Caribbean region needs publishers
By George Alleyne
The state of publishing in
the Caribbean has regressed
to the conditions of the 1940s,
and apart from Barbados, anglophone
Caribbean governments
give short shrift to the literary
arts.
So says Vincentian and leading
Caribbean novelist and literary
critic, Dr. Nigel Thomas,
who while complimenting Barbados
at a recent awards function
for its vibrancy in promoting
the arts, said the island has
far to go for greater organisation
in permanently recognising its
outstanding artistes.
Speaking during the Frank
Collymore Literary Endowment
awards ceremony, Thomas gave
kudos to the nation’s cultural
administrators and Central
Bank for leading the way for 22
years with this premiere writers’
recognition grant, but added,
“I hope you will name something
after writers Kamau
Brathwaite, Austin Clarke, Cecil
Foster, and eventually Robert
Sandiford, and all those who
come afterwards”.
Supporting his call for recognition
of artistes he pointed to
Canada where libraries, streets,
and highways are named after
writers. He spoke of a Hans
Christian Andersen Boulevard
in the centre of Copenhagen;
and similar structures named
for Victor Hugo in France and
Martinique. Then there are in
Russia Pushkin Squares, avenues
and halls.
Thomas who lives in Quebec
and is author of 11 books and
five novels contends that the
absence of recognition for creators
in literary arts is part of a
bigger problem in the Englishspeaking
Caribbean L 24 ife, Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2020
Caribbean where those
who pen from their imagination
have little or no publishing
opportunities.
“Given the paucity of professional
published Caribbean writers
today we are back to where
we were when Frank Collymore
founded ‘Bim’ in the 1940s.
“I’m talking about writers
published by presses that can
promote their work and pay
them royalties.”
Frank Collymore, a Barbadian
poet, stage actor and painter,
began publishing the literary
magazine ‘Bim’ in 1942 providing
for many Caribbean writers
an outlet at a time when there
was no other. He was editor
until 1975.
Other publishers followed but
they eventually packed up and
left with the last significant one
being Heinemann Caribbean
Writers that departed around
1998.
“What I would like you folks
in Barbados and elsewhere to
do is to get after your governments,”
he said.
“All the Caribbean countries
have a department of culture
and one would think that support
for writers would be a major
component. I can say that here
in Barbados it is. In St. Vincent
I know that it isn’t. There are
some awards, but they are medals.”
Thomas argued, “our writers
should not be facing such
a bleak situation. Independent
nations worthy of that name
should offer greater opportunities
and support to their writers.”
As an example of the fight
to be taken to governments,
he cited the Canadian situation
60 years ago when writers
turned to US and UK publishers
because none or few were available
there.
“They organised,” he said
of the Canadian writers. “The
Canadian Council for the Arts
was founded on a national level.
Provincial arts councils, municipal
arts councils all for the support
the arts. Every single element
of the arts.”
The result he said is that today
a writer in Canada easily gets
professionally published, “you’re
invited to do readings. Your
writer organisation has money
to provide you an honorarium
and pay your travel expenses.”
“Your books are present in
public libraries. You are paid
what’s called public lending
rights.
Caribbean novelist and literary critic, Dr. Nigel Thomas.
Photo by George Alleyne
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