Getting Rich, Right

NEED TO KNOW

Getting Rich, Right

GUYANA

Past efforts at reforming the constitution of Guyana have yielded little change.

Now, however, as the small South American nation prepares to dole out the benefits from new oil drilling, advocates say the recently empaneled Constitution Reform Commission must create a new political and economic order.

“A political system that gives the government – with a one-seat majority in the legislature – unrestrained control over natural resources breeds political discontent and instability,” wrote Americas Quarterly.

Dubbed the “New Qatar,” after the oil-rich emirate in the Persian Gulf, Guyana is blessed with offshore oil reserves of more than 11 billion barrels, making it a leading oil producer in terms of per capita growth. Last year, the country’s gross domestic product increased by a third, the Guardian reported. This year, similar growth is expected. Formerly a poor country, people are receiving $5,000 public cash grants, parcels of land to build houses and university scholarships.

Oil companies, knowing how important Guyanese oil is for their bottom lines, are fighting over who benefits the most from the reserves, too, added Reuters.

But, despite the oil boom, many Guyanese folks are still struggling with poverty, noted the World Bank. The influx of cash, meanwhile, sparked inflation that caused prices of sugar, oranges, cooking oil, and peppers to more than double last year alone, while individual workers’ wages have remained stagnant, the Associated Press reported.

A major test of knowing whether or not oil riches have spread throughout the country’s economy will be whether or not emigrants return to the country, argued the St Kitts and Nevis Observer in an editorial. Half of the country’s population lives and works elsewhere in order to make ends meet.

Others also wonder about other repercussions. As National Geographic explained, Guyana’s natural wilderness is one of the continent’s best-kept secrets. Could a growing energy sector imperil this resource, the nascent basis of a tourist economy that could otherwise help balance out the country’s dependence on oil?

In the New York Times, Rutgers University English and journalism professor Gaiutra Bahadur also pointed out how Guyana’s capital Georgetown faces serious challenges due to climate change and rising sea levels – but has little choice, it seems, than to develop carbon-based industries to survive.

Also, how might the new economic climate impact the drug trafficking networks operating throughout Guyana and South America? Authorities recently captured a submarine in a jungle waterway with the capacity to haul up to three tons of cocaine, for instance, CBS News wrote.

Now, analysts say the country has a unique and amazing chance: To get rich in the right way.

THE WORLD, BRIEFLY

Reclaim the Night

INDIA

Thousands of doctors and other people protested across India on Thursday to demand justice for the brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor in the eastern state of West Bengal, a crime that has prompted more calls to address the chronic issue of violence against women in the country, CBS News reported.

Demonstrators marched under the slogan “reclaim the night” and carrying placards, such as “We want justice,” and “Hang the rapists, save the women.”

The unrest came a week after the 31-year-old medical resident was found semi-nude and dead in a seminar hall at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College. Initially, hospital officials labeled her death as a suicide, but an autopsy revealed that she had been sexually assaulted and murdered.

Authorities have arrested Sanjay Roy, a 33-year-old civilian volunteer with Kolkata Police. The accused has a history of violence against women and confessed to the crime.

But despite Roy’s confession, there are suspicions that more than one person might have been involved, given the nature of the injuries, according to the Times of India.

The case’s initial mishandling by the hospital and police authorities led to widespread distrust regarding the probe, prompting the Kolkata High Court to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The crime received swift condemnation from government officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called for swift punishment for those who commit “monstrous” deeds against women.

Even so, the case also prompted Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to criticize West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and question the safety of women under her leadership.

The incident has drawn comparisons to the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a young woman on a bus in the city of Delhi, which also ignited nationwide and international outrage. It also focused attention on the “rape culture” that had evolved in the country, and the horrific rapes and murders that had occurred without anyone being held responsible.

That case prompted the government to toughen penalties for rapists, including the death penalty for repeat offenders. India’s criminal code has also introduced new sexual offenses, such as stalking and jail sentences for officials who failed to register rape complaints.

Sexual violence against women remains problematic in India, where an average of nearly 90 rapes are reported daily according to 2022 data.

The Feud

ECUADOR

Ecuador’s government condemned the vice president’s recent court filing to remove President Daniel Noboa from office, labeling it as an attempted “coup,” an announcement that highlighted growing internal divisions as the country grapples with a security crisis and an upcoming presidential election early next year, Reuters reported.

