Beal deal should cover training, upgrading of technical institutes - engineering body Stabroek News December 10, 1999 The local engineering body wants a commitment by Beal Aerospace Technologies to train local technicians in the disciplines required by its operations and to upgrade the equipment of technical institutions here in any pact with the government on a satellite launch site. Beal of Texas, USA is at present in negotiations with the government for land to establish a satellite launching facility in the northwestern area of the country. The Guyana Association of Professional Engineers' (GAPE) position on the Beal deal was disclosed in remarks by its president, Melvin Sankies, when he delivered a report at the association's 31st anniversary dinner at the Tower Hotel on Friday. Sankies noted that there were calls for openness by the government in relation to the proposed agreement with Beal, explaining that the deal has raised security concerns. Other sections of Sankies' report addressed the question of the proposed establishment of a university campus in Berbice. Sankies called the proposed move ill-conceived, pointing out that the courses could be offered by distance education. Rather than spend money on establishing a new campus, Sankies suggested that resources could be utilised in improving the distance education equipment and in upgrading the Turkeyen campus of the University of Guyana. Sankies also expressed concern about the delay by government in bringing the Bill for the regulation of the engineering profession in Guyana to parliament. Similar legislation is already in place in other CARICOM territories. The GAPE president said that representatives of the association have already discussed with the government all the issues it has raised on the Bill. A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples