Tourism minister Hamat Bah has disclosed that his ministry will provide over 20,000 jobs in the country in 2019 through either music or culture.
Presenting cheques earmarked for 2019 festivals at his office at Quadrangle in Banjul on Tuesday, Minister Bah said it is time to re-correct what was wrong and for Gambians to take what truly belongs to them.
He said things were not being going properly like the Roots Festival that the former government used to organise, which he said, was a wasting of national economy.
Tourism Minister maintained that they will call all stakeholders to discuss on how to make the Roots Festival sustainable for The Gambia, saying the former cultural policy is outdated and they are going to prepare a complete new policy that will soon be tabled before the cabinet for approval.
He said this will be applied even on all radio stations who will play 100% Gambian music. “We cannot afford to be dominated by foreign music.
As a government, we will ensure that support is provided to culture in the next budget.”
Minister Bah assured that the next festival will be effective where all Gambian cultural groups will come together in one region for a cultural expo.
Source: By Sanna Jallow, The Points