IN A PREVIOUS COLUMN on culture I observed: “Undoubtedly, I can easily point to many other assemblies of minds designed to find solutions to critical matters affecting us as a people. How come, then, in the midst of all the expressions of frustrations that we hear year after year, there is no real meeting of the minds to look critically at resolving some of the challenges put forward in relation to culture in Barbados, particularly as it relates to the annual Crop Over Festival and the artistes who contribute significantly to its success?”
I went further, stating: “In one of his renditions for 2010, John King alluded to the $80 million contribution of Crop Over to the economy of Barbados. Yet, he complains about the low returns to calypsonians for their involvement. The problem, though, is that this situation is certainly not unique to the calypsonians. I have heard tent managers, bandleaders and others complaining of the challenges they face time after time in relation to their participation in the festival.”
Amazingly, that column was written precisely five years ago. I say amazingly because of recent comments, including from the Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley, about the insistence of the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) on enforcing aspects of the value added tax (VAT) legislation that continue to have significant negative implications for most of those whose contributions make the annual festival the brand it has become. I had to step back a bit before finally recognising that we are in fact in 2015 and not 2010.
Why it is that history keeps repeating itself in reference to little or big things here in Barbados? Why is it, as calypsonians have lamented on several occasions, that the more things change in our country, the more they remain the same? More importantly, why do we speak positively about cultural development but then enact legislation and introduce policies that hinder the expansion of this vital industry?
The performance of the local economy over the past seven years, as reviewed by institutions such as the Central Bank of Barbados and the International Monetary Fund, has convinced this author that Barbados has reached the point in this country’s socio-economic history where every industry, each sector, all small and medium sized businesses that have the potential to be growth-enhancing for the economy should be strappingly supported by those in authority to turn that potential into reality.
Clearly, therefore, if the position adopted by the BRA in relation to the application of VAT on things such as complimentary tickets for various shows held during the Crop Over celebrations remains intact, that could only redound to the subsequent discontinuation of the practice of issuing “free” tickets and hence the removal of a fundamental marketing ploy used by various entities to expand their customer base. Is that a desirable outcome, given the importance of the festival to national economic development?
Going forward, this writer is in full support of the Minister of Culture’s idea that special legislation needs to be brought forward that will recognise and treat Crop Over in particular and culture in general as a special case given their direct and indirect benefits to the economy. Should such an idea become an actuality, will there be any losers in the grand scheme of things? On this one, I unquestionably say no.