Creatives and artistes called to register for national insurance

Following the launch of a new Self- Employed Unit, Minister of Labour, Social Security and The Third Sector Colin Jordan reminded creatives and artists that they can also access the same National Insurance protections as traditional employees.

Jordan said the initiative is designed to bring long-overdue recognition and security to those who power the island’s culture and economy.

Speaking at yesterday’s launch, Jordan stressed the importance of supporting creative workers, calling them “custodians” and “storytellers” who keep Barbados’ history and heritage alive.

“Creatives are custodians. Creatives are storytellers. They’re the ones who keep the history, the heritage, the way of life, the culture, going. It is important that they recognise that they can be protected,” he said.

The minister explained that many selfemployed people, particularly in the arts, have not realised they can register for national insurance.

“A lot of people just don’t know. They hear about national insurance, but we always talk about national insurance as these stories that we hear … most of what we hear, is within the context of an employer–employee,” he noted.

“Sometimes we assume everybody knows, but everybody doesn’t, and so reaching out to them, making sure that these people who are so important for the well-being of a society, are also protected, is important to us.”

Jordan pointed out that the work of creatives is often undervalued.

“What the sound people do is work, what the dancers do is work, what the singers do is work, what the actors do is work. It is work. Sometimes we see what they do as a pastime, a hobby, something that they like, but it is work,” he declared.

He added that self-employed creatives who register will pay “the same level of contribution, same benefits” as other workers, with flexible payment options to match their seasonal income.

“If you get a good break at carnival, and you can put down six or $700 in national insurance, that’s fine. When a Crop Over come around, you can put another five or six … so when September come and you are scrunting, you don’t have to worry about that.”

While the new unit welcomes all selfemployed persons, Jordan said creatives are a “special group of people,” noting their role in preserving Barbados’ cultural identity. “People in other kinds of business are all important, but creatives for me are a special group of people,” he affirmed.

(LG)