My Daily Inquirer

International Scholarships for 2011/12 entry:

A number of Scholarships are available from the University of Wales, Newport. Students applying for September 2011 or January 2012 entry are eligible to apply for these awards.

Students wishing to apply for these scholarships need to download and complete the Scholarship Application Form

A limited number of Scholarships are available and will be awarded to students on the basis of outstanding achievement. Categories you may wish to consider applying under are:

• Academic
• Social or Cultural: including community projects or voluntary work
• Outstanding Artistic Achievement

The application form requires you to undertake a 500-700 word piece of work supporting your application. Please note that applications must be fully completed and your supporting statement must be within the word limit.

Scholarships are available for both undergraduate and postgraduate applicants and awards are made for the academic year 2011/2012 (or for the duration of your course). Scholarships of £1,000 per year will be awarded and the scholarship award will be deducted from your annual tuition fee. A maximum of 10 undergraduate and 5 postgraduate scholarship awards will be made for each intake (September 2011 and January 2012).

Scholarships will be awarded by the Scholarship Committee based upon merit through consideration of a completed Scholarship Application Form. These awards will be made at the beginning of the each semester and the decision by the Scholarship Committee is final.

Applicants must hold a Visa Letter/CAS for a taught undergraduate or postgraduate course at the University and have firmly accepted their offer before submitting an application. Conditional offer holders may apply but will only be considered for the scholarship after all conditions have been met.

Deadline for scholarship applicants starting in September 2011: 2nd September 2011
Deadline for scholarship applicants starting January 2012: 6th January 2012

Notes for applicants:
- Students are only eligible to apply for ONE University scholarship award.
- Students in receipt of donor funding (e.g Chevening or DFID awards) are not eligible to apply for these awards.
- Applicants must be full fee paying international students on a full-time taught programme of study at the University.
- Successful applicants only will be contacted within four weeks of the application closing dates.

In the case of Hao vs. Sheriff Andres, A.M. No. P-07-2384, the Supreme Court ruled that, and I quote, " ... sheriffs, being ranking officers of the court and agents of the law, must discharge their duties with great care and diligence. In serving and implementing court writs, as well as processes and orders of the court, they cannot afford to err without affecting adversely the proper dispensation of justice. Sheriffs play an important role in the administration of justice and as agents of the law, high standards of performance are expected of them ...."

Well-settled is the rule that when we speak of dispensation of justice, respect to the rights of the general public to their right to public safety and public order should be the primary objective in enforcing the law, which, in truth and in fact, is its goal. The Sheriff's consideration of the 2-hour extension, if done, which is a reasonable and a legal request of a concerned Mayor in the midst of crisis, who answered the "call for help" of the poor, would play a vital role in the proper dispensation of justice. Had the Sheriff discharge his duties with great care and diligence as expected to him as a ranking officer of the court and agent of the law, riot and other incidents could have been prevented.

If I were to rule on the case, taking into consideration the mitigating circumstances (her intent to create lesser evil to the poor people whom the Mayor is tasked to give assistance before and after the demolition, her act to prevent chaos that may result to death, injuries either to the demolition team or the poor people, or both, among others) and aggravating circumstance (her act of hurting the sheriff in public) in the given case, I will only reprimand the mayor for her act against the sheriff, with a stern warning that a repetition of the same will be dealt with more severely.

First, there was no violation of court order. The Mayor respected it, believing that she is bound by the force and effect of law. She only asked for 2-hour extension just to prevent chaos, preventing evil to rule on the ground, which is reasonable and legal. Had the sheriff granted the reasonable request, there would be no riot at all, considering that the Mayor has the trust and respect from the people. Second, the act of punching, while it caused damage to the sheriff, is justified by the overwhelming force and effect of humanitarian acts, i.e public safety, public order, among others. And lastly, to rule otherwise would violate the well-settled and well-recognized principle in law and humanity that "those who have less in life should have more in law."

For comments, email me at marcellones_jl2003@yahoo.com. Thank you!