What Does Mr Swanzy Want? Shaping or Reflecting? An Assessment of Henry Swanzy's Contribution to the Development of Caribbean Literature

In November 1954, after a period of eight years as editor of the BBC radio programme Caribbean Voices, Henry Swanzy left London for Accra to take up a further appointment in broadcasting. Those eight years established for him a unique position in Caribbean literature. He had presided over a series of regular weekly programmes, at first lasting 20 minutes and then 29 minutes after 1947. These programmes became, perhaps, the most important focus for the development and promotion of the region's literary output. Swanzy estimated that the programmes' first six years introduced to its audience over 150 d1fferent contributors from the English-speaking Caribbean.