Dear Editor,
In what one would hope to be his final stretch in an almost nine-year tenure of abysmal accountability and gross mismanagement, Minister of Culture, Dr Frank Anthony seems incapable of getting anything right with regard to the proper management of culture, particularly as concerns the literary arts. We learn from Kaieteur News of January 19 (‘Mashramani activities to begin Monday with children’s competition’) that:
“In an effort to promote education in Guyanese history and culture, the Ministry will also be hosting a Literary Street Fair on February 20, on Main Street. Moreover, the Minister is looking to enhance the public’s understanding of Republic Day significance, with a Republic Lecture by critically acclaimed Guyanese author Oonya Kempadoo on February 17 at the National Library.”
On the first issue, no public notice was sent out inviting participation from persons producing books here in Guyana. This illustrates what I’ve pointed out for years with regard to Minister Anthony’s philosophy on public consultation and inclusion for national projects. What this closed-door selection process does is encourage discrimination funded by the public purse. It is an attitude that he has applied to virtually every aspect of literary promotion and development directly under his control, from the selection of delegations to regional cultural festivals to publication by the Caribbean Press to events like the street fair. Writers who do not fall into line, who don’t still their voice, are excluded, no matter their demonstrated ability or willingness to participate. In order to perpetuate this system of affairs, Dr Anthony handpicks committees that conduct their planning and deliberation outside of the view of the general public, without input or consultation from all competent and available stakeholders. This is why, for example, despite his promises there is no board yet in place for the Caribbean Press and the selection process for books seems to be now completely in the hands of Dr David Dabydeen. Now with regard to the scheduled appearance of Oonya Kempadoo, with all due respect to the writer and her achievements, the fact that Minister Anthony is flying her in to speak on the significance of the Republic anniversary in the country in which she does not live is evidence that he is unwilling to put any competent resident writer on the national stage. And no, this is not about chauvinism; at the last Guyana Prize, three resident writers, yours truly included but also two young first-time winners – Mosa Telford and Cassia Alphonso – took the three major awards, Fiction, Drama and Poetry respectively. Nothing is wrong with inviting Ms Kempadoo per se, but why the exclusion of local writers? Why not constitute a panel of writers to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Guyana on the anniversary of the republic? My concern is that Ms Kempadoo is being used to both buffer Dr Anthony’s tarnished image, at the expense of taxpayers, while resident writers remain marginalized for political expedience.
With a general election in the air, and presumably Minister Anthony’s exit from his portfolio, the problems of accountability – particularly in the establishment of cultural policy and the expenditure of funds allocated for culture – remain unaddressed. Eight years after he promised then parliamentarian Aubrey Norton that issues of copyright would be addressed, absolutely no progress has been made. Eight years after he was handed a draft National Cultural Policy, there remains no actual policy in place. Seven years after Carifesta was held in Guyana, the accounts of the billion-dollar expenditure on the festival remain unresolved. Six years after its establishment, the Caribbean Press remains without a board and despite its founding mandate to publish local writers only a tiny minority of the books feature them, among them the work of his daughter. Two years after he promised to properly constitute the Sports and Culture Fund and invite applications for grants, a promise he again made last year when he also deliberately misinformed the National Assembly that he had sought to consult me and I had refused, the Fund remains not constituted, with decision-making at the sole discretion of Minister Anthony, his Permanent Secretary and his Director of Culture. A year after he held a consultation on creative industries, participants (I had to crash the event) are yet to receive a single word of feedback on the way forward.
In short, the Minister of Culture seems to be preparing to exit the stage precisely in the same way he occupied it – much fanfare, much sleight-of-hand, and very little substance. This is a legacy no one should or can be proud of.
Yours faithfully,
Ruel Johnson
Janus Cultural
Policy Initiative
