Mr Arif Ali, a Guyanese who migrated to the United Kingdom more than half a century ago and who, during that time, has become the most successful publisher of Caribbean origin in Europe, has openly made the Government of Guyana an interesting proposal.
Before we get to the proposal itself it should be stated that it is a business proposition from which Mr. Ali’s publishing company could benefit considerably. But then so too can Guyana and, particularly the country’s education system if the proposal turns out to be a worthwhile one and if it is accepted by the government.
It transpires that Mr. Ali – whose publishing company, Hansib, launched sixteen books here during the recently concluded Carifesta X is so disgusted with the practice of pirating – illegal copying and selling – of school texts that he is proposing that Hansib invest in an initiative which he feels can help put an end to the practice. What he proposes is that if government can secure the official permission of the publishers and writers of school texts, Hansib is prepared to invest in the professional production of the books providing the company can be reasonably assured of the market share currently enjoyed by the pirates. If Hansib and the Government of Guyana can reach such an agreement Ali says that he is prepared to make the texts available at roughly the same price as the current illegally copied texts.
One imagines that an arrangement of this kind would have to be refined and the relevant legal arrangements made with the writers and publishers. If, however, it is ‘do-able’ – and Mr. Ali is convinced that it is – it would certainly remove the incentive for pirating without hurting poor parents who subscribe to the illegal book trade simply because the photocopied books are cheaper. Additionally, it would improve the quality of books available to school children while ensuring that the writers and publishers get their due.
There are those, of course, who may regard Mr. Ali’s proposal as designed to secure a monopoly or near monopoly of the local text book market and the publisher himself has made no secret of the fact that his proposal is aimed at penetrating the local publishing market. But then in circumstances where no one, including the government, has so far done much to stamp out book piracy, Mr. Ali’s idea is at least worthy of serious examination.
One imagines that in the first instance the initiative will require a considerable amount of financial outlay on Hansib’s part and whatever financial returns accrue to the company may well be matched by the returns accruing to the country’s education system.
Last year Hansib published what, by any stretch of the imagination, was an impressive ‘coffee table’ publication on Guyana, Apart from the fact that the book was lauded by President Jagdeo himself, the success of its circulation particularly in the diaspora has warranted publication of a second even more impressive edition of the book. There is therefore no question about the quality of the books that Hansib is capable of producing.
During Carifesta X Hansib mounted what was unquestionably the most impressive of the book displays on show and probably the most impressive display of books on Guyana and the Caribbean ever seen in Guyana.
Apart from titles featuring prominent Guyanese including the late President Cheddi Jagan, retired Commonwealth Secretary General Sir Shridath Ramphal, the Hansib display featured titles by distinguished Guyanese academics and by short story writers.
The details of Mr. Ali’s intended proposal to the Government of Guyana are not known to us even though he has indicated that he will shortly be making a formal approach to the Minister of Education on the matter.
If, however, the proposal is what Mr. Ali says it is – a genuine business proposal the outcome of which could bring an end to the piracy problem, keep the prices of text books at a reasonable level and improve the quality of the texts available to our nation’s children then, certainly, the Minister of Education should be ‘all ears.’
