– at launch of 12th edition of Guyana Annual
“The role of the writer is to protect the integrity of language, make sure it is not corrupted and to do everything possible to teach its value in terms of written and spoken words, at its best to the new generation as they merge.”
These sentiments were expressed by Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee at the launch of the 2010 Edition of the Guyana Annual.
He said that since Guyana is thriving economically and financially despite the global recession, more resources can now be put into encouraging the arts and literature. He cited the resounding success of the Festival of the Arts, CARIFESTA X,  as a good example of Government’s effort in resuscitating this aspect of development.
Another effort was seen in the establishment of the Caribbean Press and the decision to reprint 36 classic Guyana books. He added that much more will be done as the economy continues to grow and resources accumulate.
“Even in the worst of times, no Government can afford to forget or marginalise the role of the writer. That is why even when the economy was in a bad shape, the Guyana Prize for Literature was introduced by the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government and when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) came into power, it had no hesitation in continuing the Prize despite all the difficulties,” Minister Rohee said.
He emphasised the importance of maintaining the strong tradition of Guyanese writers since “the spirit of the nation has always been strengthened by the work of writers.”
“The clear and effective use of language spread through the society from childhood is one absolutely essential requirement for national progress,” the Minister noted.
He posited that the widespread ability to comprehend and communicate clearly and concisely is vital in the daily lives of all categories of people, including farmers, businessmen and women, engineers, administrators, accountants, law enforcement officers, and bankers.
“The ordinary citizen in his daily life simply functions better when he possesses  fundamentals of clear, good language. The writer is the essential facilitator in promoting a great deal of national good,” the Minister reiterated.
The twelfth consecutive issue of the Guyana Annual, a Guyanese family magazine that was founded in December 1915 and resuscitated in 1998 by Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh, was launched on May 01 at the Theatre Guild.
The Annual, formerly the Chronicle Christmas Annual, has outlived many other such publications, undergoing numerous modifications to meet the need of its readership and to carry out its mandate which is to preserve Guyanese identity and cultural integrity.
A report from the Government Information Agency (GINA) noted that the  main modification was the renaming process instituted in order to give the magazine a perennial appeal.
Other modifications include the establishment of two recent prizes namely, the Martin Carter Essay Prize and the Egbert Martin Poetry Prize, specially designed to encourage writing by children under the age of eleven.
The 2010 issue of the magazine was edited by television host, newspaper columnist and Chairman of the National Library Committee, Petamber Persaud and feature articles by Godfrey Chin, Roy Brummell, David Granger, Bobby Fernandes, Shan Razack, and Vince Ramcharran.