Locally-based writers dominated Guyana...
From 11A friendships, beauty and above all, love.
Second Place: Ruth Osman for All Made of Longing, Bamboo Talk Press
Third Place: Sasenarine Persaud for Mattress Makers Mawenzi House Publishers
FIRST BOOK OF POETRY
The award of the Best First Book of Poetry was presented to Ruth Osman for her first published collection All Made of Longing. She is stage performer of Spoken Word Poetry and music who lives in Trinidad and Tobago.
DRAMA
The 2023 Winner of the Guyana Prize for Drama is Harold A. Bascom for his play Unfounded (2023). Bascom had a successful career in Guyana as a playwright, director, producer and visual artist before relocating to the USA where he now lives. He has won the Guyana Prize on previous occasions and was also a winner of the Guyana Prize for Literature Caribbean Award. Jury Chairman Rawle Gibbons issued the following citation.
A melodrama with an active plot that seeks to tackle issues of national concern. The plot is well-developed, the action engaging and characters interesting. The action of this play is set in the context of: a) rumors of an imminent invasion of the country by a hostile neighboring state; b) the experience of frequent electricity blackouts and c) historical ethnic divisions, particularly between
Indians and Africans in the country. The play asks the question whether the crisis of invasion can bring about national unity?
In its approach to this question, we believe the play needs a better balance of responsibility between the races and to avoid the reinforcement of stereotypes. To its credit, however, the play shows the positive outcome and possibility of racial integration. The story signals hope in racial unity as consistent with the courage of personal choice. The action tells us, further, there is no hope for national unity or even personal evolution without enduring the pain of self-reckoning.
Second Place:
With A Kiss
Third Place: Requiem for the Living Rose.
THE YOUTH AWARD
The Youth Awards were announced for Poetry and Short Story and presented by Minister of Culture Charles Ramson. Significantly, last year’s winner Samir Mohammed was once again among the awardees this year, but he was only allowed a third prize in poetry while no award for short story was made to the girls. Chairman of the Jury explained that that was because of many deficiencies in the submitted works.
BEST SHORT STORY (BOYS)
by Jamal La
Samir Mohammed, for “The Lighthouse at the Bottom of the Sea”
BEST POETRY (BOYS)
THIRD PLACE: Samir Mohammed for “Shadows in the Sand”
BEST SHORT STORY (GIRLS)
NO AWARD
BEST POETRY (GIRLS)
Reneka Anand for “Lotus Flower Story: The Woman”
Second Place: Angel Moore for “Yellow Cheese Pencil for a Vegan Artist”
“Untold Stories of An Artist”