Team Herald
PANJIM: The tiatr fraternity is not in favour of GST (Goods and Service Tax) being imposed on tiatrs as they fear that it could result in closure of business due to poor response from the audience.
According to Roseferns, a noted tiatr director, who has been in the field of tiatr for quite a long period, is of the opinion that it could cause a big loss as some of the directors sometimes have to shell out money from their pockets to pay their respective artistes and stage workers. “With 18 per cent tax slab on tiatrs,” he says, “it would lead to increase price of tickets, thus causing displeasure among the tiatr fans.”
“When tiatr has always been basically promotion of Goan culture among the Goans and it serves only as a cultural programme. how can the government decide of imposing GST on such an art form?” he asked.
Irineu Gonsalves, who has stepped into the field of tiatr as director and producer recently, opines that it could be a big setback for the tiatr community, which includes the tiatrists and tiatr fans. “No doubt,” he mentions, “it is a financial burden on the tiatr directors, but simultaneously with the hike in (prices of) tickets, it will also affect the tiatr audience.”
Gonsalves said that such an imposition would likely affect the tiatrists and the Goan culture. “As directors and producers, they are at a loss, except a few. And many plunge into the production of tiatrs out of sheer love for the art form, language and culture.”
“Imposition of GST on films is understandable as they draw a lot of subsidy from the government,” Gonsalves explained. “But when tiatr is merely promotion of culture and not a business activity, how can tiatr come under the 18% tax slab?” he inquired.
According to another noted director, Pascoal de Chicalim, imposition of GST on tiatrs is like discouraging local art form. “Why should this art come under GST? Some writers and directors toil hard to make his product a success by taking loan, mortgaging jewelry and if their tiatr is not accepted by the audience, then they go in further debts, by way of remuneration to the cast and crew,” he says.
The director said that there is no scheme available to produce tiatrs, so why should the government bring the local art form under GST? “Annually, there are three seasons for a tiatr,” he said, “and the most seasoned directors can’t earn a profit of Rs 150,000 and above each season.”
Pascoal de Chicalim feels that if GST is imposed on tiatrs, then the writer, producer will have no option, but to pass the buck on the audience and it may result in the tiatr audience boycotting tiatrs in the near future.
