Marigot/Great Bay (November 2, 2003) — A group of six people represented St. Martin at the Caribbean Publishers Network (CAPNET) second International Conference on Publishing in the Caribbean, from October 28 to 31, at the luxurious Kura Hulanda Hotel in Curaçao.
The group, which worked together as a virtual delegation, was composed of Josianne Fleming and Rhoda Arrindell, University of St. Martin president and literature instructor respectively; House of Nehesi Publishers projects director Lasana M. Sekou and newly published author Fabian Badejo; and Conscious Lyrics Foundation president Shujah Reiph and project adviser Joy Reiph-Arnell.
According to a Conscious Lyrics newsrelease, Arrindell and Badejo were panelists at the “Special focus on the Dutch Caribbean” work session. In her paper on language and teaching a national literature, Arrindell strongly dismissed the term “Dutch Caribbean.”
According to the USM instructor, “While the theme for this session is focus on the Dutch Caribbean, I would like to say, I have never taught of myself as being Dutch, … and I would like to unapologetically dismiss the notion of the Dutch Caribbean in general and specifically the notion of a Dutch Windward Islands.”
Badejo read from his essay “Publish and be blessed,” found in his new book Salted Tongues – Modern Literature in St. Martin—which is available at bookstores and libraries in St. Martin.
The highlight for the St. Martiners and certainly a highpoint of the CAPNET conference was the book launch program on Wednesday, October 29 for Salted Tongues published by the House of Nehesi and Haiku in Papiamentu by Elis Juliana, published by The University of Alberta Press.
Dr. Jay Haviser in his keynote address for the St. Martin title called Salted Tongues “medicine for the universal soul of Caribbean writers.”
The theme for the three-day conference was “Globalization and Caribbean Publishing: Challenges and Opportunities.”