(Trinidad Guardian) Planning and the Economy Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie is confident that this country’s music industry can prove to be a very lucrative export if packaged properly. Tewarie was speaking at the first Artiste Management, Music Business Conference, Artiste Showcasing and Total Local Concert.
“Music definitely needs a boost, it needs organisation, it needs strategic partnership. We need to go from recognition of musical talent to the creation and mobilisation of the industry,” Tewarie said. The event, a collaborative effort between ASK Promotions and the Trinidad and Tobago Entertainment Company, was held yesterday at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s.
There will be a series of events, such as panel discussions and workshops, geared towards helping local musicians from all genres. It started on June 19 and will end on June 22 with a Total Local Concert. Musicians will be given the opportunity to meet with international record producers and other professionals to help them gain guidance with their careers.
Tewarie said there was a need to strengthen the cultural sector as he believed the nation had a lot to offer. “The music industry plays an important role in the development and promotion of the creative and cultural sector in Trinidad and Tobago. Though our creative and cultural sector is still in its fledgling stage, it does own a great deal of potential for development, for inclusion and for growth.”
He said the country’s music had an unique appeal because of its vibrancy and he believed it could be marketed to the world. This was already being proven as there was an increase in the sector over the last few years, he said. “Already Trinidad and Tobago’s copyright centres net flow of foreign exchange has grown from US$32 million in 2000 to about US$50 million in 2011. However, this accounts for about 0.2 per cent of our GDP (gross domestic product).”
There is still a lot of work to be done in the industry as he believed that music could contribute a lot more to the GDP of this nation. “We are using our 50th independence anniversary celebrations as a platform for showcasing our rich diverse talent and propositioning our music and other art forms as equal to the challenge of providing world-class and worldwide entertainment and gaining market acceptance.”
He took the opportunity to commend the efforts of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company and the local fashion industry for the many initiatives which they have taken to promote local culture.
