New law to boost publishing sector

Publishers will be encouraged, but not forced, to print their products in Laos if a new publications law is passed by the National Assembly (NA) next week, according to a member of the law's drafting sub-committee. Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, Prof Dr Bosengkham Vongdara, said the law had already been debated by NA members and he believed it would be approved by the current NA session, which finishes on December 9. “We will encourage the publication sector in Laos , but we will not force enterprises to print in the country as the capacities of the industry are low,” he said. “If it is not possible to print something in our country, publishers will be allowed to print overseas.” He said the law did not aim to ban foreign printing, but rather reform the current system which is complicated and confusing. Dr Bosengkham represented the law drafting sub-committee to report on the progress of the law to Lao media yesterday. He also talked about the importance of the new law in facilitating investment and human resource development in the publishing sector. He said the industry had developed over the past 30 years, but a lack of laws governing the sector meant the system was difficult to manage. The law was first drafted in 2003 and has been discussed at several meetings involving officials from all over the country. The draft law comprises nine chapters and 77 articles and Dr Bosengkham said the sub-committee would maintain the same number of chapters but the number of articles would change in accordance with NA members' comments. He said the minimum age of officials working at publishing houses would be raised from the current age of 21 to 23, in order to encourage employment of more qualified people. The law involves the decentralisation of publication management between ministry and provincial departments, but officials have not stated what type of publications provincial departments will have the right to approve. “We will consider appropriate approval procedures for each level of government. I think the law will facilitate the approval process,” Dr Bosengkham said. The law will also reduce taxes on the import of equipment and materials used in the publication process as well as lowering taxes on enterprises involved in the sector. The Ministry of Information and Culture currently relies on legislation produced in 1987 to manage the publishing sector. The new draft law covers all print and audio material including translated publications. Books, cassettes, music and data CDs and VCDs are all covered by the new legislation.

 By Somsack Pongkhao