Minister ECYS: 2025 Will See First Annual Dame Ruby Bute National Short Story Contest
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport Melissa D. Gumbs officially announced the prize sponsors for the first annual Dame Ruby Bute National Short Story Contest. The contest, named after iconic painter, storyteller and writer, Dame Ruby Bute, is meant to inspire young St. Maarteners to embrace a love of reading, storytelling and creative writing.
While known widely for her vivid paintings and tributes to the beauty of the island, Dame Ruby Bute also made her mark with her exceptional way with words, starting with the first One Woman Show on the island in 1983 and her first book of poetry ‘Golden Voices of S’maatin’ which was also the first book of poetry published by a woman on the island in 1989.
This initiative reinforces Minister Gumbs’ commitment to promoting literacy throughout her term, a topic that she championed fiercely while a member of Parliament.
Gumbs, an avid reader, announced that her focus when mapping out the details of the competition was finding structural prize sponsors that would allow the event to run unhindered for at least three years. This week, the Minister signed MOUs (memorandums of understanding) with four key sponsors: RBC Bank, Boolchand’s, Antek IT Solutions & Software and Klass Electronics. All have committed to establishing a partnership with the Ministry of ECYS for the project, which Gumbs says is an example of the types of public/private partnerships she believes will carry St. Maarten’s educational ecosystem forward.
Minister Gumbs stated that further information on the competition, including rules, theme, details of prizes and more, will be shared following the 2025 Carnival celebrations.
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