Gov't yet to rescue the creative industry
Spira Tlhankane | Friday May 15, 2020 13:35
Creatives who have been living from paycheck to paycheck now are dealing with the fallout, as thousands of workers in the entertainment industry have been rendered jobless.
Artists have already expressed their desperate situations and their stories are absolutely heartbreaking.
By now one would have expected the government to have already provided a little bit of relief to as many people as they possibly can.
Recently during a media briefing, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry Of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC) Kago Ramokate said the government would soon step up to assist creatives who have been hardest hit by the crisis. Ramokate also said everyone from the Arts & Culture sector would get to equally benefit from this relief. Arts and culture includes all forms and traditions of literary arts, performing arts, visual arts, media arts and culinary arts.
Ramokate, however could not disclose more details on the steps MYSC is undertaking to provide financial relief to struggling Batswana creatives.
He explained that the MYSC minister,Tumiso Rakgare would announce when and how they will provide financial relief to entertainment companies or individuals who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The minister is expected among other things to reveal how much money will be made available for the relief.
With many creatives not making money at all, assistance from MYSC is expected to cover their basic expenses such as rent, food, and other utilities. While many people in the arts and culture industry have immediate financial needs, it would also be interesting to find out how MYSC will decide on qualified industry members who will get to benefit from the financial assistance.
Looking at the urgency of people’s dire situations, all eyes will be on MYSC and who they will distribute this emergency financial assistance to.
Even though the government is somewhat still stalling to help the creatives, First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has announced that the creative industry will benefit from the P5 million set aside to help industries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, for which assistance creatives have welcomed.
In the meantime while they wait for Rakgare to make the long overdue announcement, people who belong to the entertainment industry can apply for financial relief from FNBB.