Kerry Andre Belgrave Takes Top Prize at the FCLE Awards

Local writers were in the spotlight at the 19th Frank Collymore Literary Endowment (FCLE) Awards, which were held on Saturday, January 7 in the Grande Salle of the Tom Adams Financial Centre.

By the end of the evening, Kerry Andre Belgrave was awarded the top prize for his collection of poetry entitled “@bb.now/tek culture?” The win is Belgrave’s second; he previously won the top award in 2011. 

Second place was awarded to Linda Deane for “Bridgetown”, which also netted her the Prime Minister’s Award. Like Belgrave, Deane is no stranger to FCLE’s top prize, having won both it and the Prime Minister’s Award in 2005.

Third prize went to Carlyon Blackman, another veteran of the competition, for her work “Sons and Lovers”. Blackman won the 2014 competition.

In his opening remarks at the awards ceremony, Deputy Governor (Ag.) of the Central Bank of Barbados, Elson Gaskin, put the competition in context. “This annual review and recognition of Barbadian writers, as well as the other work of the FCLE Committee throughout the year, does its part to ensure that Barbadian literary works will be preserved for the use and benefit of the present and future generations.”

The full list of Frank Collymore Literary Endowment awardees:

1st Prize:               Kerry Andre Belgrave – “@bb.now/tek culture?” (Poetry)            $10,000.00                                      

2nd Prize:              Linda Deane – “Bridgetown” (Poetry)                                                $6,000.00

3rd Prize:              Carlyon Blackman – “Sons and Lovers” (Poetry)                               $4,000.00

Prime Minister's Award:               Linda Deane – “Bridgetown” (Poetry)                        

Honourable Mention:                   Christine Barrow – “Black Dogs and the Colour Yellow” (Prose Fiction)

Honourable Mention:                   Justin Holder – “Heaven Hound” (Prose Fiction)                                                                                                                            

Honourable Mention:                   Peter Laurie – “Dancing to the Music at the End of Time” (Novel)             

The Frank Collymore Literary Endowment was created in memory of late Barbadian actor, artist and writer, Frank Appleton Collymore. The endowment and the awards are sponsored by the Central Bank of Barbados and have been given since 1997.

2017-01-09