CUBA HAS honoured George Lamming, the internationally famous Barbados-born Caribbean novelist and social commentator, with its recently inaugurated ‘Caribbean Hibiscus Prize’. He is the first recipient of the award.
Granted by the Association of Cuban Writers and Artists (UNEAC), it was awarded in recognition of “a lifetime’s work” by the political novelist, often quite controversial, during his recent visit to Havana.
He went to Cuba for meetings with representatives of UNEAC and the Ministry of Culture that included discussion on a forthcoming special edition of “Bim”, the twice-yearly published journal of “creative works, essays and critical expositions” to help meet the needs of the local and regional literary and artistic community.
The coming edition of ‘Bim’ will focus on the ‘Contemporary Arts and Sciences of Cuba in the Caribbean”. The contents will include sections on the role of science in Cuban culture; intellectuals and the Cuban revolution; gender and race issues; and an “international perspective” with an essay on the history of that Caribbean nation–before and after the 1959 Fidel Castro-led revolution.
Among those present for the UNEAC award was Cuba’s Culture Minister, Abel Prieto. And in speaking on behalf of the Cuban writers and artists, Nancy Morejon recognised that the Hibiscus Prize is named after a flower quite common to Caribbean nations.
Lamming was selected to receive the first edition of the award, said Morejon, “because when you read his works you can understand nature and regional spirit better…”.
UNEAC’s President, Miguel Barnett, said that the Hibiscus award to Lamming was also aimed at spreading national culture and the works of Cuban institution.
Previously honoured by Cuba’s publishing enterprise, Casa de las Americas, Lamming is Patron and Consulting Editor of ‘Bim’, with Esther Phillips as Editor–(RS).