Proud Ole Newton visits New York
What!? “Dying Role”? Most my few closer friends are younger than I am. I’m called “senior citizen”. Besides even the under-threat television, my younger pals are addicted to the ubiquitous cell(ular) phone. The things those cell phone do and the things the youth can achieve though those now omnipresent devices!
Because those little things host Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and a dozen/score or more platforms or “apps”, daily newspaper sales are in danger here and worldwide. I mourn because I don’t want to lose my beloved daily physical newspapers and their essential pages. Could I live, exist without my daily’ papers? But wait! Even newspapers now appear on those little cell-phones or large computers. Poor me, do I detect any contention? Oh well, I’d better discuss briefly what newspapers do. Could their role really ever “die”?
Newspapers – Role, Function, Status
During my relatively limited communication/ Information exposure and studies, I really absorbed the formal teachings regarding the role of newspaper in various societies. Obviously, the “news” portion of “newspapers” readily announce what such publications do: they bring and report news to readers and all who encounter their pages.
These, my man-in-the-street columns, are primarily for lay-persons; the normal citizens. So I won’t repeat all that I was taught and what the university students are now being immersed in/with.
Besides being the purveyors of news, newspapers, through their varied contributors, do so much more. For example: editorials often reflect their newspapers’ owners/ publishers’ views/strongly-held positions on issues of national importance; reporters’ exposés frequently reveal orgins and behind-the-scene reasons for top-ranking officials’ behaviours; columnists share views which can shape people’s outlooks and even influence those people’s own opinions; investigative journalism also often shines light on dark practices executed by both public and private sector executives and agencies; of course some papers offer daily advice on issues ranging from medical/health challenges to physical fitness and successful cooking.
The shrewd reader or intelligent students can easily recognize, these days, a newspaper’s bias or preference for some individuals, group, or policy. The professional non-partisan editors are there to ensure that their ’papers report news accurately and make it their clear when certain views are those of identified contributors. In Guyana readers easily identify when a paper’s objectives is just to assist with public accountability from both politicians, public servant and titans of private enterprise.
The above is just an inkling of the role, functions and significance of newspapers. Sure politicians woo publishers and editors but those professionals know how quickly readers can decide how to treat sales.
I hold the view that newspapers will take ‘long long’ to fade away. Ironically, new communication technology will ensure longer life for our old- time traditional physical newspapers. More later.
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Just how many are we?
Relatively underrated, a national census is actually a most significant and basically vital undertaking and social mechanism for present and future development of our nation.
How important is the role of those census-takers now making their rounds in every nook-and-cranny of our urban, rural and hinterland communities. How many Guyanese now live in Guyana? More or less than 800,000? Why can’t we ever number a million? Is it true that more Guyanese born here live outside of our borders?
I’ll return to this 2022 census on future Fridays because citizens need to know what the census workers are compiling. President Ali actually impressed me when he launched what is really the “national population and housing census”. Of course it is no mere count of how many of us exist here now. But until I return to this national exercise y’all find out the objectives.
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Ole Newton’s first visit to New York
Eighty-two-year-old Newton finally accepted his three children’s invitation to spend a well-deserved vacation in their adopted homeland, New York State, U.S.A.
For years he had postponed. One daughter even had to journey to Guyana to persuade him to apply to the US consulate for his B1/B2 visitor’s visa. Newton wanted no embarrassment from “those people” at the Georgetown US Embassy. He just had the visa granted in his passport for very close to ten years! Newton read of Guyanese being caught with illegal narcotics at American airports. Proud and patriotic, old Newton cared not for American condescension. After all, his three adult “American” children were all highly-qualified, super well-paid professionals in New York and in Georgia.
Imagine their humorous surprise-with an element of shock-when their dad arrived at JFK airport with not one suitcase or bag! Just his passport and wallet with $500US! Nothing to declare!! His children happily ushered daddy Newton into their limousine! Which immigration or custom officials could ask him anything?
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I keep wondering, you ponder…
● 1) Are our relevant officials always executing disaster preparedness? When I see devastation of only floods throughout the world, I wonder: can Georgetown survive a real flood?
● 2) Again I support: agree with the opposition regarding the production of a brand new voters list. (It will be their political suicide)
● 3) Congrats to coalition consultant Sherwood. Spirited defenses but…
● 4) Where are the 7 (seven) “parties” which contested the 2020 election?
● 5) AFC (?) member David Patterson’s concerns about the gas-to-energy tenders should be shared and pursued!
’Til next week!
