Boost for Barbados’ literary awards

Barbados’ most prestigious literary recognition scheme, the Frank Collymore Literary Endowment has reached 21 years and was handed $1 million for coming of age.

Cleviston Haynes, Governor of the Barbados Central Bank that created and funded the Endowment throughout the years, announced the birthday present during the 21^st FCLE awards ceremony in the Bank’s Courtney Blackman Grand Salle last evening.

“We have established an endowment of $1 million to provide the FCLE with additional financing,” Haynes announced. “We will invest the funds as soon as market conditions allow.”

The Bank has been funding the prize money for winning writers of the Frank Collymore Literary Competition and financing of annual workshops for writers.

Four prizes are up for grabs annually, but this year there was no first prize or the Prime Minister’s Award for a special submission.

Second prize went to UWI Professor Emeritus Hazel Simmons-McDonald for ‘A collection of Short Stories’.

Poet Sonia Williams won third prize for her poetry collection ‘On Livity’. (GA)