Minister of Pan-African Affairs and Heritage, Trevor Prescod, has made a case for direct financial intervention from the government to support the nation’s young authors, insisting they should be compensated for their creative talents.
Speaking to local creatives during the launch of Barbadian author Mario Herbert’s latest book, Meet Tommy, Prescod expressed his desire to see the island’s emerging literary voices thrive and achieve financial stability through their work.
The minister proposed a structural mechanism through which state entities, specifically educational bodies, would absorb the creative output of local writers to guarantee a consistent income stream. He urged a shift in how national institutions view their procurement responsibilities toward the cultural sector.
“The ministry and the primary schools across this country must be able to say to Mario, ‘From this term, we want you to send books to the Ministry of Education or allocate them to the individual primary schools across Barbados. Send your invoices to the Ministry of Education.’”
Prescod emphasised that state funding would provide long-term career viability for young people.
“We will not only talk about young people writing and selling this material within the primary school system, but we will make sure that you can continue on this journey for a long, long time,” he affirmed.
Herbert’s Meet Tommy marks his ninth publication. Addressing an audience that also included Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Adrian Forde, he spoke about the creative process behind developing his young protagonist.
“As an author, you have to develop the art of becoming a character,” Herbert explained. “That is the only way you are going to make their dramatic journey believable and relatable. Many of the things we take for granted as grown-ups are actually major problems for an eight-year-old, and I have to say that was an enjoyable sandbox to play in.”
He also highlighted the challenges facing local authors, particularly the limited retail opportunities available.
“Make no mistake, though; despite this joy, I have to say that being an author in Barbados is not easy,” Herbert stated. “Local bookstores don’t look at local authors. If not for the UWI (University of the West Indies) bookshop, most of us would have zero avenues for discovery, cultural impact, and preservation of heritage.”
Despite these obstacles, Herbert said he remains motivated by seeing young readers engage with physical books. He added that he plans to continue the series, following Tommy’s journey from primary into secondary school.
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