Last week, Vice President Verónica Abad filed a complaint against Noboa and his senior officials before the Electoral Contentious Court, accusing them of gender-based political violence.

In her claims, she alleges that Noboa has sidelined her and sabotaged the representation of women in the government, which she believes is a violation of her rights.

Abad also alleged that Noboa’s administration orchestrated a smear campaign against her and her family in an attempt to pressure her to leave office. Meanwhile, the complaint demanded that Noboa and other members of his administration be banned from holding public office for four years and a fine equivalent of $32,000.

The relationship between the president and vice president has been tense since the start of Noboa’s term in November 2023. The two leaders have reportedly not spoken since the presidential election runoff, and their relationship further deteriorated after Noboa appointed Abad as Ecuador’s ambassador of peace to Israel, a position she described as “useless.”

Theories about the strained relationship between Noboa and Abad have shifted over time. Initially, it was linked to corruption allegations involving Abad’s son. Later, some accused her of aligning with “Correismo,” the party of former leftist President Rafael Correa, despite her consistent opposition to it, Spain’s El País wrote.

The president has dismissed the allegations, saying that Abad “will leave on her own.”

El País said there have been five attempts to remove Abad from office, which observers described as efforts to prevent her from assuming power if Noboa steps down early to focus on his reelection campaign.

Noboa is serving a truncated, 17-month term after his predecessor, Guillermo Lasso, stepped down in the face of an impeachment process. The 36-year-old president is trying to reestablish peace and security in the country which has seen spiraling violence due to conflicts between rival drug gangs.

Earlier this month, he announced his intention to run for a full term in February’s presidential elections.

Going for Gold

BOTSWANA

Botswanans expressed outrage at the government’s request this week to set up a donation fund for citizens to reward the country’s Olympic athletes, including Letslie Tebogo who became the nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist, the BBC reported.

On Monday, the government asked citizens to honor the athletes by “contributing rewards to our champions.” But many citizens questioned why the government would ask for donations, instead of using public funds, noting that they already pay taxes.

Some called on the cabinet to lead by example by donating a portion of their salaries. Still, others voiced support for the donation fund, adding that it should be open to all Africans to contribute.

The announcement followed the country’s Olympic team returning home with a gold medal.

Tebogo became the first African to win the men’s Olympic 200-meter sprint and set an African record of 19.46 seconds. He also won a silver medal in the men’s 4×400-meter relay alongside his teammates.

Despite the controversy, there were large celebrations in Botswana with tens of thousands gathering at the National Stadium in the capital Gaborone to welcome the Olympic team home.

Botswana is one of Africa’s wealthiest countries in terms of income per capita, yet it also faces one of the world’s highest rates of youth unemployment. The country is a major diamond producer, but has recently experienced a decline in revenues that has led the government to cut spending.

DISCOVERIES

Serendipity and Sulfur

Clumsiness can sometimes lead to great things.

As NASA’s Curiosity rover was exploring Gediz Vallis, a channel carved into Mars’ Mount Sharp, it accidentally rolled over and cracked open a rock that contained yellowish-green crystals.

Scientists established the rover had found pure sulfur – a first-ever on the Red Planet. They also identified a plain with similar rocks, potentially making for a sulfur-rich area.

“Finding a field of stones made of pure sulfur is like finding an oasis in the desert,” said NASA’s Ashwin Vasavada. “It shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain it.”

Since October 2023, Curiosity has explored a region of Mars where it discovered sulfates, a kind of salt that contains sulfur mixed with other elements. Researchers have yet to determine whether the pure sulfur the rover found has any links with the sulfates.

“No one had pure sulfur on their bingo card,” Vasavada told CNN.

The place where Curiosity found the rock matters, too. Gediz Vallis is a groove that was likely created around 3 billion years ago by a mix of flowing water and debris.

“Pure elemental sulfur is a very weird finding because on Earth, we mostly find it in places like hydrothermal vents. Think Yellowstone!” said Briony Horgan from Purdue University.

The past existence of steam vents on Mars was proven a few years ago when NASA’s Spirit rover accidentally found pure silica – by means of having dragged along a broken wheel which revealed white soil.

The pure sulfur discovery adds to a body of knowledge aimed at helping scientists understand whether Mars once had a habitable environment.

Curiosity, which has been roaming around Mars since 2012, is now driving around Mount Sharp rather than up, in search of new surprises.

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