There are now eight billion of us in the world…and the population is growing so fast that it’s projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. That’s another 1.8 billion more in just 27 years!! And to think that, less than 100 years ago — 1927 to be exact — the world had only 2 billion people! Maybe we should quit talking about “breeding like rabbits” and start talking about “breeding like humans”!!? Well, to be fair, and not to exaggerate our copulating prowess, most of the increase was due to better living conditions and medicine etc — and family values!! And, next week, we’ll commemorate Global Family Day 2024 with the theme: “Embracing Diversity, Strengthening Families”.
But we can’t take things for granted on the population front, since countries like Japan, with declining populations, remind us there’s still the need to breed, to ensure at least we keep our species going. And to do that takes two — not only to tango, but to tangle and make babies. While there’s a growing tendency in certain societies to have a growing number of single mothers, there’s still a consensus that the family is the best arrangement to make babies. This was a social innovation even before we were walking on our knuckles! No matter how you cut it, slice it or dice it, human babies really can’t raise themselves and remain “human”!
And it’s why, in 1993, the UN decided we need to be reminded to commemorate the “International Day for Families” every May 15. It seemed to’ve slipped us last year — so this early warning is to make good! It doesn’t look like we think much about families here in our dear old mudland. And it shows!! Somewhere along the line, it seems, we’ve lost the plot about families. To a large extent, that’s because parents seem to’ve forgotten they’re the members of the family who’re supposed to socialise their children to be responsible members of society. These parents want to remain infantilised more than their children!!
So, the next time you feel like complaining about crime, or bad drivers, or bad anything that’s done by people, remember that much of it goes back to the failure of the family and their heads – old Mom and Dad!! They used to say that “it takes a village to raise a child”, but that’s tough when there’s a failure of the child’s parents! Some of this estrangement comes from the newfangled ideas about “parenting”, which forbid disciplining children. Now, your Eyewitness ain’t saying you gotta be like Matilda’s parents – the Wormwoods – but still, kids gotta know that society got rules!!
Anyhow, your Eyewitness hopes the authorities don’t ignore Family Day again. Or we may have to discipline them with the rod of correction in 2025!!!!
…vigil
When you’re dealing with a madman, you gotta always be on guard; and when you’re dealing with a DESPERATE madman, then you gotta be more proactive and take defensive measures! Your Eyewitness is talking about Mad Maduro, of course, who’s getting more desperate by the minute as the clock ticks inexorably to the elections. We gotta take his threats to take over Essequibo seriously!
Your Eyewitness has been stressing that we continue with the diplomatic initiatives, but also arrange our defences so that even Mad Maduro would think twice about attacking us. Our ace in the hole is the US, which has its own beef with the Madman, and it makes sense to collaborate with them in matters military. So, we just saw the visit of US Marine Corps Major General Julie Nethercot of Southcom. Washington says it’s a sign of its commitment to partnering with the GDF, which “continues to increase its capabilities and expand its force”.
But, more potently, two U.S. F/A-18F Super Hornets from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington just did a flyover of Georgetown and its environs.
Take that, Madman!!
…teachers’ strike?
Your Eyewitness wants to know what’s going on with this brinksmanship by the GTU with the Government. Do they really think it’s wise to continue demanding increases for 2019-2023??
