Politicians fixated on bricks and mortar

Groundins

By: Charles H.E. Campbell

MY last article generated some valuable feedback, encouraging me to continue this week to highlight some of the structural deficiencies inhibiting the development and growth of the entertainment sector.

One response in particular from Ramesh Chaitoo addresses the inaction of regional governments over the years, in putting in place the necessary national superstructures as well as infrastructure, required to take better opportunities of the obvious comparative advantages in our creative sectors; so that we can better trade and compete in the international marketplace. It reads, in part, as follows:



Dear Mr Campbell:

"I read your article on rebel music and the establishment in the Jamaica Observer on April 24, 2011. I am very much interested in obtaining your paper that was presented at the International Reggae Studies Conference on February 19, 2010 entitled, 'European Penetration Requires New Strategies'.

I moved from Canada in 2003 to the CRNM to head their Services Trade Unit in Barbados and immediately started to promote the creative sector as a potential engine of growth to policy makers in the Caribbean and spoke to politicians on several occasions. I also commissioned research on the sector and held several regional consultations with industry representatives and made recommendations to the decision-makers on what is needed to stimulate the development of the creative sector, in particular, entertainment. I am still convinced that it can become a major export sector for all of CARICOM if the right policy measures and incentives are put in place.

I attacked the perversely high tariffs on all inputs to the cultural industries but in vain. Nevertheless, I was one of the Caribbean negotiators who ensured that the trade agreement (EPA) between the Caribbean and EU included significant provisions and market access for the entertainment sector. However, since the Economic Partnership Agreement was signed, practically nothing has been done on the Caribbean end to start to take advantage of the facilities in it for entertainers or creative persons in general. I am now based in Brussels and doing other things, but still trying to see how to change that.

"I appreciated your argument in the Observer article. Caribbean politicians seemed fixated on 'bricks and mortar' approaches to economic development."

Ramesh Chaitoo, Trade and Development Consultant, Brussels.

Given that as a background, I was not very surprised to read Mr Seaga's pronouncement, made during his recent UTech address, that we are 'a supermarket, not a factory', and therefore the European Partnership Agreement (EPA) will not benefit us. As it relates to the Jamaican music industry however, I beg to disagree. That prognosis does not apply at all. In fact, over the last 50 years, with too few of the necessary policy measures and incentives being in place, Jamaica has still been able to become one of the largest 'factories' in the world, for producing a genre of pop music that has literally taken the international markets by storm; to the point where, as it now stands, many other states and nationalities are greatly benefiting, at our expense, because our succeeding governments have largely failed to legislate and institute the measures necessary for protecting and preserving the music and the industry that has evolved with it.

Charles M Blow, describing the world's current pop musical forms, in the New York Times on April 22, 2011 stated, "It further enshrines the destructive pop culture dogma that fame and fortune grant moral wiggle room to flout the rules and obscure the truth". Reggae is the exception to this general rule of promoting narcissism; hence its unique, enormous, continuing appeal to the more enlightened segments of the world's populations. Reggae has developed a very loyal fan base in too many countries to list here. Our problem is that it is so successful, our classic catalogues have been bought, our music and culture adopted and adapted and now, we are losing market share to these musicians and artistes domiciled in those marketplaces, and they have much stronger lobby groups, much more pragmatic governments, who have taken the necessary legislative action to enhance their growing dominance in an area where traditionally we held sway.

If the Jamaican public and private sectors would only become more proactive, analytical, united and determined in its efforts to pass the necessary legislation to stimulate the local entertainment industry before it is too late, our local artistes and musicians, with their superior creativity, will still be able to make sufficient in-roads in a process of reclaiming our rightful pole position with this great music which we have bequeath to the world, and in so doing, increase the economic benefits accruing to the Jamaican society.

Email: che.campbell@gmail.com

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Politicians-fixated-on-bricks-and-mortar_8768884#ixzz1LuElP58I