Invitation from Jamaican Language Unit

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, MONA

Faculty of Humanities and Education

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE, LINGUISTICS AND PHILOSOPHY

JAMAICAN LANGUAGE UNIT (JLU)

November 12, 2010

Mrs. Liz Millman

Jamaica 2K

U.K.

Dear Mrs. Millman,

The Jamaican Language Unit/Unit for Caribbean Language Research (JLU/UCLR), a unit within the Dept. of Language, Linguistics & Philosophy, UWI, Mona will be holding an International Conference on Language Policy in the Creole-speaking Caribbean, to be held in Kingston, Jamaica from 13-14^th January, 2011.  The JLU/UCLR would therefore like to invite you to this conference, which is being held as part of the activities of our working group, The International Centre for Caribbean Language Research (ICCLR).

The conference hopes to bring together professional linguists, on one hand, and those who, because of their role in culture, education, administration and politics, hold responsibility for language policy, on the other.  Emerging out of this would be language policies informed by the best available knowledge.  We are hoping to have in attendance Ministers responsible for Culture, Education and Justice from across the region, along with a team of international scholars who have studied and researched the language situations of the Creole Speaking Caribbean. To guarantee communication between these two groups, it is hoped to have in attendance a small number of individuals who are professional linguists and who have held political or administrative power in countries across the region.  In this regard, Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor-General of St. Lucia, and Sir Colville Young, Governor of Belize, have agreed to be in attendance.

The very specific aim of the conference is to, in the first instance, discuss and approve a draft of a Charter on Language Rights and Language Policies in the Creole Speaking Caribbean.  To arrive at this draft, earlier versions of the draft will be circulated to stakeholders within the region for comment, critique and discussion.  This would take place during the month of November, 2010 as part of the build up to the conference.  An anticipated outcome of the conference is the development, for each country, of a programme of activities that is geared toward implementing, at the local level, the terms of the Charter on Language Rights and Language Policy.

We do hope you will be able to attend as we are looking forward to having your presence at the conference.

Yours sincerely,

Hubert Devonish

Professor of Linguistics & Coordinator of the JLU/UCLR

University of the West Indies, Mona

Jamaica

Travelling around Jamaica

The children from Uplands Junior School, Wolverhampton, are looking forward to linking with children from Cacoon School in Hanover, Jamaica. Mrs Ward, Head Teacher from Uplands Junior School arranged for Laura to travel to Cacoon with me wearing a smart Uplands uniform!

Mrs Carol Grant invites Laura to stay and be cared for at Cacoon School in Hanover Jamaica.

Lots of love for Laura !



I also got to meet the children at Buckingham All Age School in St James, and was warmly welcomed by Marcia Findlater, the Head Teacher. They will be linking with St Michaels School in Wolverhampton.

On another day Natalie and I went North from Kingston to Guys Hill School to discuss a literacy project we are hoping to link up with them on and drove through Bog Walk and even got to drive past Linstead Market!





Guys Hill School       

 

I was honoured to meet and interview Philmore Millman Alveraga O.D. who was one of the Rastas who went to Ethiopia to meet HIM Haile Selassie. Yes, his middle name is Millman!

 

I even got to see the Pantomime "Blinga Linga" at the Little Theatre! However I didn't understand that much, even with Marsha translating for me, but it was great fun and very colourful!

Caribbean Language Rights and Policy Conference 13 - 14th Jan 2011

Hosted by the Jamaican Language Unit and the Unit for Caribbean Language Research, the event started with inspiring presentations from guest speakers including Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of St Lucia.



50 participants representing 15 Caribbean countries plus the United States, United Kingdom and France signed off on the Charter for Language Rights and Policy for the Creole-Speaking Caribbean, marking the successful conclusion at of the International Conference on Language Rights and Policy in Kingston.  Over 2 days, the conference participants deliberated on the final wording of the articles of the document, and have produced the Charter that will now provide the regional framework for resolving the language problems of the Creole-Speaking Caribbean.

Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of St. Lucia participated in the conference as a guest speaker. At the opening plenary session on the first day of the conference, she delivered a presentation about the St. Lucia experience and developments in language policy and practice over the past 50 years in this island. 

In describing the way forward for the implementation of the Charter, Professor Hubert Devonish, Co-ordinator for the Jamaica Language Unit and Conference Chairman outlined the 3 key steps as being:

  i.            adoption of the Charter by Governments, the corporate sector and civil society groups. 

 ii.            establishing The Regional Council of Language Policy and Rights

 iii.           the launch of the Caribbean Creole Language Day and the Caribbean Language Public Appeal.

Endorsement of the Charter will be sought by sharing the Charter with local and regional civil society groups and the mass media, telecommunications organizations and the wider corporate community, in particular those who publicly use Creole language in advertising as part of their business activity. 

Governments will play the major role in the process of adoption of the charter at a national and regional level. To this end, the policy will be submitted to leaders of government with a view to them submitting the policy for consideration and adoption by their cabinets and/or parliaments as appropriate. At a regional level, an approach will be made for adoption at the level of CARICOM, via its Social Development Unit and by UNESCO.

 

Delgates sign their endorsement of the Charter.

The Charter calls for the establishment of a Regional Council on Language Policy and Language Rights which will perform the functions of advocating for the adoption of the Charter, provide research support in order to ensure that territories have the detailed knowledge of their own language situation as to allow them to take steps to implement the Charter, and monitor the implementation of the Charter and any violations which may occur in the territories that have adopted it.

The actual structure of the Council will be decided based on a 3-month consultation. The consultation will be carried out by the Jamaica Language Unit, at the University of the West Indies, Mona, in conjunction with the Society for Caribbean Linguistics (SCL) and including Groupe d’Études et de Recherches en Espace Créolophone et Francophone (GEREC-F), the Creole Language research group based in Martinique and Guadeloupe, and any other persons, groups or bodies that have expressed an interest in the Charter.

The regional council is to be launched on 28^th October 2011 as part of the celebration of Caribbean Creole Language Day to be celebrated in all the Creole-speaking countries of the Caribbean.  Linked to this will be a public appeal to contribute to an Endowment Fund that would finance the work of the Regional Council.

The International Conference on Language Rights and Policy was organized by the Jamaican Language Unit/Unit for Caribbean Language Research at the University of the West Indies, Mona. The conference was the conclusion of an on-going process of intense debate and discussion by a team of 30 international experts on Caribbean languages.

Great to be in Jamaica

I was glad to have a day or two to settle in and meet up with some friends in Kingston before the conference started and revisit some familiar places.

Devon House the first property built by a Jamaican millionaire. Great place to have lunch!

Got a chance to take this photo of the Bob Marley statue by the National Stadium.

Emancipation Park is a great place to walk and relax. It's in the heart of the area called New Kingston.

A chance to shop in one of Kingston's many shopping malls.

 Good views across Kingston from high up in Beverley Hills .....

and a great to watch the sunset over the harbour.



I travelled with Natalie and Kya, who is the greatest baby!

and I got to meet up with Yasus Afari and explore St Elizabeth and the North West of the island.

and thanks to everyone who helped me and made it such a great trip!  I can't wait to get back to Jamaica!