THE literature of Guyana is still in its infancy stages but the country could proudly display what it has produced so far. This happened recently at the just-concluded 21st International Book Fair in Cuba where there were publishers and exhibitors from over forty countries, including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Vietnam and Venezuela.
The Fair, with the theme, ‘To Read is To Grow’, was dedicated to the Greater Caribbean Region.
More and more, the literature of the Caribbean is being welcomed by the rest of the world as a new, unfolding gift. There are many reasons for this acceptance and appreciation.
Just to mention one area: The Caribbean has produced six Nobel Laureates in Literature, namely: Saint-John Perse (Guadeloupe); Miguel Angel Asturias (Guatemala); Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia); Octavio Paz (Mexico); Derek Walcott (St. Lucia); and V. S. Naipaul (Trinidad and Tobago).
Caribbean writers have also made their mark on other literary accolades, including the Commonwealth Literary Prize. Literary prize is but one yardstick of good literature.
Increasingly, writers of the Caribbean, including a fair number from Guyana, have being making an impact on the literary scene of Cuba, mainly through the Casa de las Americas Literary Prize, and studies conducted by the organisation’s Centre for Caribbean Studies, el Centro de Estudios del Caribe de Casa de las Américas.
The 21st International Book Fair was dedicated to the Caribbean, and the Caribbean made good use of the opportunity, where there were publishers and exhibitors from over forty countries.
For the Caribbean, there were two special spaces provided, namely: Salón Caribeño and Sala Nuestra América in order that the contribution from the Caribbean could have optimum exposure.
The main venue for the fair was the San Carlos de la Cabaña Fortress, with a dozen sub-sites around the capital, Havana. The fair started on February 9 and ended February 19, 2012. (An endearing feature of the event was when it closed its doors in Havana on February 19, the book fair was slated to tour the complete island nation.)
Guyana made signal representation at this international forum. The Guyana booth displayed a wide variety of our literature, including many titles from the Guyana Classics Library reprinted by the recently established The Caribbean Press.
Some of those titles include ‘The Discovery of Guiana’ by Sir Walter Raleigh first published in 1595’ ‘The Coolie, his Rights and Wrongs’ by John Edward Jenkins; ‘Canoe and Camp Life in British Guiana’ by Charles Barrington Brown; ‘The Chinese in British Guiana’ by Sir Cecil Clementi; ‘The Asylum Journal’ by Robert Grieve; and ‘Guianese Poetry: Covering the Hundred Years’ Period, 1831-1931’ by N. E. Cameron.
Also on display were books about Desmond Hoyte and Shridath Ramphal; books by Cheddi Jagan, Walter Rodney, Fr. Morrison, A. J. Seymour, Merlin Octobert  Persaud (‘Twenty-Four Poems’) and Petamber Persaud (‘Plain Taak’, ‘Lest We Forget’ and ‘An Anthology of Caribbean Poetry for Carifesta X’).
‘Guyana’ the coffee table book by Hansib  Publications and magazines like ‘The Guyana Annual’, ‘GEM’ and ‘Explore Guyana’ were also on display. Many of the books were provided by the Guyana Embassy in Cuba, and from the bookshelf of Merlin Octobert Persaud.
The Guyana booth was manned by 5th year Guyanese medical students, including Victor Allen, Gregory Harris, Desmond Nicolson, Tiffony Tucker-Chalmers and Merlin Octobert Persaud who rotated sessions during the ten-day event. The Ambassador and Guyana’s Director of Culture, Dr. James Rose, were also in attendance. It was reported there were some 270,000 visitors during the ten-day book fest.
Over fifty books were launched, including one by Pauline Melville. Other titles include ‘The Second Assassination of Maurice Bishop’ by Steve Clark, and ‘Chattel House Blues’ from Ian Randle Publishers.
The 21st International Book Fair in Cuba was also dedicated to two outstanding writers: Zoila Lapique Becali and Ambrosio Fornet Frutos.
The fair coincided with the awarding of the ALBA Narrative 2012 Prize, the Cuban National Prizes for Literature, Social Science, History, Design and Editing, and the announcement of the winners of the Cervantes Prize.
The book fair was initiated by famous Cuban writer, Alejo Carpentier whose best known works are ‘The Lost Steps’, ‘Explosion in a Cathedral’ and ‘The Kingdom of this World’. (Photographs and information courtesy of Mr Merlin October-Persaud.)

What’s Happening
•     ‘Literature on Television’, comprising of ‘Oral Tradition’ and ‘Between the Lines’, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the rebroadcast of some signal features including copyright, cultural industries, literary criticism, reading for pleasure, writers workshops, editing, and preparing manuscripts for publication (and literary prizes). Both programmes are aired on NCN; ‘Oral Tradition’ is on Wednesdays at 2035 hours and ‘Between the Lines’ – first Sunday each month at 2100 hours.
•    Look out for details on World Poetry Day, World Storytelling Day and World Book & Copyright Day.

(To respond to this author, either call him on (592) 226-0065 or send him an email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)