Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

Chief Education Officer Adelle Brown departs the Jamaica Conference Centre after Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson addressed the Jamaica Association of Education Officers earlier this year. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

The Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY) has criticised the advice given to teachers by Chief Education Officer Adelle Brown to photocopy from books which are not supplied by the Ministry of Education.

In a statement issued Wednesday by JAMCOPY (which manages photocopying rights for copyright holders from Jamaica as well as 24 other countries), together with the Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ), members of the public were advised that photocopying without permission is a breach of the Copyright Act, liable for criminal and civil penalties.

Everybody's concern

"I think this goes to the level of awareness of all persons concerned, not just the ordinary man on the street but at all levels of society, including government officials," Carol Newman, general manager of JAMCOPY, told The Gleaner.

"It speaks to the amount of work and public education. We have our work cut out in raising the level of awareness among all parties about copyright and its implications."

Mrs. Brown had made her comments in a recent interview with JIS News when she advised teachers against using books not supplied by the ministry which she said would put poorer parents at a disadvantage. Instead they should photocopy the relevant chapters, she said. She was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

However, the ministry does not yet have a licence, for which it has been in negotiations with JAMCOPY since May of last year, to photocopy. Following a nine-month hiatus, the next meeting has been scheduled for October, said Ms. Newman.

Intellectual property rights campaigners have stepped up their efforts recently with the coalition Jamaica Anti-Piracy Alliance, of which JAMCOPY is a part, due to launch a television advertisement campaign in October.