I read with great interest an article in Newsday, April 26, 2015, "Catholic Church seeks $21 million for education project."
This is a very laudable project and I quote from Dr Terrence Farrell, chairman of the Catholic Religious Education Development Institute, "If I have a child who can turn out to be a Vidia Naipaul or an Earl Lovelace down in a Laventille classroom, that child may never realise their potential. That is what we need to uncover. That is what the whole thing is about."
I juxtapose this with the Bocus Lit Fest which is happening now and believe that Dr Farrell is recognising something which Bocus Lit Fest is missing.
Dr Farrell is hoping, among other goals, to uncover and nurture latent talent with the Equity in Education in T&T project. Bocus once included a competition for young writers, The Allen Prize for Young Writers, founded by Lisa Allen-Agostini. which sought to do the same. However, this competition has gone into hibernation or has been withdrawn.
It is sad that Bocus is no longer focusing on finding this talent and nurturing it. Yes, I know there are children's workshops to teach the craft. Children are also given the opportunity do a book review or character sketch but only it is only through the competitions that those with particular talents or gifts are identified.
Lystra Cuffy
Maraval