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Last Updated: Jul 19, 2017 - 12:03:37 AM |
SPEAKING CULTURALLY – Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon. Michael Pintard offered sound advice to artists and artisans in Grand Bahama, during a meeting for cultural leaders on Saturday, July 15, 2017, in the Bishop Michael Eldon High School auditorium. Also on hand for the meeting were workers from the Ministry of Culture. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)
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Freeport, Grand Bahama - Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon. Michael Pintard said the Government of The Bahamas has made the decision to ensure that the focus on culture has to be National in nature – the reason being that in the past far too many aspects of culture have been New Providence-centered.
“The goal,” added Minister Pintard, “is to make sure that all of the Directors from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture are visible and active throughout The Bahamas.”
It was one in a series of meetings held by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to meet with all leaders on Grand Bahama in each respective area of the Ministry and not only assist them in their endeavors, but also allow them to give their input and throw out creative ideas.
The meeting with Cultural leaders in Grand Bahama was held at Bishop Michael Eldon School auditorium on Saturday, July 15, 2017. Leaders and participants in every aspect of culture attended the meeting, including artisans, Junkanoo leaders, drama and dance performers.
Minister Pintard reminded those in attendance that it is his hope that the cultural community would do what it is designed to do -- cement the Bahamian identity, as the cultural community, like glue holds all other things in the country together.
“In most countries, the fastest growing segment of the national economy is the creative industry, which includes all the genres of art that are represented here today, sports and media,” said Minister Pintard. “Those are the areas that are rapidly growing, multi, trillion dollar industries around the world.
“The Bahamas is one of those developing countries that have not yet gotten the memo. So, we have to change that. We in the Ministry of Culture have made a commitment to form a firm partnership with you.
“You have in all of us in the Ministry, strong advocates who understand the value of culture. So, you can expect that we will be attentive to the concerns you will have. But we need your help.”
Minister Pintard told cultural leaders and practitioners that they can do their part by properly registering their respective “not-for-profit” organizations with the Government of The Bahamas. To assist with the process and to lend a hand, Minister Pintard said that the Government was willing to pay half of what it cost to have each organization registered.
“Half-way for us means that we are prepared to bring in house two attorneys who will sit in a room with those of you who have paper work completed to assist you in getting incorporated,” the Minister pointed out.
“This will dramatically drive your cost down. Our goal is to make sure that all of you are properly registered, which will open up the doors for you to go out there and apply for funding for your product or your organization. Being registered will allow you to seek funding from overseas as well.”
Minister Pintard said that it is important to monetize talent and aspects of culture. This, he said, means that the government is willing to work with those talented people who are producing things and shows that are culturally-based, which will allow those producers to get paid for their gifts and talents.
“If you have a talent, and all of you in this room do, the question is whether or not you are content with doing it for fun or if you would like to see a profit from it? If you wish to use your talent in culture to generate income, we want to partner with you to make that happen.
“So from the government stand point, you will find that over the course of the next several years more of the international trips taken, not just by culture and tourism, but by other government ministries will be including cultural artists or their products as a part of that delegation.
“For instance, if we’re giving gifts overseas, we want them to buy gifts from Grand Bahama. If the GB Port Authority is travelling on such trips, we want to increasingly ask them to include a Bahamian artist. This is the direction we would like to go in, but all of you have to play a role in branding yourselves, marketing yourselves and being registered.
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