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GAO-01-970R 1 (2001-07-20)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptansm0001 and id is 1 raw text is: SGAO Accountability * Integrity Reliability United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548 July 20, 2001 The Honorable Martin T. Meehan House of Representatives Subject: The Peace Corps Failed to Properly Supervise Missing Volunteer and Lost Track of Him Dear Mr. Meehan: This letter responds to your May 11, 2001, request for information surrounding the disappearance of Walter J. Poirier, a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia, who reportedly was last seen on or about February 22, 2001, in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. Specifically, you requested that we conduct an investigation to determine (1) whether the Peace Corps failed to properly supervise Mr. Poirier's activities and (2) the actions taken by the Peace Corps and the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia when informed that Mr. Poirier was missing. As you know, GAO is currently conducting a separate overall review of the Peace Corps' operations regarding its volunteers. We conducted our investigation from June 1, 2001, through mid-July 2001 in accordance with investigative standards established by the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency. We interviewed Mr. Poirier's parents; representatives of the Peace Corps, including the Office of Inspector General (OIG); agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Embassy personnel in Bolivia; Peace Corps volunteers; and Bolivian nationals who had contact with Mr. Poirier. In summary, we determined that Mr. Poirier failed to follow certain Peace Corps location and notification procedures.' Although the Peace Corps Associate Director responsible for Mr. Poirier while he was in Bolivia knew that Mr. Poirier was not following these procedures, he took no steps to correct the situation and, as a result, lost track of Mr. Poirier. Furthermore, the Associate Director's failure to adequately monitor Mr. Poirier contributed to the difficulties encountered by the U.S. Embassy in its efforts to locate Mr. Poirier. Once it was determined that Mr. Poirier was missing, the U.S. Embassy, Peace Corps, multiple entities of the Bolivian National Police, and fire/rescue teams in and around La Paz and throughout Bolivia conducted an extensive search. As of the date of this letter, Mr. Poirier has not been found. 'Prior to beginning assignments, all Peace Corps volunteers in Bolivia are to take an 11-week training course that includes Peace Corps location and notification requirements for that country. We were told that Mr. Poirier attended such a course. GAO-01-970R Missing Peace Corps Volunteer in Bolivia

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