Today read an online edition of Brunei Times paper. Came across a news about Creativity Market in Brunei. It featured an interviewed with the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid bin Hj Mohd Jaafar. According to him:
.....The market for this sector is still at its infancy stage, he said. "Although there are suggestions to do theatre, we need to develop that market so that it will be sustainable."
"This (is so) that people will appreciate it and spend money, as well as businesses investing in it so it will encourage people who want to make it their living," he said.
Brunei is not yet there, he added.
"In the long run, if we create an environment whereby the sector can develop economically and commercially, then we are on the right track," he said, adding the government will help develop it......
To me, the government should take the leap of faith. A Malay proverb said that "Kalau nda pacahkan ruyungnya, macam mana kan mendapatkan sagunya" - rough English translation "No pain, no gain". Honestly, the government should ask herself, these 3 simple questions?
- Does government investment create productive employment for those who would be otherwise unemployed?
- Will the newly hired artist, directors, light technicians, stage managers, costume designers, script writers, best boys, drivers and etc have meaningful income that they can spend back into our country economy?
- Is the output of the jobs adding to the capacity of goods/services demanded?
I sincerely believes that government investment in culture and arts shall add significantly to the well being our country. But if we continues to belittled with our country capacity then I am afraid we shall go no where.
"To be or not to be, that is the question" ~ Hamlet
