In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of our Independence, the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) presented Lifetime Literary Awards to authors who have made significant contributions to the development of Trinidad and Tobago’s Literature.  The Award Ceremony took place on Thursday 15 November, 2012, 6:30 pm at the Central Bank Auditorium, Port of Spain.

The awardees, all nationals/citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, are writers of fiction.  They all have received international, regional or national recognition of various forms for their literary endeavours.

We celebrate the fact that Trinidad and Tobago has a rich literary heritage. The books published by these authors have created vehicles through which the diverse culture of Trinidad and Tobago and its peoples have been recorded, stored, developed and exploited.

Some of the novelists accepting their awards on Thursday include: Earl Lovelace (D.Litt), Michael Anthony (D.Litt), Balkrishna Naipaul, Rabindranth Maharaj, Professor Kenneth Ramchand, Lawrence Scott, Willi Chen, Dr. Merle Hodge, Dr. Elizabeth Nunez and John Stewart. Awards will be given posthumously to Shiva Naipaul, CLR James, Samuel Selvon and Ralph de Boissiere. Authors who are unable to attend the function, or have representatives accept on their behalf, will be presented with their awards on another occasion.