CAPNET News

compiled from CAPNET newsletters
www.capnetonline.com

Congratulations to CAPNET's president, Ian Randle, who has been awarded the Order of Distinction in Jamaica's Independence Honours list, for services to publishing. Not only is it heartily deserved on a personal level, but it also recognises the amazing success Ian has achieved in building up a large and financially viable Caribbean list. It is the first time that a Caribbean government has seen book publishing as something worth rewarding. Congratulations from all of us, Ian!

Ian Randle was invited to address the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) culture ministers in The Bahamas in late September, and took part in a 90-minute discussion session on the needs of the Caribbean publishing industry. There was strong interest from ministers, who are making recommendations to the next Heads of Government session.

'Reclaiming Our Own Voices'

Membership of CAPNET has been growing steadily over the year. At the forthcoming Conference and Workshop being held in Jamaica, November 1-7, 2001 CAPNET are expecting 75-100 delegates from around the Caribbean and the international publishing industry to attend. A full report of the conference will appear in the next issue of the newsletter.

The conference keynote speaker is The Mighty Sparrow (Dr Slinger Francisco), whose life work in calypso speaks directly to the conference theme, `Reclaiming Our Own Voices'. Among the major topics for discussion are market opportunities for Caribbean publishers; translation and cross-cultural publishing; publishing in multiple languages; new technologies and Caribbean publishing; new technologies and intellectual property rights; national book policies; selling books in the Caribbean and abroad; a model for Caribbean book distribution; and Caribbean book fairs.

One highlight will be a presentation from a speaker who is at the centre of current developments in e-publishing and print-on-demand technology, which are likely to change the whole face of publishing in the next few years. The Governor-General of St Lucia, Dame Pearlette Louisy, will speak on Caribbean creole languages. Several writers have been invited to read, including Earl Lovelace, Lorna Goodison, Oonya Kempadoo, Simone Schwartz-Bart, and Rafael Constant.

Shirley Carby (Carlong Publishers, Jamaica) is coordinating the workshops. The leader of the editing workshop is Roger Stringer, who runs his own specialist publishing company in Zimbabwe and has been closely involved in the development of the African Publishers Network (APNET) and the Zimbabwe Book Fair. The marketing workshop will be led by South African publisher Bridget Impey, who has run similar workshops at the Zimbabwe Book Fair for the last five years.

CAPNET's first Annual General Meeting will be held alongside the conference. The AGM will hear reports from the President and the Treasurer, and will be asked to adopt the draft constitution and bylaws. It will also elect the CAPNET executive for the coming year: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and delegates from each of the four Caribbean language areas.

www.capnetonline.com is CAPNET's new website, where you will find up-to-date information on CAPNET and the publishing conference in Jamaica. [end]  [BPN, no 28, 2001, p 4.]

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