Prime Minister Freundel Stuart believes the Caribbean has produced some of the ???finest writers??? in the world.
He expressed this view recently when members of Writers Ink paid him a courtesy call at Government Headquarters.
He reminded the group that the English-speaking Caribbean had produced not only three Nobel Laureates – Sir W. Arthur Lewis in 1979, Dr. Derek Walcott in 1992, and Vidiadhar Surajpra-sad Naipaul in 2001, the latter two in Literature, but also a stellar company of especially good writers, the equal of the best that could be found anywhere in the world.
Mr. Stuart said he was pleased to see the amount of writing being done in and about the Caribbean.
???This is all very positive, keep up the good work and keep the flame burning. We have tended to see things through eyes other than our own for too long and it is time to look through the right set of lenses now. It will do a lot for our self-confidence as a people,??? he remarked.
He told the writers that their efforts would greatly assist in the liberation of self. Acknowledging that the region still had a little way to go in developing that confidence, he stressed, however, that it had done very well in the past 50 years.
???It is important that we continue those efforts and continue to reinforce that dignity of self which our people desperately crave,??? he stated.
The Prime Minister noted that few politicians had published any work, but said he hoped to do some writing, especially since he had a deep interest in literature. He pointed out, also, that there were some legal issues that excited him, and which he wanted to write about.
Mr. Stuart thanked the writers for supporting the Bim Literary Festival and lauded them for placing emphasis on the youth.
Writer Philip Nanton said a few innovations had been added to this year???s Festival and listed them as including readings being done in a boat off of the Waterfront Caf?? and a literary tour around Bridgetown, stopping at locations that have been written about by established writers.??He thanked the Prime Minister for his ongoing support of the Festival.
Crossing: Breaking Borders was the theme of this year???s Festival, which was held from May 15 to 17. It was organised by Writers Ink, a group of leading novelists and poets.??The inaugural Bim Festival and Book Fair was held in 2012.
sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb