news // 4

Venezuela erupts in protest

» Food shortages send students and opposition supporters to the streets

__ Patrick Vaillancourt
7 News Editor

+) Minews

—& @theotherpress.ca

   
 

he streets of Venezuela

have been loud and packed
these last few weeks as stu-
dents and opposition groups
have held demonstrations
against the government of
President Nicolas Maduro.

Protests began roughly a
month ago as Venezuelans are
growing increasingly outraged
over the high prices for certain
food staples, such as bread,
milk, and sugar. More than
20 people have been killed
since the protests began, and
hundreds of students have
been arrested for participat-
ing in demonstrations.

The government has
deployed military units in
government areas throughout
Caracas, especially near the gov-
ernment’s food ministry, which
is at the heart of the protests.

President Maduro said
that military forces had
been deployed in the capital
to protect citizens from
protesters who were respon-
sible for “violent pain.”

The opposition groups, led
by Governor Henrique Capriles,
have rejected the government’s
calls for dialogue that would
end the demonstrations,
saying that the government’s
heavy-handed approach to
dealing with peaceful protesters
have made talks impossible.

Capriles said that the

government must release all

: detained student protesters and
: loosen restrictions of movement
: within the capital before any

: peace talks can take place;

: he also voiced skepticism of

: President Maduro’s motivations
: for the meeting, speculating

: that the meeting would have

: largely beena photo op.

Protesters paraded in the

streets on March 8 in what

: they called the “March of the

: Empty Pots,” symbolizing the

: high prices for food. The march
: was well-attended by students,
: opposition supporters, and

: women, as the march took

: place in conjunction with

: International Women’s Day.

Capriles urged the

: crowd to not participate in
: violent acts and to take all
: measures to remain safe.

“Don't go out to protest at

night. That’s when the paramil-
: itary groups take to the streets
: to promote violence,” he said.

The government has been

: accused of employing torture
: against detained students, as
: well as unmotivated deten-

: tion and excessive force.

The government is growing

: increasingly concerned about

: the protests, as their traditional
: base of support, those in the

: middle- and upper-classes,

: are now demonstrating in the

: streets, demanding an end to

: violence and for the govern-

: ment to start implementing

: policies that would make food

: more accessible to everyone.

theotherpress.ca

 

Anti-government protesters shout during Venezuela protest // By Carlos Garcia Rawlins

 

Douglas College career fair

offers opportunities and disappointment

» Some students left with insight; others, frustration

Cazzy Lewchuk
Staff Writer

 

Sens at both campuses
of Douglas College
attended the year’s first career
fairs, presenting attendees
with potential employment
opportunities in a variety of

fields.

Held on March 4 at the New attendees were current Douglas

: College students, several of the
: school’s alumni were also in

: attendance, now looking for

: work.

West campus and on March 6
at David Lam, the career fair
featured representatives from
several different employers
and industries, each making
their pitches to Douglas
College students. Despite

: new opportunities this year,

: the exhibitors were virtually

: identical to those from past

: fairs. Featured booths included
: recruiters for regional police

: forces, the RCMP, and the

: health care system, while others
: were tailored towards a specific
: niche of college student, such

: as jobs working with autistic

: children and other forms of

: early childhood education.

While many of the fair’s

Nicole K. is a future

: Douglas College student
: starting the Veterinary Office

: and Animal Care Certificate

: program in the spring. In

: preparation, she visited

: the career fair at the New

: Westminster campus, though
: she told the Other Press that

: she didn’t find the fair to be as
: diverse as it could have been.

: relating to any animal-related
: jobs,” she said. “The closest

: there was was the health care
: assistant exhibit. It’s really hard :
: to find any sort of job related
: to that field when you’ still

: a student.” Nicole is currently
: seeking a job at an animal

: shelter or clinic.

: attract attention from students
: unsure of their futures; those

“There were no booths

Career fairs generally

: with undeclared majors or who
: are not ina career-oriented

: area of study could potentially
: benefit from seeing the many

: opportunities available in the

: community. They’re able to

: speak with professionals in the
: industry and find out some of
: the requirements and duties

: associated with the job in

: question. Many of the exhibits
: also featured job or volunteer

positions available to current

: students—no additional

: training required. Examples

: include positions at Rogers

: Arena, T & T Supermarket, and
: the YMCA.

Douglas College’s

? community involvement and
: engagement plans allow for

: employers and recruiters to

: meet with college students,

: and is one of the reasons why

: the college hosts at least one

: career fair every semester. The
: diverse nature of the programs
: at Douglas means many

: students will not have been at

: the school in the last semester,
: necessitating these fairs’

: frequency. The fair’s timing

: also provided an opportunity

: for those looking for a summer
: job, whether those students had
: recently finished a program or
: were between semesters.

While the fairs provided

: students with some

: opportunities, many walked
: away still unclear of job

: prospects.