– ISIS: A global threat?
I suppose it’s no irony; just his many assignments and publications which resulted in Historian David Granger- currently the political Opposition Leader- producing a booklet on a summarized history of Guyana’s (earliest) Newspapers.
The print media preceded radio and all of today’s technological communication characteristic of the present dot-com generation. Granger then outlined how the earliest ‘papers served their respective masters’ interest – from planters to merchants to colonial office; then the African/Indentured masses. Secure a copy, it’s informative reading not exclusive to students of communication.
Perhaps it is within the foregoing context that I recycle a few thoughts on the role of Guyana’s newspapers in today’s society. Especially in the aptly-named silly season of an election campaign, of course I limit my views to the Chronicle, Guyana Times, Stabroek News and Kaieteur News.
When David deCaires was influenced by the Trinidadians and Americans to facilitate Stabroek News’ advent after Burnham’s harsh, exclusive press control, Desmond Hoyte, sensibly smelling the breath of Western-cajoled freedom, allowed the birth and growth of this newspapers. Too many will want to forget Stabroek News’ role in stimulating public debate and views on issues of national significance from politics to patrimony and patriotism. Vibrant letter-columns, features and columnists motivated this in the post-1985 period.
Boards-of-Directors, Publishers and Editors-in–Chief determine a newspaper’s policy, vision, mission style and preferences. Hard, factual news-neutrality is one necessary thing. The `paper’s integrity, credibility and professionalism even as it subtly promotes its political and ideological learnings and preferences constitute another dimension to its existence and role.
I admire still Stabroek News penchant for allowing many sides of an issue to be published even when the paper itself is crudely criticized.
There are those – both independent critics and paranoid political partisans (PPP?) – who have long decided that the Stabroek is Pro-American, Pro- Roman Catholic, Pro- Business and Pro- “Opposition.” Take your pick.
Newspapers during Elections
What is it to be “independent” in any society today? How can a newspaper’s editorials not project its professional opinions” Or its specific preferences, in terms of governance, economic system or societal values? I suppose an “independent daily” really means a newspaper funded by non-government means, by advertisers and readers. But it must have a brand, a policy- induced character.
When I see the daily proliferation of “political” letters in certain newspapers, Frankly Speaking, I do think I have an insight into an Editor’s thinking- if not preference. Incidentally I keep wondering what the twelve (12) or so daily contributors- from NY and GT – would do if say Stabroek News shut them out!
Both Pro-opposition and Pro-government operatives actually campaign in the newspapers, even though they realise that the electronic media- television, Facebook, Twitter, blogs- are immensely more popular. These political professional letter-writers and columnists seek permanence?
To me the Kaieteur News folks, once close to Mr Jagdeo, have allowed their bitterness and disillusion to benefit us, the depressed masses. Exposés, even extreme speculation at times, irk the PPP and its government. Friends know one another’s business.
I have Kaieteur to lead the Campaign 2015 charge in ways not yet revealed!
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“Dirty Tricks”, Intellectual Campaigns…
By now, the role of the State-friendly Chronicle and Guyana Times is obvious. Poor Chronicle Editor-in-Chief! If he is not, “one of them”, his professional integrity would drown. I know! Once had to “influence” Editorial content right there! Put another way, the Chief’s work could be easy! Many pages are sent by the OP the Freedom House and the GINA. Dirty tricks’ galore!
But I find Dr Ramroop’s /Dr Jagdeo’s Times a wee bit more interesting. Obviously, in a weak attempt to mislead- and seduce- the uniformed, Times publishes saucy stories, human- interest and opposition-oriented pieces, the Chronicle does not handle. That’s neutral right? Wrong! The Times political contributors do a reasonable job, to me, of planting mischief against the political opposition. They introduce useful Red Herrings; they originate and perpetuate “controversies,” irritable false-names and potentially-divisive issues to confuse a younger electorate. Even I admire the fellows’ techniques, from time to time.
Now let’s see how certain papers will treat with the defectors and cross-overs in a few weeks’ time. (Just keep things clean.)
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Nurse Barkot, Baby Barrot
Fifty, sixty years ago the little village had one Afro-Guyanese Nurse-midwife. Actually, all the nurses and few midwives were Afro-Guyanese in those days.
So it transpired that Nurse-Midwife Sister Barkot was summoned, around eleven o’ clock one night to deliver Sumintra’s first baby at home. It was a boy. He was later given many names by the Pandit. But by age thirteen the whole village, school and market knew him as Barrot. Early on he joined a political Party-Group.
He grew into manhood. Nurse Barkot grow old and disappointed. She watched the young man become professional, then political, even presidential. She saw him and his Party and government deny Public Servants their earned rights and prestige. She saw his police shoot at protesting nurses. She was sad and depressed by the time of her 84th delivery in five rural villages.
Discuss…
Please ponder…
.1) When governmental political campaigners remind you all of what they have done for the country, you remind them that that is why they asked for your vote.
.2) Last week Thursday night on some TV newscast Dr Luncheon was describing the costly vicissitudes of the scandalous fibre optic cable. Is this gentleman for real?
With Tax Payers wasted millions!? Must this continue?
.2b) One naughty PPP-friendly commentator asked this: “Is Roopnaraine not even a little bit curious to know what his leader of today knew about the conspiracy to assassinate Walter and him (Roopnaraine)?”
An interesting thought, however you look at events of that time?
.3) When the Radical “Islamist” ISIS savages, in another barbaric extreme, burnt the Jordanian Hostage-Pilot Alive, my global social conscience reeled.
In desecration of Allah’s Prophet’s name, these barbarians acted like Hitler’s Death Camp Nazi’s one commentator said.
He warned that just as the world merely watched on in the early forties- as Hitler gained territory, power and dominion, so too a scared world watches ISIS now.
Must only the West confront this global threat (to establish a deadly caliphate)?
Til Next Week!
(Comment? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
