Dear Editor,
In an article in KN captioned, ‘Local writer calls for massive investment in arts and culture,’ it is reported that “writer, artist and folklorist Barrington Braithwaite is calling on Government to make massive investments in Guyana’s underdeveloped but potentially rich cultural industry.”
The headline alone is great. Everything Mr Braithwaite said about this overlooked potential in our society is true. What I would like to say is that it is highly unlikely that government would make that kind of investment. I am frustrated that we are still unable to look within ourselves to help ourselves. We are the ones that should be tasked with capitalizing on our cultural diversity and potential.
We have to take these ideas to our entrepreneurs, but there is some very important groundwork – the laying of the foundation so to speak – that is necessary before this “potentially rich cultural industry” is marketable. That groundwork needs government and parliamentary intervention, but they must be pushed to act.
I do not see what happened in Jamaica and Trinidad happening in Guyana. No Guyanese government, present or past, showed any interest in what is being asked here. In fact, what existed in 1966 was gradually pulled away. I remember the vibrant music and arts industry at independence. People like Vivian Lee as an investor and popular Guyanese artistes like Nicky Porter, Ivor Lynch and Aubrey Cummings, to name a few, were in the private sector doing their thing. Private investment can bring it back.
Don’t forget that we were ahead of the Caribbean in this area. We had a music and entertainment industry second to none at that time. The Mighty Sparrow did his first recording in Guyana. All of that dwindled to basically nothing with the Yoruba Singers recycling old instruments, as imports were restricted while we dabbled in socialism.
While the last administration was short sighted, the present one has no interest in such things. Mr Braithwaite referred to his own problems at Chronicle. Why would he think there will be a change? More so, we must realize that what Mr Braithwaite is suggesting would benefit one group more than the other and from what I have noticed there is no will or intention to invest in non-supporters.
We should put Mr Braithwaite‘s proposal to some business persons starting with Eddie Grant. Then Mr Grant’s response would be, let the country put their copyright act together. What we want government and parliament to do is pass and enforce copyright laws. That’s laying the groundwork.
There is where our activism should be placed. The point is, pouring scarce dollars into an environment that does not respect copyright is a waste of time. We must push, push and push to get that fixed first.
Generally, there is too much lawlessness in Guyana. In Guyana, big ones can purchase innocence.
This is not fertile ground for investment of any kind. When you cannot get your rights protected in the courts; you cannot depend on the records at the Deeds Registry to know if someone owns a property; you can get persons to steal important documents at the registry and at the courts; persons can copy your book with no consequences and mass copy your songs and sell them under your nose, pouring investment into Guyana would be a no, no, regardless of who is spending the money.
The ground need not be set as it is presently. The motivation should be to get parliament to enforce copyright laws. That’s where the fight should be. Investors would want to see the Deeds Registry regularized. There is Mr Rockcliffe who is doing his best, and fighting a losing battle to get that fixed. He needs back-up.
There are persons with money willing to do what Mr Braithwaite wants government to do. When Rudy Grant suggested that musicians boycott the last Carifesta to protest the lack of copyright laws, no one backed him. Does anyone believe that family or anyone will invest in Guyana when all that lawlessness exists? Does anyone think we have a film industry because government backed the production of some short films? Are we seeing the full benefits of that inflow of cash beyond those who enjoyed a one-time windfall?
The focus should be on getting Guyana ready for business. ACDA should be pushing government to take care of all of these basic issues. They should be asking for donations to push these ends. Regularizing African lands is included. With that in place money/investment dollars will flow in. It would not cost the taxpayer a penny. All that is needed is the will to get this done. Remember the arts industry will benefit a lot of African Guyanese. Think about how many frustrated persons turning to crime will be saved.
Yours faithfully,
F Skinner
