Islands such as Barbados and St. Maarten should use culture as a means of diversifying and strengthening their economies.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, made this assertion during a recent courtesy call from Governor of St. Maarten, Eugene Holiday, at the ministry???s headquarters at Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael.
Mr. Lashley noted: ???Tourism and the international business sectors have proven to be fairly susceptible to global recessions and islands like ours are forced to look within to develop more sustainable sectors that could withstand shocks.???
Describing the cultural industries and sports as ???key engines to economic diversification???, he said legislation was an equally important part of the process.?????The Cultural Industries Development Act was designed after a number of public consultations,??? he explained.
In response, Mr. Holiday said he was impressed with Barbados??? stance towards the creative industries. He explained that St. Maarten was in the process of developing similar legislation and that he would peruse Barbados??? Cultural Industries Development Act.
shamkoe.pile@barbados.gov.bb