IN previous articles, I have looked at the Guyana Prize for Literature from various angles, covering almost all aspects of this very important literary affair that has commanded extensive attention locally, regionally and internationally.

In previous articles, I have looked at the establishment of The Prize in 1987 by former President of Guyana, Hugh Desmond Hoyte. In those articles, I have also highlighted the winning authors and books, and the authors and their books/manuscripts that were shortlisted.
In the process, it was exposed how many new writers and new books were added to the bibliography of Guyanese Literature. In that respect, The Prize has done, and continues to do, an invaluable service to the literature of Guyana.
The merits and the shortcomings of The Prize came under the searchlight of my pen. And over the past twenty-five years, there were some modifications and improvements to the event.
However, over the years, I have chosen not to handle the judges… Until now! (The reason is perhaps for another day.)
Find below some information on the panel of judges of the current prize, quoted extensively from the University of Guyana’s website.
Jane Bryce: Is Chairman of the Jury; Professor of African Literature and Film, Dept of Language, Linguistics and Literature, UWI, Cave Hill; former Head of the Dept. Fiction Writer – has published prose works and short fiction; Co-Editor of Poui, the Cave Hill Journal of creative writing; has conducted courses in creative writing; a leading scholar on African and Caribbean film, director of film festivals, and of the Barbados Frank Collymore literary award; is a native of Tanzania.
She is the author of ‘Chameleon’ (Peepal Tree Press, 2007), a collection of short fiction, and the editor of ‘Caribbean Dispatches: Inside Stories of the Caribbean’ (Macmillan, 2006). Taken from African-Writing.com
Brendan de Caires: Literary Critic, reviewer, working in Canada, has worked in Trinidad; was an editor and book reviewer for the Caribbean Review of Books (CRB) and for the review section of Caribbean Beat; has published literary articles and reviews; a co-founder of Moray House in Georgetown; is a native of Guyana. Brendan de Caires has also lived in Britain, Trinidad, Barbados, Mexico, and New York. He has worked as an editor, human rights activist, English literature and ESL teacher. He is currently programmes and communications coordinator for PEN Canada.
Louis Regis: Head, Dept. of Literary, Cultural & Communication Studies, UWI, St Augustine; a specialist in West Indian Literature, Cultural Studies & Cultural History; a leading scholar on the literature and culture, an authority on the political calypso in Trinidad; has researched and published on carnival and calypso, including studies of Black Stalin and Maestro; has been a theatre director; is a native of Trinidad and Tobago. He wrote the highly acclaimed ‘The Political calypso’.
Daizal Samad: Professor of Literature; a Fiction Writer, has published short fiction; Director of the UG Berbice Campus at Tain; a graduate of UG Dept of English; has worked in Canada and the Middle East; published extensively on literature; is known for wide ranging outreach work in Berbice; was born in Guyana.
Lori Shelbourn: Univ. of Leeds, UK; researched extensively on Wilson Harris for doctoral studies at Leeds and is an authority on Harris; Researcher of West Indian Literature; is a literary editor and writer of literary entries for Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia; directed international conference on Caribbean literature and Culture in the UK; is a native of Britain.
The panel of judges has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to The Guyana Prize for Literature. It is a privilege for Guyana to have aroused their interest in this process, and it is our hope that their recommendations will enhance the literature of this country.
The writers have done their job, and the judges have met. Now for the declaration of the winners! (To respond to this author, either call him on (592) 226-0065 or send him an email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)

WHAT’S HAPPENING:
• * The Guyana Annual 2012-2013 magazine is now available at Guyenterprise Ltd, and at city bookstores. This issue of the magazine is dedicated to E. R. Braithwaite. The magazine also features articles on copyright, law of intellectual property, creative industries, and the future of books.
• * Coming soon: ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’, by Petamber Persaud, and ‘Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture’, by Gaiutra Bahadur.
• * Now available: ‘Selected Fictions’ by Ruel Johnson, shortlisted for this year Guyana Prize for Literature.