Creative industry unlikely to open this year
The government recently gave a green signal for sports to reopen in a new COVID-19 normal defined by regulations. On the other side, the creative industry which has been shut since March last year, was getting ready too. But it may be a while before revellers get to fill festival venues, observes Mmegi Staffer MOMPATI TLHANKANE.
The recent lifting of the alcohol ban almost got some revellers excited into thinking that gates have been opened this past weekend. Now the government has condemned these actions and further reiterated the fact that entertainment events which have been deemed as having ‘higher-risk’ of spreading COVID-19 are unlikely to reopen this year. Independence holidays are approaching in a two weeks time and one of the worries from government is that COVID-19 cases might escalate looking at what happened during the same period last year.
“This Independence month, the public is reminded of the steady rise in COVID-19 in 2020 following the September 2020 public holidays, which were followed by an even more devastating festive holiday of 2020,” coordinator of the presidential task force Dr Kereng Masupu revealed in a statement.
He said individuals and institutional actors who directly or indirectly prepared for, promoted, and delivered these COVID-19 super spreader events, should take stock regarding their role on the collective good of public health in Botswana. He reiterated the need for all to maintain and strengthen adherence to non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 interventions post September 2021 as the country awaits more vaccine doses.
While it is now evident that the entertainment industry is unlikely to open soon after September, promoters are still prepared to consider pilot trials with additional safety measures at some venues. Even if the government allows a maximum of 100 people in a venue with strict social distancing guidelines in place, promoters feel the number is just too small. Some of the entertainers fear that they will not be able to survive more than three months under strict rules even if they reopen.
The government has not suggested anything that the industry might be able to open. Looking at the vaccine roll-out and the number of cases, September and October are totally out so now creatives are looking at November or December as their realistic opening date. But the lessons from last year show that the government is also doubtful to open this coming festive season. In his statement, Masupu also highlighted that post the 2020 Christmas period, the COVID-19 wave peaked in March 2021 with an estimated 11,000 COVID-9 cases plus associated 243 COVID-19 associated fatalities. As promoters submit proposal after proposal, it is believed that the government has concerns over keeping the venues fumigated and how promoters will prevent groups of patrons from intermingling.
There is a huge amount of uncertainty around reopening, and given the extreme caution around the coronavirus pandemic, opening under social distancing seems impossible in this calendar year. The recent videos of revellers breaching COVID-19 protocols have also dented the efforts of entertainers to convince the government to reopen.
Instead the government has threatened to enforce stricter regulations if people do not adhere to COVID-19 protocols. “It is not the wish of the ministry to recommend a return to stricter restrictions in the country. However, when behaviour such as what transpired over the weekend persists, such actions will be inevitable. The ministry will not hesitate to cause for any action that can save the lives of the people of this country, even if that action leads to tougher restrictions,” acting director of Health Services Dr Pamela Smith-Lawrence revealed in a statement recently. Smith-Lawrence added that the behaviour displayed by some patrons and liquor establishments last weekend has the potential to reverse the gains made so far in stemming the spread of COVID-19.
In the past, creatives had highlighted that their sector maybe be interlinked with the alcohol industry but they should not be punished for the sins of the latter.
Entertainers are exploring how the industry can resume safely. But the minister responsible for the sector, the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Tumiso Rakgare has long ruled out a return anytime soon. “By its nature, the sector undertakes activities that attract mass gatherings and in most instances result in physical contact. Unfortunately, such activities conflict with the COVID-19 regulations which place restrictions especially on movement and gatherings. In this regard, artists have not been able to work,” Rakgare told Parliament last month.
He emphasised that their wish as government is to open the creative industry sector for business as soon as it is safe to do so.
Rakgare further said they are guided by the health protocols to safeguard the lives of the people. He said the high mortality rates in the country forced them not to let their guard down. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and it is our sincere hope that the sector will return to business as soon as practicably possible,” he said.
The government might decide it is practically possible later this year or even early next year but all the creatives can do now is to wait as they drown in dire financial straits. It has been over 17 months since their ‘Titanic’ sunk.
As creatives hope for the emergence of a rescue ship, some of their life boats cannot hold anymore. Creatives are waiting for a phenomenon that might never come before the end of this year. Next year seems so far, but it might be the only tangible reach for now.