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Caribbean Press launches newest collection of publications
With impressive works like my ‘My Father’s Wish’, written by medical student, Andrew Hutson, and ‘Bitter’ by young Medical Practitioner, Portia Dodson, both first-time novelists, The Caribbean Press on Friday evening officially added 16 new publications to its collection.
At a simple event held at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown, several of the writers, well-wishers and officials, including a few from the Culture Ministry, under whose purview the Caribbean Press falls, gathered for the launch of the publications.
The occasion was officiated by Head of the Caribbean Press and Guyana’s Ambassador to China, Professor David Dabydeen, who had nothing but glowing words to say about the authors. The publications were characterised by 16 volumes and 13 titles, as some of the titles were in three volumes, all of which were on sale at the Umana Yana on Friday.
Some of the writers who have been published by the Caribbean Press flank Professor David Dabydeen (at centre, standing)
The publications will however continue to be available for purchase at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport on Main Street, Georgetown.
Speaking at the start of the launch, Professor Dabydeen asserted that “I am not here to make a speech about the Press, the future, the past, or whatever… Today is the writers’ day…”
Moreover, some of the writers in attendance were able to share excerpts of their work with the audience.
Included in the newly launched collection are: The National Assembly Speeches of President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, Volumes Two and Three. The first volume has already been published and was presented to the Speaker of the House last year, while according to Professor Dabydeen, another three are currently at various stages of preparation.
Among the collection too is ‘The Hinterland’, a book of poems, by Stanley Niamatali; ‘Heads and Tails’, a collection of children’s poem by Pearl Lewis; ‘The Dumb and the Brave’, a novel by Churaumanie Bissundyal; Twenty-Five Poems by Guyanese Children, an Anthology of poems by children living in Guyana, edited by Reverend Gideon Cecil; Collected Poems – 1937-1989 by A . J. Seymour; The Idyll and the Warrior (Recollection of Edgar Mittelholzer), a memoir by his wife Jacqueline Mittlelholzer, and Beacons of Excellence, the Edgar Mittelholzer Memorial Lectures Volumes One, Two and Three.
Also included in the collection is the autobiography of local business tycoon, Yesu Persaud, ‘Reaching for the stars’; Duenne by Professor at the University of Guyana, Dr Paloma Mohamed, and An Anthology of Contemporary Guyana, edited by Petamber Persaud.
In order for local published works to be officially recognised, they must first be deposited into local libraries; moreover, copies of the launched publications were on Friday evening handed over to the National Library, the National Archives, the University of Guyana Library and the National Centre for Education Resource Development.
Copies of the books have also been set aside for the collections of the Parliament Library and those of Queen’s College and The Bishops’ High.
According to Al Creighton, who was the designated chair of the forum, the launch of the publications in fact represented yet another mandate of the Caribbean Press.
The Caribbean Press was conceptualised in 2008, during Guyana’s hosting of Carifesta, and eventually came into fruition in 2010. Creighton on Friday evening pointed out that the first mandate of the Caribbean Press was therefore to publish the Guyana Classics.
“The Guyana Classics represent a collection of texts which represent very important, sometimes fundamental texts of Guyanese literature and Guyanese history that have a place in the heritage of Guyana,” said Creighton, who went on to note that “many of these are texts that would have otherwise have gone out of print.”
Following this, the Press moved on to publish or reprint other works, including the texts of winners of the Guyana Prize.
With the 16 additional volumes launched on Friday, the Caribbean Press’ collection now stands at 75, including a wide array of books on Guyana’s history, literature and works of renowned Guyanese novelists and poets.
“We now have seen the Caribbean Press moving in full flight in this phase of its mandate and I think that this phase of its mandate will occupy the Press for quite a while to come,” said Creighton.
The phase to which he alluded is that of the publication of new writings by resident Guyanese, even some who have never been heard of before.
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