MINISTER of Youth, Culture and Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony, paid tribute to internationally recognised Guyanese novelist and playwright, Roy Heath who passed away in England earlier this week.

The minister praised Heath as a true man of letters and son of Guyana, in that though the acclaimed writer lived most of his adult life in Britain he stayed resolutely true to the land of his birth, capturing the colour, culture and post independent periods.

“I’ve read that Mr. Heath steadfastly depicted his Guyanese-ness to the point of never emphasising any Britain status”.

Heath, whose piece on Guyanese myths and folk beings in an early edition of KAIE, often quoted by cultural researchers, migrated to the UK in 1950 as one of those Caribbean/Guyanese exiles who lived the reality of a colonial creative mind determined to be free although in the then mother country.

A Guyanese prize for literature winner in 1989, Heath has published novels, short stories, plays and critique.

His work has been published internationally with the British Broadcasting Corporation presenting his short stories for many years.

Like Mottelholzer, Braithwaite and the latter-day D’Aguiars and Dabydeens, Roy Heath was among the constellation of Guyanese and Caribbean literary stars whose work placed the region firmly in the international firmament of world literature.

“Coming in the wake of the passing of Wordsworth McAndrew in the United States of America three weeks ago, Heath’s demise hastens the need for us to find appropriate ways to honour our cultural icon” Minister Anthony remarked; like McAndrew, Heath’s work will be featured prominently during Carifesta seen here in August.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, offers its condolences to the family and close friends of the celebrated Roy Heath.