Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean (centre), gets an explanation of animation procedures from a student, while Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of West Toonz, Curtis Padmore, looks on. The Minister recently toured the Animation Lab at the Building #3 Harbour Industrial Park office of the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity (BIMAP).
A Government Minister is throwing her support behind efforts to develop an animation industry in this country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean, expressed her willingness to assist the fledgling industry, as she noted that if given the opportunity to develop, it would hold significant potential for Barbados as the global industry is worth billions. The Senator spoke to this in an interview with the media following a visit on Friday evening to the Animation Lab at the Building #3 Harbour Industrial Park office of the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity (BIMAP), to interact with the students of the Animation National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 2 course, which was conducted by local company West Toonz and BIMAP.
Referring to the just concluded Barbados Network Consultation which included a Youth Interactive Forum, of which one of the sessions was conducted by Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of West Toonz, Curtis Padmore and California-based Barbadian, Miguel Drayton, Minister McClean noted that persons were able to look at the fundamentals of animation and get an understanding of what is, and can be done locally.
“It was not just a conceptual or theoretical exercise. As you can see we are actually here at an animation lab and it is an opportunity for Barbadians who are into graphics, who are into art, who are into IT, being able to combine their several skills and talents, being able to develop animation,” she said.
McClean added, “It is a technique that can be used in several areas, not just entertainment and it is important therefore to appreciate that we are talking about a global industry that is maybe $250 billion and the possibility of Barbadians tapping into that is very real.”
With that in mind, she suggested that there are opportunities to engage existing bilateral partners regarding this area, and this is where her Ministry can come in. She indicated that there are opportunities to take advantage of potential bilateral agreements or existing agreements, so as to build out the sector locally and provide gainful employment for interested persons.
Additionally, she pointed out that as the sector is technologically driven, it means that Barbadians trained in animation do not have to seek employment outside of these shores, but can stay here and connect with companies across the world. (JRT)
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