HOPES, fulfillment and happiness were certainly aroused yesterday when the National Library hosted its Awards Ceremony for its annual competitions.
The conference room of the library was filled to capacity with excited and proud students and prison inmates as they gathered to be honoured for their achievements in reading, quiz, essay and short story writing and debating.
The students were accompanied by equally proud parents and the slightly abashed inmates by beaming officers.
Others came too. Popular radio DJ ‘Basil P’ was there. As was Hajji Roshan Khan and Captain Gerry Gouveia. And there were many others – representatives of the sponsors, judges of the competitions, library staff, Ministry of Education Officials, members of the media and other friends and well wishers of the celebrants.
The programme got off to a warm start with brief comments from the chairman, Literacy Advocate Petamber Persaud.
Special remarks were delivered by the diminutive Mr. Parikhan Ram – Senior Subject Specialist for English at NCERD.

Mr. Ram said he views the enterprise of literacy as undertaken by the National Library as important as feeding, clothing and housing the nation. And added that the country cannot go back to the days when our great great grandparents could neither read nor write and as a result were exploited.
He called on the participants to ‘be inspired’ and ‘Grab all the help they can from organizations like the National Library.’ Then he issued a clarion call to them, ‘Be encouraged to write.’
The audience was entertained by several readings.
Some of the winning short stories were written and read by Kenny Bisnauth, Shuntia Johnson, Charlyn Elliot and Rossana Bisnauth.
Ashley Drakes read an excerpt from Black Beauty; Shinella Johnson read from The Great Gatsby; Tramangra Williams of New Amsterdam from ‘Jane’s Career’ and Angelie Persaud from ‘Peter Pan.’
Drakes, Johnson and Persaud were all winners of the National Library and Digicel’s Annual Champion Readers’ Competition 2012.
Tramangra Williams gained first place in the 21 – 35 years category of the National Library and P&P Brokers Inter – Correctional Institutions Essay and Short Story Writing Competition 2012.
Inmates from Georgetown, Timehri, New Amsterdam and Sibley Hall/Mazaruni also won in this competition.
In the National Library and Digicel’s Inter – Correctional Institutions Champion Readers’ Competition 2012 – Courtney Frank, Shatess Valentine, Richard Craigen, Shondell Petrie, Reinhold Charles and Harlon Dey placed first in their categories.
The categories were by age: 17 – 20 years; 21 – 35years and 36 plus years for both competitions.
In brief remarks to the audience, Director of Prisons Dale Erskine thanked the library for giving the inmates the opportunity to hone their developmental skills.
He added that given the information age we live in, people who cannot read will be at a disadvantage.
South Ruimveldt Primary School won the Quiz Competition through its students Cecil Hines, Kimesa Seaforth and Sonelle Nurse. Leonora Primary School was the Runner up.
Zeeburg Secondary School won against West Demerara Secondary School. All prizes for this competition were donated by Gafoors.
P&P Brokers rewarded the winners in the Essay Writing and Short Story Competition. Shuntia Johnson of Clonbrook Primary, Candacie Holder of Bishop’s High School, and Kenny Bisnauth, Rosanna Bisnauth and Charlyn, all of Queens College, also placed first.
The unsponsored inter-secondary schools’ debating competition had many winners. Best speaker prizes were earned by Laurine Johnny, Waveney Primo, Anil Persaud, Matthew Corriea and Christophe Damon. The winning school was St Roses High and runner up Christ Church Secondary.
The coordinator of the Competition was loud in praise for corporate sponsors Digicel, Gafoors and P&P Brokers. She also made an appeal to the rest of the corporate world to support the drive for Literacy.