Trini, Barbadians win in Commonwealth short story contest

(Barbados Nation) Two Barbadian writers have emerged winners in the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Competition for 2011.

Kathyann Husbands with her entry Love, Honour And Obeah, and Edwina Griffith’s short story White Shoes received Highly Recommended Awards, along with Sonja Dumas of Trinidad and Tobago for her tale Letting Cockroaches Live.

The regional winner for the Caribbean was Barbara Jenkins of Trinidad and Tobago, with her entry Head Not Make For Hat Alone.

Husbands said her win was “proof that Barbadians have intriguing stories that the world wants to hear”.

Husbands, who works with the Barbados Government Information Service, suggested: “More Barbadians should enter competitions such as these and try to have their works published.”

Funded and managed by the Commonwealth Foundation, in partnership with the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, the Commonwealth Short Story Competition is an annual scheme to promote and inspire new creative writing for radio. A panel of international judges made the choices from over 2 000 entries.

All 26 stories are available on a CD which will be broadcast widely around the Commonwealth.