THE HARD TIMES NEWSPAPER

Jun 13, 2008 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Most of you would have had an experience of having to take a mint or a chewing gum or a sweet in lieu of a $5 or a $10 “change”. I have had that experience numerous times. Often, if the sum is small, say $5, the cashier would ask me whether I would take a mint in place of the cash.
I never refuse because there are times when you have to pay for something and you are short of a $5 or $10 and the person receiving the payment would waive the amount. I do not mind taking a tamarind ball or a mint or a sweet in lieu of “change”.
However, I was quite taken off guard yesterday when my newspaper vendor offered me a Guyana Times in lieu of the “change” he did not have.

I asked him why it was he was being so generous and he said, “The new paper nah selling. So I might as well give it away.”
I was about to tell him not to bother but then I changed my mind. I decided that perhaps I should take a look at this new daily that has hit our streets with such soft feet. The vendor seemed relieved to get rid of it.
I took it home and after reading the other dailies, decided that as I had it that I should really have a look at it. The first thing that struck me about this new newspaper was its name: Guyana Times.

The paper in fact is very true to its name. This is truly a national newspaper. Times in Guyana are hard at the moment and the newspaper seems to embody those hard times. It seems destined itself, given the way it has started, to struggle to survive just as how Guyanese are struggling to make ends meet.
The next thing that caught my eye was the masthead of the newspaper. The letter “i” in the word TIMES is denoted by a symbol of the LIGHTHOUSE, no doubt to highlight the logo of the newspaper: THE BEACON OF TRUTH.
Again, I have to wonder about the choice of this symbol. The Georgetown Lighthouse is of course a national landmark. It is used as a navigational tool for guiding boats into the City harbour.
There are however concerns as to its future as a beacon for ships. You see, a massive hotel is soon to be constructed not far from where the Lighthouse is located. This hotel is expected to be a very tall building.

It is expected to be taller than the Lighthouse and people are asking whether this massive structure will totally obscure the Lighthouse which will thus not be visible to incoming vessels. Only time will tell.
Similarly only time will tell whether the Lighthouse newspaper will indeed become a beacon of truth, or whether it will turn out to be another Guyana Chronicle or Mirror which are also beacons…of the government.
The next thing had me laughing so much I almost burst my seams. Below the masthead to the left of the logo, the newspaper had these words, “Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana.”
I know that as a newcomer to the media, the newspaper is expected to hype itself. But it is a bit ambitious having started just under a week now for the Lighthouse newspaper to be boasting about having the best news team in the country. Best news team in Guyana and the paper hardly selling!
I am glad, though, that I was able to secure a copy of the Guyana Times, even if it was because of the fact that my vendor did not have change and seemed glad to let go of what he titled the “give-away” newspaper.
I have to see him tomorrow for two reasons. The first is to thank him for allowing me to at least appreciate that I am not missing anything by not subscribing to this new newspaper.
Then, I have to ensure that he goes around to the Bank of Guyana and “change” some of his hundred-dollar bills into twenties and coins. The next time he owes me I want him to pay up because there is no way that the Peeper is going to forego any more change for a copy of the Lighthouse newspaper.
Sorry, Mr. Vendor, I am a charitable man and I give away a lot of money but I would rather let you have whatever you owe me rather than have the Guyana Times in exchange. Better yet, I would take a mint instead!