SIR,—It was my honour to serve in Sarawak several years
ago under the auspices of Voluntary Service Overseas. However I, and many other ex-volunteers, have grown alarmed and somewhat perturbed at present developments in VSO. Perhaps I may be allowed to make a few points: (a) The Volunteers.- -Alth9ugh I am perfectly willing to go along with the opinion that they are of as high a standard as formerly, it strikes me that there is no sense of urgency to their work. There does not seem enough concrete thinking—'Well, what am I doing?' What is my aiiii?"How do I improve things?'
(b) Correspondence,---I have only spoken to One volunteer who appears to receive letters with any reasonable regularity from VSO headquarters. I be- lieve that a sensible, sometimes prodding, oft-times helpful letter from HQ means a great deal to the individual volunteers. I still feel that retired colonial officers (who constitute over half of VSO's staff) can- not appreciate how the attitude of young Britishers so differs from their own; and how much nearer it is possible to get these days to people of different creeds than it was in their day.
(c) Improventents.----1 endorse the view ,that the British Council should keep out of VSO. The in- digenous peoples,know they are the right hand of the British Government, and will often resent this. I'd like the British Government to keep as far oft as possible. We cannot help being British, cc ambas- sadors of Britain wherever we are or whatever we do —it's a by-product as far as I am concerned.
I would also like to see a travelling representative of VSO, who could visit, check and handle publicity.
Borneo Company. Kuching
MALCOLM ELLIOT
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