MOST ideas must be introduced time and time again before any group, especially someone who is sitting in a chair but has not had your experience, begins to understand what you’re trying to say. I’ve served on a constitutional commission, and in the first meeting, I introduced a concept that I was sure would be relevant because the existence of ‘The Theme’ and its content would be useful to persons so disposed as a challenging income process that would lessen earning conflicts.

There was opposition from one important member because that person didn’t understand, nor in that character’s line of career duty had such an idea ever arisen, but it did, though its value was never understood. Thus, it was never recognised for what it was. There was the problem. Possibly, the important person could not see themselves in an influential position from a brief glance at what I had brought to the group, or any group. I attempted a proactive challenge, then realised that this character was “Legion” when I requested a discussion to explore the details that the slim document embodied to the entire group. The meeting was diluted and diverted to the immediate task and its expectations discussed before I had introduced my paper. Incredibly, it was not heard of again.

The concept that I had introduced was that of a “Cultural Industries Secretariat”. Managed in the context that I had outlined, including strict accountability, where did this idea come from? Simple: from my experiences and the biographies of others who have become sources of inspiration without being slavish to anyone’s ideas or violating their IPRs in any way. Every cultural location has its own “being” that envelopes its interest groups, from the design of jewellery to leatherwork to storytelling – audio or print. But if your stuff penetrates another location, then the legal world of licensing becomes an option. Every potential legitimate industry in this country has benefitted from government support, so why not us, the folk in cultural industries? Some of us have registered companies. We’re not hobbyists. Most of us have done the exploration and have spent the money on research and development. Whom do we talk to and who speaks our language?

In lobbying for the first subvention for the creative industry, after conversations with the late Dereck Bernard in 1990-2, that subvention was successfully negotiated with then Minister of Finance, Winston Jordon, in 2019, and it still exists. I have learned so much of what is known from the required engagements with public servants against what must be thought! The ignorance is frightening. Every other member of CARICOM has gone ahead. Where are we? Still locked in the state of developing a language to communicate our interests, which we can do while half asleep.

The potential is tremendous, but it will require its own secretariat to exist sensibly. In closing, I mentioned in this column that over the past years, we have lost industries to development: sugar, bauxite, waterfront, computers versus bodies, etc. Thus, where potential exists is where there should be open communication. This is logical, in the same necessary context that a dictionary introduces new words. Likewise, interest in exploring new streams of awareness must be ready to engage those who can contribute based on consistent experience and participation.