GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Guyanese government has re-launched the “Guyana Prize for Literature” with newer categories, features, and prizes as the country aims to foster, improve, and share Guyanese literature and talent locally and internationally.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson, flanked by Director of Culture, Tamika Boatswain (right), and Andrew Tyndall, National Events Coordinator (left)Culture, Youth, and Sports Minister, Charles Ramson, told a news conference that the award was revitalized to better share the country’s rich cultural heritage and way of life through the art form of story-telling and literature, in a progressive manner.
“Most of the people who are connected to writing, drama, and poetry etc….do not have a next stage and progressive kind of opportunity for them to get their works published and for them to be recognized in Guyana for the works that they are doing in this creative space,” Ramson said, adding that it will be “the sporting platform where they can get their works published” and recognized throughout Guyana.
“This prize was very important for literary works for a long time,” Ramson said, noting that nothing had filled the void when it was scrapped a few years ago.
“First, this will be an annual prize, instead of one every two years. There is also a youth category that has been added. There is one qualifying area other than the age, which is that it’s open only to residents. We’ve also added in a male and female category for the youth prize,” Ramson said as he announced the changes and additions to the award that would serve “to encourage the Guyanese interest in competing in the various categories…”
National Events Coordinator, Andrew Tyndall, said that the initiative was further expanded to include a prize for non-fiction works and manuscripts.
“This year the prize will also be awarded a publication prize in every open category, which means that if you submit a manuscript, and it’s a willing submission, you will be funded for the publishing of that work,” he said.
A Literary Festival is also in the works and aims to offer a distinctive and diverse platform that celebrates local literature.
