Naipaul dropped from Ubud after ‘11th hour requests’

15 September 2014 Books+Publishing

VS Naipaul has been dropped from this year’s Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) after the festival was unable to meet his ‘11th hour requests’, organisers have announced. UWRF founder Janet DeNeefe told the Sydney Morning Herald that Naipaul’s agent previously accepted the festival’s offer of ‘first-and business-class travel and a luxurious villa’, but has since demanded a $20,000 fee. ‘To be told about a week ago is pretty atrocious,’ said DeNeefe. ‘When we did our sums we realised we would not be able to pay wages post-festival or move premises when we lose our donated space post-festival.’ The festival, which runs from 1-5 October, has offered a full refund to ticket-holders and has invited British novelist of Bangladeshi origin Zia Haider Rahman to replace Naipaul.

Category: International news