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Members of the Barbados National Trust listen attentively to??the Minister’s??address. (A. Miller/BGIS)??

Government is still working assiduously to have a Cultural Industries Development Bill in place before year-end.

Minister of Culture, Stephen Lashley, told those attending the Barbados National Trust’s annual general meeting yesterday that his Ministry was "anxious" to see the completion of the Cultural Industries Development Bill.

"This legislation will provide generous incentives to those companies and individuals who would invest in the cultural industries, including the restoration and preservation of heritage structures…

I have no doubt that it will go a long way towards encouraging the promotion of a culture of philanthropy in Barbados," Mr. Lashley told the gathering.

He stressed that it was necessary to allow stakeholders an opportunity to comment on the draft Bill before it was finalised because the Ministry wanted to ensure that it met the needs of the sector when enacted.

Mr. Lashley praised the Barbados National Trust for the contribution it made as a member of the Barbados World Heritage Committee. "We were heartened by the way in which a number of organisations were ready and willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to help my Ministry with the task of preparing the Dossier and the Management Plan for the nomination of Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison as a UNESCO World Heritage Property.

"I could not list them all this evening, but I would mention the role played by the University of the West Indies, the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and of course, the National Trust. And, I am talking here about assistance which was given freely by these organisations. Never once was there any mention of remuneration of any kind," he stated.

He added that his Ministry would rely heavily on the Trust to work with it in reaping the maximum benefits from Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison as a World Heritage Property and in the preparation for nomination of the sites Barbados submitted to UNESCO for inclusion on the tentative World Heritage List.

Those sites are the Scotland District of Barbados and the Industrial Heritage of Barbados: The Story of Sugar.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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