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Guyana's Seawall Girl
Guyana’s seawall was built by the Dutch. It stretches hundreds of miles along the coastline of the Republic of Guyana to prevent the low lands from flooding by the Atlantic Ocean. To many Guyanese this wall has come to represent hope. Lives are shaped on the beach it encircles. That’s where lovers have dates to pledge their love, build dreams, and make promises. Truthfully, not all the dreams come true, but there’s a realization that some of them will bear good fruit and have prosperous lives. These are those relationships that succeed. The title of this book, Guyana’s Seawall Girl attests to these phenomena.
This story has a moral lesson which runs through it. On closer examination we must conclude that the main characters – Gwen, Kevin, and Billy weren’t bad people. In the beginning we’re given insights about their upbringing. The families portrayed were raised with Christian values and good moral beliefs. In their faith they prayed to Almighty God for guidance in their daily lives. Yet, one is struck by the political and social revolution in Guyana, and how coming to America played a part in influencing their future lives.
This story has a moral lesson which runs through it. On closer examination we must conclude that the main characters – Gwen, Kevin, and Billy weren’t bad people. In the beginning we’re given insights about their upbringing. The families portrayed were raised with Christian values and good moral beliefs. In their faith they prayed to Almighty God for guidance in their daily lives. Yet, one is struck by the political and social revolution in Guyana, and how coming to America played a part in influencing their future lives.
181 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2018
About the author
Erwin K. Thomas
17 books58 followers"I Am Presence's Mindfulness. This is the Way it is." WaPaSaCa June 25, 2024 (1st Appearance)
In 2010, Guyanese-born Erwin K. Thomas, PhD served as vice president of the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach, VA. After 28 years, he retired as a professor and director of the Graduate Program from the Department of Mass Communications & Journalism at Norfolk State University, VA. He formerly taught at the University of Wisconsin– Milwaukee (1978–79), SUNY–Oswego (1972–74), and University of Guyana, Georgetown (Summers 1981 & 1988).
Thomas did research at the University of Guyana, University of the West Indies–Cave Hill, Barbados, Port of Spain, Trinidad, and Mona, Jamaica. He graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia–PhD International Journalism & Broadcasting (1978), Brooklyn College of CUNY–MS Broadcasting (1972), and University of Oregon, Eugene–BS Radio-TV & Film (1970). His doctoral dissertation was entitled, “The Beginnings of Broadcasting in The West Indies, 1920–1949 (Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago).
He was the recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship (1975–78), awarded a Gannett Foundation Scholarship (1975–76), named by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), a Fulbright Senior Specialists Candidate (2002–07), and was a consultant to the Ministry of Information, Georgetown, Guyana. Thomas was a radio newscaster at KWAX-FM, Eugene, OR (1968–70), producer-director BCTV, Brooklyn, NY (1970–71), desk assistant CBS Radio Network News, NYC (1972), producer-director OSUTV, Oswego, NY (1972–74), news writer Columbia Missourian (1974), reporter KBIA-FM (1975), and KOMU-TV Columbia, MO (1976—77). His Plain Talk series were aired on WSLJ-TV, Watertown, NY (1973–74). Shows on which he worked on crew positions at BCTV were aired on WNET-TV & WNYC-TV–NYC (1970–72). At Norfolk State, he was news director of WNSB-FM (1980—85).
Thomas has authored Make Better Videos with Your Camcorder (TAB Books 1991); co-edited a Handbook on Mass Media in the United States and Mass Media in 2025, Greenwood Press (1994 & 2001) respectively; A Weekly Encounter (2015), Keys of Faith (2016), Gifts of God (2017), Life’s Passages: From Guyana to America, and Guyana’s Seawall Girl (2018), Heaven Bound (2019), Dfurstane’s Spiritual Beliefs, and Sunlit Streams of Water: Devotions for Religious Naturalists (2020), A Life of Prayer: Devotions & Pandemic (2021), and Devotions on Ailments: Physical & National Ills (2022) with Amazon.com. He is a member of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) – Religious Interest Group, PEN America, Virginia Writers Club, and Hampton News Writers. His research interests are International Media Systems, social media, Ethics, Devotionals, and World Religions & Beliefs.
Thomas had been a lifelong member of the Church of the Holy Apostles–an ecumenical community of Episcopalians and Roman Catholics, Virginia Beach, VA–where he served on the Vestry Council, was a Eucharistic minister, and social media administrator. He is married to Mary Barta Thomas–a retired librarian of Tidewater Community College, Chesapeake, VA, and they live in Charlottesville, VA.
In 2010, Guyanese-born Erwin K. Thomas, PhD served as vice president of the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach, VA. After 28 years, he retired as a professor and director of the Graduate Program from the Department of Mass Communications & Journalism at Norfolk State University, VA. He formerly taught at the University of Wisconsin– Milwaukee (1978–79), SUNY–Oswego (1972–74), and University of Guyana, Georgetown (Summers 1981 & 1988).
Thomas did research at the University of Guyana, University of the West Indies–Cave Hill, Barbados, Port of Spain, Trinidad, and Mona, Jamaica. He graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia–PhD International Journalism & Broadcasting (1978), Brooklyn College of CUNY–MS Broadcasting (1972), and University of Oregon, Eugene–BS Radio-TV & Film (1970). His doctoral dissertation was entitled, “The Beginnings of Broadcasting in The West Indies, 1920–1949 (Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago).
He was the recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship (1975–78), awarded a Gannett Foundation Scholarship (1975–76), named by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), a Fulbright Senior Specialists Candidate (2002–07), and was a consultant to the Ministry of Information, Georgetown, Guyana. Thomas was a radio newscaster at KWAX-FM, Eugene, OR (1968–70), producer-director BCTV, Brooklyn, NY (1970–71), desk assistant CBS Radio Network News, NYC (1972), producer-director OSUTV, Oswego, NY (1972–74), news writer Columbia Missourian (1974), reporter KBIA-FM (1975), and KOMU-TV Columbia, MO (1976—77). His Plain Talk series were aired on WSLJ-TV, Watertown, NY (1973–74). Shows on which he worked on crew positions at BCTV were aired on WNET-TV & WNYC-TV–NYC (1970–72). At Norfolk State, he was news director of WNSB-FM (1980—85).
Thomas has authored Make Better Videos with Your Camcorder (TAB Books 1991); co-edited a Handbook on Mass Media in the United States and Mass Media in 2025, Greenwood Press (1994 & 2001) respectively; A Weekly Encounter (2015), Keys of Faith (2016), Gifts of God (2017), Life’s Passages: From Guyana to America, and Guyana’s Seawall Girl (2018), Heaven Bound (2019), Dfurstane’s Spiritual Beliefs, and Sunlit Streams of Water: Devotions for Religious Naturalists (2020), A Life of Prayer: Devotions & Pandemic (2021), and Devotions on Ailments: Physical & National Ills (2022) with Amazon.com. He is a member of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) – Religious Interest Group, PEN America, Virginia Writers Club, and Hampton News Writers. His research interests are International Media Systems, social media, Ethics, Devotionals, and World Religions & Beliefs.
Thomas had been a lifelong member of the Church of the Holy Apostles–an ecumenical community of Episcopalians and Roman Catholics, Virginia Beach, VA–where he served on the Vestry Council, was a Eucharistic minister, and social media administrator. He is married to Mary Barta Thomas–a retired librarian of Tidewater Community College, Chesapeake, VA, and they live in Charlottesville, VA.
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December 11, 2023
My favorite parts of the book was learning about the history and culture. The story reads like a friend recounting their life.
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