By Antonio Dey. | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The prestigious Guyana Prize for Literature made a triumphant return in 2026, hosting a vibrant celebration of Guyanese creative writing and cultural heritage. Prominent author Jasmaine Payne emerged as one of the standout honorees of the night, capturing the coveted Best First Book Award for her critically acclaimed novel Leech.
The formal awards ceremony was hosted at the Pegasus Suites & Corporate Centre in Georgetown, serving as the climax to the Guyana Prize Literary Festival 2026, which ran from August 6 to August 9. The four-day festival brought together established authors, aspiring writers, and literary enthusiasts for creative writing workshops, public readings, panel discussions, and the National Poetry Slam Finals.
Founded in 1987 by President Desmond Hoyte to encourage local literary craftsmanship, the Guyana Prize resumed in 2023 following a six-year hiatus and has continued as an annual feature through 2026.
1. Fiction Category
Winner: Raywat Deonandan — A Memory of Flowers and Coconut (A compelling collection of twelve short stories exploring Indo-Guyanese culture and diaspora experiences with emotional depth and stylistic sophistication).
Runner-Up: Somnauth Narine — Ripples from A Broken Soul.
Best First Book Award (Fiction): Jasmaine Payne — Leech.
2. Poetry Category
Winner: Maggie Harris — I Sing To The Greenhearts (A deeply evocative collection praised for its authentic voice and tender connection to Guyana).
Best First Book Award & 2nd Place: Phebe Wallerson — Lahcim II: Sounds From Sorrow Hill.
3rd Place (Tied): Makeda Braithwaite (Mud Psalm) and Scott Ting-A-Kee (The Way Indentured).
3. Drama Category
Winner: Dr. Seeta Shah Roath — Kisna (A historical drama depicting the Indian indentureship period from 1838 to 1917, recognized for its narrative realism and mythic depth).
2nd Place: Shaphan Hestick — River, Blood, Son.
3rd Place: Mosa Telford — The Bell And The Bones.
4. Non-Fiction Category
Winner: Tessa McWatt — The Snag (An eloquent exploration bridging personal loss, grief, and global climate change).
Runner-Up: Joyce Trotman — Dis Gyrl: The Enchanted Life of Aunty Joyce Trotman.
Special Recognition: Vilma Nicholls Tafawa — Guyana’s Bachelor’s Adventure and Paradise Villages; A Mosaic of the History and Culture of a People Liberated.
Guyana Prize Youth Awards
The festival highlighted emerging young Guyanese authors across poetry and short fiction categories:
Youth Poetry (Tied 1st Place): Mortimer Duke (Notes towards an incomplete definition) and Ariel Mohanlall (Motion and Buckets).
3rd Place: Jessica Persaud.
Honorable Mention: Darshanie Tickapersaud.
Youth Short Story:
1st Place: Juvell Atherley (Salt water does not forget).
2nd Place: Siara Fernandes (Eat you whole).
3rd Place: Gabriel West (Armonia).
By spotlighting both veteran authors and youth talents, the 2026 Guyana Prize for Literature reaffirmed its essential role as the cornerstone of the nation’s literary and cultural landscape.
