Dear Editor,

The Ministry of Gender, Culture, Entertainment, and Sport’s e-registry for entertainment players is a game changer. Not only does it finally take us where we need to be by utilising the technology available to improve efficiency and convenience, but an e-registry also provides a one-stop, online, 24-hour portal for registration and application for various services.

The e-registry will provide ease and convenience to various individuals within the entertainment industry by removing the normal bureaucracy associated with receiving assistance from the Government.

Many of the stakeholders in the entertainment industry operate in an informal manner, wherein many of the entities involved are unregistered and unregulated. This new system will remove having to visit specific agencies, standing in lines, and submitting unnecessary paperwork, easily allowing stakeholders to be recognised by the ministry to not only receive support, but also to give assistance with cultural events.

Furthermore, it is about time in Jamaica that we have a database of event promoters, coordinators, and people from the various sectors in the industry. Having the data on these stakeholders in a centralised location provides for well-kept files on each group, allowing the Government to keep track of the various stakeholders, thus being able to hold each accountable for breaches.

The contribution of small stakeholders to the industry and nation is immense; however, it goes wholly unappreciated. For far too long it has mostly been the large, corporate entertainment entities and carnival brands that have been on the receiving end of governmental support. In many cases this is not a fault of the Government, but due to the general difficulty of being recognised in a largely informal industry. As such, I believe, from the registry, we can have proper classification of stakeholders and allocate the proper support and resources to each entity at each level.

Events as large as carnival to the weekly round robins are all important to the economy and need more appreciation. However, we cannot overlook the importance of accountability and oversight. With COVID-19 posing an ever-present threat, the birth of an e-registry removes the usual in-person procedures of receiving government assistance, allowing safe and easy access.

We must ensure that the smaller stakeholders benefit as much as possible from this initiative.

Adrean A Gentles

gentlesadrean123@gmail.com