MUSEUMS  in Guyana are to benefit from the exchange of expertise and experience made possible through the first local Commonwealth Association of Museums (CAM) internship programme. For the Commonwealth funded scheme, Ms. Renee Homak, from Toronto, Canada, will be working with participants from 15 institutions countrywide, over the next six months, with the specific aim of improving their services.
Towards that objective, a two-day workshop began at the National Museum yesterday to allow those attached to the museums and archives, together with Homak, to socialize and swap ideas before the official commencement of the project.
Welcoming those taking part, Director of Culture, Dr. James Rose said Guyana is fortunate to have been selected as a CAM beneficiary and retain the service of the learned facilitator.
He said it is a great opportunity, because training is a critical factor which stands to benefit all involved and the Government of Guyana recognises the need to provide relevant services through the provision of trained staff.
“This is what this exercise is all about. All of the institutions represented here will benefit from the exposure, as they are all governed by the same guiding principles which apply to the delivery of programmes,” Rose explained.
He said, being a part of a wider fraternity, such as CAM, would require periodic examination of the strengths and weaknesses inherent in all institutions and, eventually, the need for assistance will arise.
Rose said, in that regard, areas of concern were identified and reform within such institutions was recommended, in keeping with the commitment to train and in recognition of the changing times.

LIMITATIONS
“We recognised our limitations and applied for assistance and, in this instance, we were favourably considered,” he stated.
Rose implored those present to take advantage of the golden opportunity presented and  customise the ideas put forward by Homak, so they will be applicable to local conditions.
He said, in the process, they must interact with Homak and to assist her quest to reform the present 1940s service delivery system and make the local museums more relevant, in keeping with the changing times.
Alluding to the necessity for reform in practices, Rose said: “Everything is becoming more dynamic and interactive and we need to change with the changing times. This opportunity will not come, again, for some time.”
Speaking about her expectations, Homak said she intends to work along with the participants to develop programming suitable to their institutions.
“I want to learn about the culture in Guyana and, in doing so, determine how to represent the museums collection in a more interactive way,” she said.
Homak said the overall goal is to improve the services at the institutions by exchanging information and practices.
Chairing the proceedings, Director of Walter Roth Museum, Ms. Jennifer Wishart echoed  Rose’s call for the overall participation and commitment and encouraged her colleagues to take advantage of the visitor’s expertise and garner as much information, as possible, from her.
Wishart also emphasised that, as part of her assignment, Homak will be visiting the various museums and archives during her stay, at the end of which she will be required to submit a written report, to CAM, on her findings.
The Guyanese participating in the project include from the National Museum, Museum of African Heritage, Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, National Trust and Iwokrama Museum.
The CAM is a Commonwealth professional association and an international non-profit non-governmental organisation (NGO) working towards the betterment of museums and their societies in the family of nations and globally.
CAM organises Commonwealth wide and regional workshops, seminars, professional and development sessions as funds are available and, according to its priorities. These are conducted approximately two or three times in a three to four years period between major General Assemblies and a major theme is the importance of fostering a strong role for museums in societies and communities and attention to the most urgent contemporary issues.