Art creations should safeguard culture, ethics - President

Art creations should be made in a manner that would safeguard the motherland and its culture and ethics, observed President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he chaired a meeting of artistes at Temple Trees on Monday.

The meeting was held to ascertain the views and suggestions of the artistes in the formulation of the 2008 Budget Proposals. A large number of artistes belonging to a number of sectors including the cinema, teledrama and music fields attended.

The President said it was regretable to note that certain cinematic creations defamatory of our war heroes had been produced in the recent past.

A release by the Presidential Media Unit said the artistes attending the meeting thanked the President and the Government for the incentives granted to the progress of the cinema industry in the 2007 Budget. Veteran Actor Ravindra Randeniya said unprecedented incentives had been granted to the cinema in the last Budget.

However, he said these grants had still not been utilised properly and steps should be taken soon to utilise them for the progress of the industry.

Film Director, Somaratne Dissanayaka said some quality cinematic creations had resulted from the relief granted in the last Budget. He requested that the entertainment tax exemption granted to drama be extended to the film sector too.

Veteran actress Geetha Kumarasinghe said she had been unaware of the massive funding provided for the film industry in the 2007 Budget. She requested that tax relief be granted for camera equipment imports from India.

Film actor and critic Tissa Abesekera said quality cinema creations that could pull crowds should be made to develop the industry with the help of funding provided.

Artistes also emphasised the need to continue the heavy taxes imposed on imported teledramas and the setting up of a fully equipped studio and film academy.

Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and artistes pointed out that high technology film copy printing machines imported from France at heavy cost during the previous government are still lying idle. The President directed authorities to see to the possibility of making use of these machinery.

National Film Corporation Chairman Asoka Serasinghe, Sanath Gunatilleke, Gratien Ananda, Buddhi Keerthisena, Ranjan Ramanayake and Senaka Wijesinghe also spoke.

Ministers Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera also participated.

Joe Abeywickrema, Nalan Mendis, Somaweera Senanayake, Jackson Anthony, Robin Fernando and Sriyani Amarasena were among the large number of artists present.