No better place in the world to see Caribbean interaction than these 37 square miles we call home
The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams gave an address at the opening of the tenth Annual Book Fair on Thursday Evening.
In her comments during the event the Prime Minister stated that she feels fortunate to have brought words of greetings for the past nine Book Fairs to guests and residents. "I would like to recognize the vision of the founders of the Book Fair and their steadfast contribution over the years and the commitment to the originality of the book fair; the book has remained the center piece and works of literature the forte of this event," commented the Prime Minister.
The prime Minister went on to state that the communication, information and education factors which the Book Fair has embraced since its inception are ever evolving and there has always been an evolution in the St. Maarten Book, keeping the event exciting year after year. "What has been impressive has always been the line-ups of writers and poets which the organizers have been able to secure and which has allowed so many different cultures to converge on St. Maarten. As a society we need critical thinkers and over the years and inspired by the Book Fair many persons have put pen to paper; many writers have honed their skills because of the book fair. We take it a little for granted when the Lasana’s, the Nicoles and the Dows and many others make regional and international headlines. We live in exciting times and St. Maarten is no exception. Our country is a work in progress and we need to make sure that these times are documented from the different perspectives that make up our society and this documentation should be promoted. There is no better place in this world to see Caribbean interaction in a global environment than in these 37 square miles we call home," concluded the Prime Minister. The Book Fair will run to the 3rd of June with numerous sessions and events being held on both sides of the island.