the profession. Never lose your composure; learn that you can’t fight all the battles, so be selective. You also have to learn to leave your ego at   the door; the manner in which you approach an issue can determine the outcome. Keep focussed on the issues, not the personalities that come into play. You have to develop self- control and be able to wait until an appropriate time presents itself. One also need to develop the skill of being sensitive to timing, and the importance of follow through.

OB:  As a career diplomat of long service, what advice would you give aspiring diplomats who may be subject to the vagaries of changing political parties?

Dr. E-T:  A U.S. diplomat swears allegiance to the administration in power. I’m not sure about how it works in the Federation, however, a career diplomat should not ally themselves with any party – they should try to be neutral and always remember that they support the government in power. They should be prudent and keep their own political affiliation controlled.

OB:  Dr. Elam-Thomas, please tell us a little about your work as Director of Diplomacy at the University of Central Florida?

Dr. E-T:  I started as Diplomat in Residence to the University of Central Florida’s Global Perspectives,  under the auspices of a national U.S. Department of State program. In that capacity, I was the U.S. Department of State’s official liaison in Central Florida, conducting workshops, providing information on careers, connecting students to internships and scholarship opportunities, and speaking on policy matters. Part of my role was to encourage young people who are not from Ivy League colleges to consider careers in the Diplomatic Service. The program offers full scholarships to honour roll students for two years of graduate study, leading to a degree in International Relations. To date, the majority of graduates of this program are from Caribbean backgrounds. Since retiring from the Diplomatic Service, I have continued there as Director of the program.

OB:  Please share a little information about yourself with our readers who may not yet know about you.

Dr. E-T:  I have been a career diplomat for over 40 years. Until the fall of 2005, I was a Senior Foreign Service Officer with the rank of Career Minister. I previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Senegal from 1999-2003; Chief of Mission to Guinea-Bissau; and I have served in Europe, Turkey, Greece, France, Mali, the Ivory Coast, and the UN. I have four siblings, the oldest of whom is a retired Chief Justice of the Boston Municipal Courts. I have been married for the past eight years to Mr. Wilfred J. Thomas of Trinidad, who brought me to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis on my honeymoon, which started my relationship with your country.

OB:  Dr Elam-Thomas, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us during a very busy Diplomatic Week.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 20th, 2008 at 9:45 pm and is filed under lifestyle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.