GUYANESE Writer and designer of the insignia for the Order of the Caribbean Community Award, Standhope Williams, will be launching his book about the life and work of the recipients of this honour today.

The book, titled ‘Here are your Heroes, Caribbean’, reflects on these Caribbean icons and offers an educational journey through the works and accomplishments of these individuals, and also serves as a permanent record.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, Williams said he thought it appropriate to set the launch at this particular time when the CARICOM is hosting the 30th Meeting of the Heads of Caribbean Government, and the when honour is being bestowed on yet another influential and outstanding West Indian, former Jamaican Prime Minister, PJ Patterson.

“The title of the book is ‘ Here are your Heroes, Caribbean’, and it is a sort of response to Dave Martins song ‘Where are your heroes Caribbean’, which I grew up hearing, and in which he bemoaned the lack of us honouring our Caribbean heroes, so I thought that this would be an appropriate title for my book,” Williams said.

He said the book is his contribution to the regional integration movement and hopes to get it into schools and libraries, because a lot of young people do not know what the OCC award is about and those individuals on whom the award has been bestowed.

He noted that the order, which is granted every three to four years, has now been bestowed upon approximately two dozen iconic West Indians.

These awardees would have contributed significantly to the development of the region in every area of endeavour: Arts, Culture, Sports, Politics, International Relations.

The launching takes place at the National Library at 18:00hs. today, and all are invited.