St. George's, November 25, 2010 (GIS) – Grenada has been commended for drafting a copyright bill to protect the intellectual property of local artistes.
Copyright expert, Dominica-born McCarthy Marie, has complimented the Government of Prime Minister Tillman Thomas for making copyright and intellectual property rights a priority.
Mr. Marie, who is also a member of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), was speaking Thursday on the first of two days of a seminar and consultation co-sponsored by the Corporate Affairs & Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) of Grenada.
As part of the event, which continues Friday at the National Stadium, Grenada has opened discussions on a Draft Copyright Bill.
In a review of the bill, Mr. Marie noted that it proposes stiff penalties for copyright violators. Piracy and some other infringements carry fines of up to $10, 000 or a prison term not exceeding 10 years.
Mr. Marie was one of the event's facilitators who include Grenadian Sonia Cruickshank of the WIPO office based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ms. Cruickshank urged copyright stakeholders, such as musicians, to legally resister their work with CAIPO.
Registration, she warned, may be their only defence in court.
Participants on the first day of the seminar included musicians and other cultural artistes, photographers, mas' makers, journalists, and lawyers.
Government plans on continuing its public awareness campaign on the Draft Copyright Bill until submitting it for debate in parliament next year.
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