The Minister [of Culture], Ben Douda, expressed her regret over the state of some cultural directorates which are experiencing a “complete absence of coordination among executives due to personal disputes or sensitivities.”
This statement came during her supervision today, Sunday, of a evaluative meeting on the provincial cultural action, titled “From Administration to Management,” held at the Moufdi Zakaria Culture Palace in Algiers.
The Minister stated that “some provinces have suffered a great degree of cultural stagnation due to these conflicts resulting from a lack of understanding of jurisdictions and responsibilities, and the desire of some to overstep the limits of their duties.”
Ben Douda affirmed that “the Director of Culture is the Minister’s representative at the provincial level, but this does not mean that he or she is the sole decision-maker. Every institution has its own system and management independence, with great respect for the duties and jurisdictions of the Director and other managers.”
In this context, Ben Douda issued “strict instructions” to the Directorates of Culture, which she stated she “will personally follow up on their implementation,” stressing the “necessity of coordination, understanding, and harmony among the various officials at the local, regional, and central levels.”
The Minister further explained that “performances will henceforth be evaluated based on the realization of this harmony,” meaning the evaluation will be “built upon performance indicators, the extent of achieving objectives, efficiency, and productivity.”
Ben Douda called for “overcoming deadly bureaucracy and achieving productivity and effectiveness, as well as working with all sectors to embody unified governmental solidarity, opening institutions to civil society, associations, and cultural actors, working with them, and being creative in that.”
Addressing the Directors of Culture, Ben Douda stated: “You are required to innovate and take initiative, and to make culture emerge from the walls and engage in the vitality of the street and daily life, becoming a continuous celebratory act and ongoing creativity.”