Honourable
Minister,
RE:
GUYANA HERITAGE MEDIA & CREATIVE INDUSTRIES INITIATIVE
Proposal
for a Three-Year Orange Economy Pilot Programme
I
respectfully submit for your consideration the enclosed Guyana Heritage
Media & Creative Industries Initiative, a proposal designed to
contribute to the Government of Guyana's emerging Orange Economy programme.
Guyana
is experiencing an extraordinary period of economic transformation. While the
country's natural resources are providing unprecedented opportunities, I
believe that Guyana should simultaneously invest in another resource that is
uniquely its own—the creativity, history, culture and stories of its people.
Our
history contains remarkable stories of Indigenous heritage, African heritage,
Indian indentureship, emancipation, colonialism, migration, political
development, independence and the continuing evolution of Guyanese society.
These
stories have value far beyond their historical importance. Properly developed,
they can become books, films, documentaries, digital media, educational
products, cultural tourism experiences and internationally marketable
intellectual property.
The
central idea behind this proposal is therefore:
Guyana
should not only preserve its stories. Guyana should develop, own and export
them.
The
proposed initiative would establish a three-year pilot programme focused on
five areas:
- Film and documentary development;
- Publishing and intellectual
property;
- Heritage and cultural tourism;
- Youth training and employment;
and
- International marketing and
distribution.
An
indicative Government-supported investment of G$250 million over three years
is proposed, subject to the appropriate Government assessment and approval
processes. The intention is for this investment to act as a catalyst for substantially
greater private-sector, diaspora and international investment.
The
proposal also includes several projects that could provide an immediate
demonstration of the concept, including On the Sacred Rivers, a
historical work dealing with Indian indentureship, and The Reformer
President and its proposed screen adaptation, The Quiet Revolution.
I
believe these projects can demonstrate how a Guyanese story can move through
the creative economy:
Research
→ Story → Intellectual Property → Film/Book → Tourism/Education → International
Market → Revenue and Employment.
The
initiative also recognizes that a developing film and creative industry can
create opportunities well beyond writers and filmmakers. Productions require
manufacturers, machinists, welders, carpenters, electricians, transportation
companies, hotels, restaurants, graphic designers and many other businesses.
Most
importantly, the programme could provide young Guyanese with a pathway from training
to employment and entrepreneurship in an emerging industry.
I
respectfully request an opportunity to present this proposal to you, the
National Multistakeholder Orange Economy Taskforce and the relevant Government
agencies.
I
would welcome the opportunity to work with Government representatives to refine
the proposal, establish appropriate governance and accountability mechanisms,
identify suitable financing arrangements and develop a practical pilot
implementation plan.
My
intention is not simply to seek Government funding for individual creative
projects. The larger objective is to help establish a commercially
sustainable Guyanese creative industry capable of creating jobs, attracting
investment, developing tourism and generating international exports.
I
respectfully submit the enclosed:
- Ministerial Briefing Note –
Guyana Heritage Media & Creative Industries Initiative; and
- Detailed Government Submission –
Three-Year Orange Economy Pilot Programme.
Thank
you for considering this proposal. I would be honoured to have the opportunity
to discuss it with you and your officials.
Respectfully,
Mohabir
Persaud
Author | Entrepreneur | Creative Industry Advocate
Canada / Guyana
