Barbadians have one more week to send in their comments on the island’s draft Cultural Industries Development Bill.
Written submissions must be sent to the Permanent Secretary in the Division of Culture and Sports, Warrens Office Complex, St. Michael, by next Friday, July 22.
Copies of the document are currently available at all branches of the Public Library and post offices across the island, the National Cultural Foundation at West Terrace, St. James, and the Division of Culture and Sports. It may also be accessed electronically by visiting https://www.gisbarbados.gov.bb/.
The Bill will provide for the establishment of a regulatory framework to facilitate and encourage the sustainable growth and development of cultural industries, funding for cultural industries, funding for cultural projects, as well as duty free concessions and income tax benefits in respect of cultural projects.
Therefore, the Ministry of Culture is seeking to obtain feedback on whether the provisions contained in the Bill can adequately meet the needs of the various sub-sectors.
Cultural industries include those activities which provide the public with commercially viable, cultural goods and services, which are developed for re-production and distribution to mass audiences. These include products and services like films, videos, television programmes, musical instruments, sound recordings, commercial theatre, dance, books, magazines, newspapers, journals, popular music performances, software, CD-ROMS and other related products.