The Ministry of Culture and Communication welcomed the unanimous vote in the Senate this week of the proposed legislation on the promotion of culture and assistance to artists and artisans, an initiative of Senator Gracia Delva, already passed in the House of Representatives in 2013.

In his installation speech on 22 March, Limond Toussaint, the Minister of Culture stated that “[…] Given the precariousness of our artistic creators, social protection for artists is a major concern of the government. Many of them face enormous economic difficulties and need support to enable them to live in dignity and with adequate social protection. In this perspective, cultural personnel, among others: singers, dancers, directors, organizers of shows, like any other cultural enterprise, need social assistance to promote its activities and achieve better productivity […]”

In addition to the social protection of artists, concerning the protection of culture, this bill stipulates that “The quota for broadcasting Haitian music on radio and television stations is set at 70%.” It also creates a Carnival Standing Committee whose members are appointed for two years and specifies that “The National Carnival can now from one year to another be held in one of the big cities of the country.” This bill also refers to the creation of a permanent structure devoted to the organization of cultural events.

However, several articles have been deleted or amended in the Senate. This bill will have to be sent back to the Lower House for ratification in the same terms before being sent to the Executive for publication in the official newspaper “Le Moniteur”.

S/ HaitiLibre