Necessary Luxury – Garnett Roper
President – Jamaica Theological Seminary
My laptop, BlackBerry and Bible are the keys to my day. To be accurate the Bible is often read online. However, my day begins with reading the newspapers at approximately 4:30 am. The newspapers include daily local and major international newspapers and the BBC. Typically, there is a document to edit, write or respond to which is usually completed before my morning walk. The BlackBerry is the constant throughout the day and night. I receive and respond to emails and make telephone calls. I also make regular use of Skype.
I am a full-time student in the United Kingdom along with my job as the president of a college and I am the chairman of the publishing company for a weekly newspaper. I frequently travel overseas. With the combination of BlackBerry and laptop I am always in touch and able to communicate at a moment’s notice. I do not miss deadlines and I am seldom taken unawares by current events. Technology has shrunk the size of the globe and kept time in chains.