On April 23, the Barbados Copyright Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Incorporated (COSCAP) and the U.S. Embassy in Barbados hosted a free online program entitled “Intellectual Property Rights – Protecting Caribbean Creativity.” Convened ahead of World Intellectual Property Day, April 26, the hour-long lecture and discussion featured Erica Smith, CEO of COSCAP Barbados, and Kevin Rosenbaum, a lawyer and counsel to the International Intellectual Property Alliance.
“Intellectual property rights (IPR) allow creatives in Barbados to make a living doing what they love,” Rosenbaum said. “They incentivize investors and creators to disseminate their work to the widest possible audience, and absent these protections, quality suffers and culture and diversity are undermined.” Rosenbaum commended Barbados’ accession to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Internet Treaties in December 2019 and encouraged their speedy implementation. Rosenbaum also mentioned the U.S. Trade Representative’s Special 301 Report and the work that remains in Barbados to adequately protect IPR, including issues of consent and compensation for the retransmission of U.S. broadcasts and cable programming.
Responding to a question on compliance, Erica Smith said, “We need the support of our members. With over 10,000 members, COSCAP has a voice. Now is the time to step up and try to engage government,” she continued. “As we experience the negative economic impact of COVID-19, we will need to figure out how we will build our economies. We can generate a whole lot more revenue.”
World Intellectual Property Day was established by WIPO in 2000 to raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks, and designs impact daily life. The U.S. Embassy will continue to work with government and civil society partners on IPR issues through support for legislative protections, enforcement, and public awareness regarding how IPR underpins innovation and economic prosperity.
The full video can be found on the U.S. Embassy’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/275249287469/videos/3295691743858726/