Minister of Culture Defines Amount of Payment for Drinking Spots

The amount was contained in a communiqué signed on April 15th by the Minister of Culture.

The Minister of Culture Ama Tutu Muna has defined the amount of money each drinking spot has to pay for authors’ rights. The money paid is as a result of the fact that bars and drinking spots do use music to relax their customers.
According to the communiqué, the amount to be paid was defined by the type of bar or drinking spot. Bars which people do not seat down to drink but buy and take away have to pay FCFA 29,000, Bars where there is space to sit down for entertainment have to pay FCFA 37,800, Snack Bars which are more relaxing and comfortable, have to pay FCFA 49,500 while bars which have as addition dancing space have to pay FCFA 85,000.
The President of the National Syndicate of Drinking Spots in Cameroon, known by French acronym, SYNEDEBOC, Hervé Nana, this decision they have welcomed with delight because it makes situations better. As a matter of fact he said it was one of their proposals which they forwarded to the Ministry of culture because they wanted that order which come in to the sector. He said before they used to pay the money to SOCINADER, then later to CMC and the amount paid was too high that is the reason why he said they never used to pay and they would suffer constant harassment from the police and their musical equipments seized. Before, he said a small bar is taxed to pay up to FCFA 100,000 and a snack Bar about FCFA 250,000 of which they were not able to meet up. This he said was because the amount to be paid was calculated by the seating space and the price of drinks. He appreciated the way the Minister has partition the amount such that it is within the reach of every seller.
Nana said in every decision taken there are always disgruntled people. He said anybody who is disgruntled is just being unfair because what has happened is really great favour that the ministry has done for them. He added that this amount is yearly and so they have enough time to put this money together and pay at any time within the year and just to make sure to have paid before the year runs out. This money he said will be paid to the competent body proposed by the government.EFFA TAMBENKONGHO