Guyana Prize for Literature and Caribbean Awards presented

Last Updated on Monday, 30 November 2015, 3:09 by GxMedia

Presenting the The Guyana Prize for Literature and Caribbean Awards was Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo (centre). From Left to Right are: Subraj Singh, Stanley Niamatali, Maggie Harris, David Dabydeen, Barbara Jenkins, Eddie Baugh and Al Creighton who received Harold A. Bascom’s awards in his absence.

The Guyana Prize for Literature and Caribbean Awards saw several well-known and new names copping awards at the event that was held Sunday night at the Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown.

The newest and youngest awardee to date is Subraj Singh who was awarded Best First Book of Fiction for his authorship of “Rebelle and Other Stories.”

But overall, the Best Book of Fiction award went to Guyanese author and poet, David Dabydeen for his work titled “Johnson’s Dictionary.”

Well-known Guyanese playwright, Harold Bascom copped two awards- Best Book of Drama and the Caribbean Award for his work named “Desperate for Relevance.”  University of Guyana Lecturer, Al Creighton received the awards on behalf of Bascom who was unavoidably absent.

United Kingdom-based Maggie Harris won the Best Book of Poetry Award for her collection titled “Sixty Years of Loving.”  Stanley Niamatali was awarded Best First book of Poetry for a compilation named “The Hinterlands.”

In the Guyana Prize for Literature Caribbean Awards category, Jamaica’s Edward Baugh copped the top spot for Best Book of Poetry, while Barbara Jenkins of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was awarded for the Best Book of Fiction titled Transit Wagon.

Among those attending were Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine; Junior Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry; Authors Ian Mc Donald and Ruel Johnson, Playwright Dr. Paloma Mohammed and former Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony.