Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Representatives of some of the partners in the Jamaica Anti-Piracy Alliance. Seated (from left) Natalue Corthesy, Entertainment Unit, Ministry of Industry and Tourism; Carol Newman, Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY); Ronald Young, Jamaican Bar Association; and Diedre English-Gosse, Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica. Standing (from left) Danny Browne, Recording Industry Association of Jamaica (RIAJAM); Kerene Gilbert Singh, Business Software Alliance; Douglas Graham, Palace Amusement Company Limited; Gussie Clarke, Anchor Media Limited; Steve Golding, Jamaica Association of Composers Authors and Publishers; and Assistant Commissioner Reggie Grant, Jamaica Constabulary Force. - CONTRIBUTED
EFFORTS TO combat piracy of intellectual property, such as music and films, are not new, but with the recent formation of the Jamaica Anti-Piracy Alliance (JAPA) a unified stance has been taken against the damaging yet common practice.
The Alliance, comprising 15 organisations, is chaired by Carol Newman of the Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY), Ronald Young of the Jamaican Bar Association being the deputy.
The other organisations in JAPA are the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers (JACAP), the Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists (JADA), the Recording Industry Association of Jamaica (RIAJAM), the Sound System Association of Jamaica (SSAJ), the Anchor Group of Companies, the Bob Marley Foundation, the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, the Entertainment Unit of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, the police, Palace Amusement, the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) and Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO).
MANDATE NOT FULLY FORMALISED
Ronald Young explained that the initial meeting was held on the initiative of the Entertainment Unit at the New Kingston offices of the ministry. Going into the meeting, the various parties understood that they had to present a united front against piracy.
"Obviously, with the increase in technology, piracy has increased. It is so much easier to burn a DVD or a CD," Young said. "Because of the growing popularity of our music on the world stage, it is important to protect our musical creativity," he added.
"This time, with the development of JAMCOPY and entities such as RIAJAM, there are members who have increasing interest in protecting the rights of their members," he said.
At this early stage, JAPA's mandate has not been fully formalised, but Young said education is a strong part of the initiative. He said there is an attitude that people who sell pirated CDs are not really harming anyone and they could be doing worse things, such as selling drugs. "It is stealing the rights of another, just like anything else," he said. "We are not out just to rid Jamaica of piracy, but at the same time educate the population about having their copyright protected. It will free them to be creative," Young said.
"At this stage, what we want is to lend support to each member of the organisation," Young said, noting that JAPA will also be liaising with the government with regards to legislation, as well as the Organised Crime Unit of the police force.
THREAT TO EVOLUTION OF CULTURAL EXPRESSION
A release from JAPA included in copyright infringement "all forms of unauthorised reproduction - piracy, counterfeiting, as well as other forms of illegal uses such as illegal copying and the unauthorised rental and distribution of copyright works".
It further said that "piracy, the reproduction and distribution of other's work for profit or commercial advantage, without authorisation or compensation, is the biggest single threat to copyright industries and, therefore also to the evolution of cultural expressions".
"We recognise that it is only if we work together - public and private sector - united in a common mission of education and enforcement, can we hope to create an atmosphere that encourages our citizens and users of intellectual property to respect intellectual property rights, access protected work legally, and promote our copyright industries," JAPA chairman Carol Newman said in the release.
