{"id":41055,"date":"2024-08-17T16:29:53","date_gmt":"2024-08-17T12:29:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/?p=41055"},"modified":"2024-08-17T16:29:53","modified_gmt":"2024-08-17T12:29:53","slug":"the-inaugural-editorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/the-inaugural-editorial\/","title":{"rendered":"The Inaugural Editorial"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editorial<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

By Beekrumsing Ramlallah<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Until recently newspaper reading was confined to the intelligentsia, the high brow, and
\nthe white collared office man.<\/p>\n

During the two world wars, young men from one part of the world were sent to another
\npart where they met people of many lands. This contact roused in them a thirst to learn
\nmore and more about their ways of living, the government and general progress in their
\nrespective countries. The growth of democratic institutions and the rise in literacy
\naroused an urge for information and knowledge. Other factors were the rapid
\ndevelopment of means of communication and conveyance, the extraordinary
\ndevelopment in the technique of printing industry, which made possible cheap printed
\nmaterials. These help to increase newspaper reading by tenfold.<\/p>\n

Apart from satisfying the crave for news, the press introduced several innovations; it
\nbecame the forum of discussion, it assumed the role of the instructor, the educator and
\nthe moulder of public opinion, so much so, that it has become today an essential part in
\nthe life of the population.<\/p>\n

No doubt the safety of the world lies in social revolutions that follow that democratic
\npattern. And to maintain and strengthen democracy we think, in the words of Robert
\nSinclair, \u201cThat it is essential to the Community that its newspaper should be well
\ninformed in public affairs, accurate and otherwise reliable in their reporting of news, fair
\nand responsible in their expression of views, and thoroughly incorrupt in administration.
\nAnother essential factor of democracy is that its press should be free, it should not bow
\nto the private prejudices, whims or weaknesses of the gallery, the vested interest or the
\nauthority.<\/p>\n

We read how in the United Kingdom, newspapers are daily helping the authorities to
\napprehend crooks and criminals. They denounce profiteers and other public enemies,
\nsignal loopholes in laws, suggest ways and means to combat social ills, check national
\ncalamities, organise Gallup polls to test public opinion on national issues and help the
\ncommunity in various other ways.<\/p>\n

Although THE MAURITIUS TIMES will make it a duty to co-operate with the government
\nfor the welfare of the community, yet, on the other hand, it will fail in the trust placed in it<\/p>\n

by its readers if it neglects to expose sloth, autocracy or corruption whenever or
\nwherever they may exist.<\/p>\n

We live under the aegis of a great country which believes in and professes democracy
\nto a degree unknown to many other parts of the world. England jealously guards its
\ndemocracy. It is successful because of a high degree of give and take that goes with
\nfreedom in Government. The Englishmen believe that liberty exists in their country
\nbecause among other things, there is an effective division of opinion with influential men
\non both sides and because they have a free press.<\/p>\n

Harold Laski, the great constitutionalist, is of opinion that in any state where there is an
\nabsence of the critical spirit in the attitude of the citizens to their rulers the preservation
\nof rights is a difficult matter. He says that Governments degenerate unless they are
\nforced to live at a high level, so also, they improve where they meet the alert and erect
\nintelligence of men.<\/p>\n

Advocating the necessity of the freedom of the press as a vehicle of democracy, he
\nwrites in &#39;A Grammar of Politics&#39;: \u201cThe freedom of the people depends to a degree we
\nare beginning to realise, upon the quality of the news with which it is supplied. Its press
\nmust be free to attack authority in whatever manner it thinks fit, to publish what it
\npleases, to defend what programme it desires, the only limitation being the law of libel.\u201d
\nThis is the century of the common man. We are alive to the fact that contemporary
\nconditions are changing. Throughout the world the small man is becoming more and
\nmore articulate. He is struggling to raise his standard of living and his status in society.<\/p>\n

The Youth is challenging traditions and rejecting the outdated laws and customs of his
\nelders. There is a widespread belief in the equality of opportunity for all men and
\nwomen, in the abolition of economic insecurity, in the opposition of the vested interest
\nand in the condemnation of colour, race and religious prejudice. Influenced by
\ndemocratic principles and institutions the young, educated men and women of tomorrow
\nwill refuse to become victims of mere sloganeers or reactionaries, they will refuse to
\nturn revolutionaries, without lively thought and constructive argument.<\/p>\n

We think that it is high time that all communities of this colony should find a MODUS
\nVIVENDI. We must eliminate fear, foster trust, encourage understanding and friendship
\nbetween individuals of different races and religions. We must make this island home of
\nours a worthy place to live in. Let our motto be LIVE AND HELP LIVE.<\/p>\n

MAURITIUS TIMES is the effort of a group of young men who are determined to offer
\ntheir humble contribution to the making of a happier Mauritius.<\/p>\n

Newspaper development is a continuous development. The history of most newspapers
\nis marked by a succession of days of blunder, doubt, defeat and triumph.<\/p>\n

Our task will be long and dreary; we shall experience a period of groping in the dark and
\nof uncertainty, and perhaps a sense of defeat.<\/p>\n

Whenever the human hand dabbles in writing, one must make concessions for the
\nlimitations of the mind and for the weakness that man is heir to.<\/p>\n

We crave the indulgence of our readers for any shortcomings they may find in our paper
\nand rely on their sympathy and support.<\/p>\n

Beekrumsing Ramlallah<\/strong><\/p>\n

The inaugural editorial of the Mauritius Times, penned by founder-editor Beekrumsing<\/em>
\nRamlallah, was published on Saturday, August 14, 1954. The newspaper was issued weekly on<\/em>
\nSaturdays until December 31, 1954, when it switched to Fridays. With the exception of the issue<\/em>
\npublished on Saturday, January 15, 1955, and some Sunday editions in later years, the Mauritius<\/em>
\nTimes has been consistently published on Fridays in both print and digital formats (since March<\/em>
\n20, 2020), with a few issues also appearing on Mondays and Wednesdays.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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