The Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture has addressed matters concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the tourism industry. Isi Henry Leonard called on the country’s citizens to get vaccinated.
At the official opening of the first ever national contemporary arts exhibition in Port Moresby last Friday at the APEC Haus, Minister Leonard stressed that mass vaccination of the country’s population would change the tide and give confidence to foreign tourists to visit Papua New Guinea.
He said culture, creative industry in PNG is an untapped industry, and to him it is like a sleeping giant that if given the recognition it deserves, it would contribute to the national purse and assist in nation building.
Minister Leonard commended the National Cultural Commission (NCC) for developing a national cultural policy of the country, as it did not have one since its inception 37 years ago.
The NCC embodies change and progress. It has changed substantially in the last few years under the leadership of Executive Director Steven Kilanda.
Minister Leonard applauded NCC’s efforts in soon commissioning a national cultural policy that will give prominence to the tourism industry and with policy guided activities that will receive funding from the National Government.
He also said he would ensure the national policy of NCC materializes.