Sydney Bartley, director of culture in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. - File

Back in 2007, it was announced that the Cultural Industries Council would replace the Entertainment Advisory Board, but two years later it is yet to take effect.

Former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said the body would be established in her contribution to the 2007/08 Budget Debate.

While the process drags on, Sidney Bartley, director of culture in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said his ministry has already been performing some of the functions the Cultural Industries Council would.

"The council has to be set up by C.abinet. Some of the activities that will be done by the council, we have begun to do them in an informal way. We haven't got to the actual formalisation as yet," Bartley told The Gleaner.

In addition, he said he could not state when the council would be up and running due to current budget constraints and a poor economy.

"I can't project the whole economy. We have had budget cuts," he said, while noting that a new body would require new staff, which the government cannot afford now.

Bartley said the cultural industries is an area that more emphasis is being placed on worldwide, as it has been overlooked in the past. He said Jamaica, with its rich culture, has begun doing that with the establishment of Reggae Month and the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association.

Formulate plans

In 2007, Simpson-Miller said some of the functions of the new body would be: to formulate plans to establish marketing and product development for the cultural industries; develop a comprehensive cultural industries policy; establish and manage a Cultural Industries Development Fund and commission a Cultural Industries Labour Market Survey.

She also said the council would "play a catalytic role" in bringing together relevant public sector bodies and members of the creative industries. "We have to take a serious and focused business approach to fully maximising our natural talent and creativity," she said.

But as the process strengthens and goes forward, Bartley said the functions are being reviewed and enhanced.

"We are reviewing some of that as we speak but it will work with the division in the ministry. Even though we are stretched, we have been doing the work in the ministry," he said.

"The work will continue but when the physical council is established, we will broaden the work that we have been doing."

sadeke.brooks@gleanerjm.com