The Guyana Annual needs to be improved

Nov 30, 2008 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I was very much impressed with the writer of the letter in the Kaieteur News under the caption: ‘’Some aspects of the Guyana Annual are worrying.’’

The letter writer made some valid points about the Guyana Annual which Mr. Petamber Persaud needs to take into consideration if he is going to be the editor for the Annual for life.

As a former Judge of the Short Story and Poetry Categories, I wish to add a few constructive comments about the Guyana Annual, which I believe will help those who promote this literary magazine.

I was able to judge the entries in both adults and youth categories. I discovered that a great deal of the work submitted to be judged is of a very low standard or has been plagiarized.

I have judged entries in short fiction and poetry categories in the years 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
I note with interest a very severe decline in the standard of entries that was submitted into this literary contest in both the short story and poetry categories.

As a judge, I was asked by the editor among the other judges to write a judge’s report which I submitted to the editor. My report was published in the Guyana Annual 2005-2006 on pages 58-59.

What amazes me most is that my name among the other judges who wrote our reports was deleted in the Annual when it was published. On page 58 in the Annual all one can see is: ‘’The Judges’ Report’’.

Unfortunately, the names of the judges are anonymous all because of the editor’s incompetent decision. To my surprise, as a judge for the short story and poetry categories in 2007-2008 on pages 79-80 my name among the other judges’ names was deleted again and the judges remained anonymous.

I never told the editor that I wanted my name to be obliterated from the Judges’ report after all the hard work I did for free.

By omitting by name off the judges’ report tells me clearly that the Guyana Annual is being evaluated by a pack of novices.

In the same Guyana Annual one can see the names of Ian McDonald, Al Creighton, Ruel Johnson etc on the top of their articles. Why is it on the judges’ report the judges names were erased by the editor at his whims and pleasure?

In the Guyana Prize for Literature the names of the Judges or the name of the judge who is the chairman/woman of the jury is printed on their report in the press and magazines.

It tells me clearly that it’s very unethical and a lack of integrity to erase the names of literary personalities who worked very hard to evaluate works in this tedious contest.

I also observed at the Guyana Annual awards ceremony the Judges’ report was given by the editor Mr. Petamber Persaud who happens to be editor, chairman, and literary judge in a very vague manner, which is very much unethical. It shows that the editor is trying just to promote himself by acting in three functions at the same time.

By not allowing one of the judges to deliver a proper judges’ report hinders the progress of great writing; thus allowing a few incompetent writers to believe that they have arrived by receiving some false literary accolades, and having false hopes about themselves. In one of Mr. Al Creighton’s articles about the Annual he interrogates why the judges’ names remained anonymous.

That is a question Mr. Persaud should answer. The letter writer Mr. Sydney Adams also observed that the last Annual the editor alone wrote five articles or pieces.

That again is just promoting one’s own self and not Guyanese literature. All the editor needs to write is the introduction or Preface for the Annual and give a brief overview of the Annual.

I also agree with the letter writer that some of the stories are not the stuff children can really read. Guyanese literature on the whole is written in curse words, bad English, poor grammar and diction and the long dismal list goes on.

Even books that won the Guyana Prize for literature are loaded with sexual imagery, curse words, vulgarity etc; that can never be taught as a great literature text in any high school, yet they are given monetary awards in US dollars.

To write great literature every writer must study the classics like Shakespeare, Dante, Homer, Ovid, Tagore etc; not many of our writers are prepared to go an extra mile to write works of literary merit and quality, a work that live on after the author is passed from this life.

At all the readings I have attended hosted by Mr. Petamber Persaud I observed he does most of the talking If the Guyana Annual will survive it will need a new editor every year with a new literary vision to take the writings of the young and old to a new level of contemporary writing.

To promote Guyanese literature means to promote the writings of budding writers and not one’s own aims and objectives.

The Guyana Annual needs a more intellectual and scholarly approach, we have seen too much old heads writing the same news and articles over and over again. What it needs is a fresh vision, a new dimension that deals about the deeper things in life.

It should have articles of faith and religion, some poems written by classical authors against the backdrop of Caribbean writers; more deeper essays that can help people with HIV/Aids; some great photography, history, philosophy and music.

It is not my desire to offend those who helped with the Annual but correct issues to help the Guyanese public that will give us a greater value in contemporary literature.

The Guyana Annual needs more than one editor and a few more literary critics to give it a thorough scrutiny before publication.

What it needs is a team of people who will respect each other’s opinion and not one editor who has much to learn about book publication and editing.
Rev. Gideon Cecil

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