The Caribbean Press is peopled by characters who have used it to sate their own vanities

May 19, 2013 Letters

Dear Editor,
The interview in Stabroek News with Dr, David Dabydeen, Tuesday May 14, unveils a bizarre preoccupation with self importance, and is relevant for future reference in defining the flouncing pompousness of the narcissistic. The contention by local writers with the public funded Caribbean Press began with Ruel Johnson’s revelation of the irregular publication of the book written by Minister Frank Anthony’s daughter under the Trademark of the Caribbean Press. But this was only a revelation. The real contention was when efforts by myself on behalf of local writers, who have never submitted any of their work to Dabydeen, because the functions of the C.P was unknown until revealed by Ruel. Thus Dabydeen’s declaration in the interview that the work of local writers are; “poor in quality and lazy” and “laziness and incompetence” was an aggressive camouflage.
This ‘busing’ is almost comical and a distraction from the real issue. Our request to the Minister was to explore the real issue, which is to enquire how the Caribbean Press functions, since it was now publishing current books, excluding the diatribes of Dabydeen. The question remains unanswered as to what is the Memorandum of Understanding between the public and this Public funded entity?
Writers of all ages must understand that there are only a few types of publishing operations. Most of them operate as businesses. A book is given the green light by the publishers, dispatched to their printers and distributed on a commercially viable print run. Then there are The Independents,’ the self publishers, who work the hardest, proof reading, editing and in the context of the Caribbean, distribution is on their own backs. Then there is the ‘Vanity Press,’ in this case the questionable Caribbean Press, which would be privately funded by say Dr Frank Anthony, Ian Mc Donald and David Dabydeen. This would enable them to function as they presume fit, assuming their own sense of what is quality. The Caribbean Press is none of the above; it is a bold attempt to indulge a National Publishing house, funded by tax payers’ money, the travesty is that it is peopled by characters whose conceit and dishonesty has used it to sate their own vanities, as Ruel Johnson pointed out in his letter to Stabroek Mon. April 29. Ian Mc Donald has used this Press to republish three of his books, Dabydeen has had one of his books republished, so there’s no altruism going on here, just the indecency of men with superficial pretentions and no social sensitivities. Usually in nations with large populations, there are publishing houses that cater for varied reading interests, enriching their communities by accommodating the talents of the Mystery writer, the Science fiction writer, Horror, Children’s Stories, Romance, etc. In a small nation like Guyana, a National Press has to facilitate all of the above to stay in existence. It’s obvious that Dabydeen is asleep to the realities of the publishing world and who’s going to the bank. It is obvious that he’s unable to have his book’s original publisher to do a rerun, that’s why he is here at home stealing Suga Cake from we Lil Cake Shop.
Bloomsbury Publishing, the publishers of the Pulp fiction ‘Harry Potter’ and the Hachette Book Group, publishers of Stephanie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ series have all gone to the bank giggling with satisfaction. Every publishing house catalogue has the variety in keeping with today’s unpretentious book market. Highly illustrated coffee table books to the outrageous sensual novel, the boom of the Graphic Novel, fuels numerous other artistic areas. “Goose Bumps” is rated as Scholastic as its adventures in lore and fantasy encourages young minds to read. We are too poor a nation to indulge and not recognize the counterproductive conceit of Dr. David Dabydeen and his secret society’s colonization of the Caribbean Press. Academic Certification is not a criterion that can measure creativity or ascending talent. It is the worst kind of hypocrisy and inexcusable stupidity to judge the capabilities of the unknown organic state on the basis of prejudices derived from contributing to its marginalization.
Barrington Braithwaite

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The Caribbean Press is peopled by characters who have used it to sate their own vanities

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