THE Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment is moving ahead with plans to establish an entertainment registry, come September 1.

The registry will certify and register local entertainment practitioners and will be maintained by the ministry.

Portfolio state minister Damion Crawford, says the registry will provide an information hub for the delivery and administration of processes necessary for a sustainable entertainment industry.

“It is a very important move in allowing for freedom of movement, but also extremely important for tools of trade for artistes to benefit from tax waivers on certain different things that assist them in plying their trade,” Crawford notes.

Meanwhile, come September 1, promoters of entertainment events will also be required to have their events rated.

Crawford says the events will be rated based on a matrix provided, indicating what utterances, actions and types of activities can be promoted at these events.

“There will be ratings starting from G, PG16, A18, R and PG, and each of them will have that matrix which the artiste will be able to look at and know what should not be included,” Crawford says.

Promoters who breach the terms of the rating agreed on will lose points from their licences and will eventually be unable to have further events.