Culture policy back on agenda
(L-R) CO Jennifer Ahearn, Culture Minister Dwayne Seymour and Deputy CO Nancy Barnard
(CNS): In a bid to advance government’s proposed Culture and Heritage Policy and Strategic Plan (CHPP) 2017-2026, a policy committee reconvened recently to develop a costed operational plan, according to a GIS release. It is almost three years since government conducted a survey based on its proposed strategic plan for a cultural policy, which was approved by Cabinet and tabled in the Legislative Assembly in early 2017. Officials said the policy aims to protect and preserve aspects of Caymanian heritage, nurture and foster cultural expression and support the growth of local creative industries.
Nancy Barnard, the deputy chief officer in the ministry responsible for culture, explained the need for the policy. “Operationalising this policy has now become critical to ensure the transfer of skills of boat building and thatch crafting from the older generation to the younger set, and also to ensure preservation our built heritage, among other important aspects of the policy,” she said.
Despite the delay, which has not been explained, the committee has reconvened to begin the process of costing it and set out the blueprint for executing the policy and ensuring the necessary resources are made available.
(Seated L-R) Culture Policy Advisor Natasha Powell, Deputy Chief Officer Nancy Barnard, Minister Dwayne Seymour, Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn, Managing Director of the Cultural Foundation Marcia Muttoo, Director of the Museum Dr Margaret (Peggy) Leshikar-Denton. (Standing L-R) Artist Chris Christian, Director of the National Gallery Natalie Urquhart, Ministry of Education’s representative Kiva Powell, George Town Manager Colin Lumsden, and cultural advocate Loxley Banks. Missing from the photo were: Cayman Maritime Heritage Foundation’s Jerris Miller, Director of the Trust Nadia Hardie, UCCI professor Dr Christopher Williams, cultural advocates Anita Ebanks, Mary Lawrence, and Jenae Whittaker, and the Ministry of Tourism and Legal Department representatives (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
Officials said in the press release that committee meetings will take place monthly to identify the short-, medium- and long-term priorities for the plan. The ministry will also hold meetings with various stakeholders, including special interest groups in the business, tourism and education sectors.
The meetings will include people of various demographics and be by district. Meetings have already been held with several stakeholders, including the Economics and Statistics Office, the Farmers and Artisans Market and the Ministry of Education.
“Public engagement was an important part of developing the policy and strategic plan,” said Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn. “Engagement will continue to be an important element of the policy’s implementation because at the end of the day this is a policy for the people and we want to make sure everyone has a voice and is heard.”
The ministry stated that updates on the progress of the policy and costs will be provided to the public, as well as notices of engagement opportunities. The plan is expected to the completed later in 2019, at which point the focus will shift to implementation
The minister responsible for culture, Dwayne Seymour, said he was pleased to moving to the next phase.
“While the policy does an excellent job of outlining the principles and objectives to support the cultural expression of our people, we will only see the benefits when we implement it. The creation of the Costed Operational Plan is an essential step to doing just that,” he added.
Category: Community, Local News, Policy, Politics
So a minister who obviously has no culture is in charge of culture. What a joke. LMAO!!!
Here we go again.
Pretend you have a nation and issue a “status” above what the British offer..so dumb.
Pretend your culture is not like that of Jamaica, Cuba, Honduras but still have festivities that mimic outside cultures.
That picture looks exactly like the one a I see from my little girl when she plays house and has tea parties with her little friends. Pretentious…but still cute. Unfortunately when you see the same adults acting self important at meetings that ridiculously waste people time, it is just pathetic.
So sad and ignorant a post.
when you cant address what he or she said, then we all know you are projecting you sad sack.
9:56am, Who grind you?
You appear to have self-esteem issues, the way you spend so much time trying to put others down.
Get help my dear!
Roads count, right?
I am not on the board, but I hope they take a serious look at public behaviors at all cultural events and make guidelines to be followed and enforce them . One thing I noticed that the Boss /Minister is only interested in getting those dollars dished out from the way he spoke in the article . We all know that if you don’t have the Leadership it doesn’t succeed most of the time .
Just like in my day of growing up , at events if you were caught doing something out of place you got a taste of the cow cod on you backside and don’t talk about fighting back because you would beaten down handcuffed .
Violence begets violence.
They should ban botabano no part of that is cayman culture pure eastern Caribbean
Whatever is left of old Caymanian culture is fast being eroded and diluted. And it continues unabated thanks to our illustrious wannabe minister and his deadwood first officer.
If Caymanian culture is being diluted it must be at the homeopathic levels of concentration by now given the staring point.
You demonstrate your culture and heritage during Batabano parades. You demonstrate your culture and heritage in never ending corruption cases. You demonstrate your culture and heritage in increase in domestic violence cases and child abuse cases. You demonstrate your culture and heritage in destroying your environment, ever growing Dump and fly tipping (thanks CNS for new expression).
Not much to be proud of.
We have demonstrated our culture for welcoming people like you, who despise us, to our shores to make a better life for yourself and to speak freely on things of which you have very limited and biased knowledge.
9:32am why you so angry?
Chill before you bust an artery.
You are a comedic sideshow dotard, nothing more.
Why can’t you comment within the comment? Now I have no idea whose side I’m on because I’m not going to look at everyones time stamp.
I’m sure our chickens are happy being allowed to wonder everywhere just like the good old days.
Good to see the people who seem so heavily involved in increasing the Jamaican dominance of our society through immigration also being in charge of protecting Caymanian culture.
WTF?
With Honorable Seymour & Officer Ahearn on to it we can not fail! Just look at the great job they are doing with fixing the trash problems and the dump. More wasted money for nothing.
It seems the most sacred cultural vestiges, passed from generation to generation, are: the enduring (and oft misplaced) superiority complex, quasi-biblical intolerance, and cronyism (esp if there is an opportunity to either make a buck or obstruct a perceived non-belonger).
9:47am Who grind you?
LMAO!
Let those of us who really know our story not forget that hadn’t it not been for the churches formal education would probably not been in existence as early as it was. The John Gray High School, Triple C School, St. Ignacius, Adventist school, Cayman Prep., as well as others were started up by churches and people of religion. The churches were the leaders in the communities also for charity work, social life and outreach. Churches and religion was quite meaningful to our existence and will always have high priority, so for all of those who are uncomfortable with that I suggest you either suck it up or respectfully find another place of abode. We have every right to be intolerable of certain attitudes and practices whether home grown or imported. Superiority and cronyism has no borders and as all unsavory habits and norms are not only passed down from generation to generation but is embraced to make masters of some and slaves of others.
Oops! What a plug!
In Cayman speak that’s called a “plug”
Thanks 12:28pm
You are very welcome.
12.28pm I could not agree more with your comments on the churches and their positive influence on Cayman culture. However in modern times the behavior and morals (or lack of them) of some of our politicians and their cohorts makes me wonder if we should update our national motto to ” he hath foundered upon the sleaze”.
culture and heritage????
your culture and heritage is expat culture and heritage. end of story.
Seriously have you ever heard a Caymanian accent in ANY restaurant on SMB recently? Please lmk where so I can support them.
You will not find a Caymanian accent amongst the ownership of any either. Lets not beat around the bush any longer. The circumstances that have created this reality are quite probably criminal.
I guess you are correct. They should be embracing of our culture and heritage as well as sharing theirs while on the 2×4 piece of paradise. Cannot say they are not well represented so there should be no complaints there.