WIPO Director General meets Prime Ministerof Jamaica
Geneva, March 15, 2002
Press Updates UPD/2002/161
The key importance of the intellectual property system as a tool for wealth creation, social advancement and cultural development was the focus of discussions between Mr. Percival J. Patterson, Prime Minister of Jamaica and Dr. Kamil Idris, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) during a two-day official visit to Kingston on March 11 and 12, 2002. They agreed on the strategic importance of the intellectual property system to Jamaica, in particular the role of copyright in safeguarding the island's rich musical traditions and in developing its cultural industries.
The commitment of the Jamaican government to strengthening the intellectual property system on the island was underlined by the historic launch of the integrated Jamaican Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) and by its ratification of the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and the WIPO Phonograms and Performances Treaty (WPPT). The so-called "Internet treaties" lay down the legal groundwork to safeguard the interests of creators in cyberspace and open new horizons for composers, artists, writers and others to use the Internet with confidence to create, distribute and control the use of their works within the digital environment.
In Kingston, Dr. Idris also met with the Governor General, Sir Howard Cooke who reiterated Jamaica's commitment to using the intellectual property system to harness the island's creativity to promote economic growth. In discussions with Mr. Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Technology and Mr. K. D. Knight, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and other senior government officials, discussions focused on ways to further strengthen cooperation between Jamaica and WIPO. Dr. Idris commended the Jamaican government's efforts to strengthen the intellectual property system in that country and pledged WIPO's continued support in this regard.
During his visit, the Director General also participated in a roundtable discussion at the innovation center of the University of Technology on the role of intellectual property in enhancing creativity, innovation and development. At this event, attended by key individuals from both the private and public sectors, Dr. Idris said that the intellectual property system was critical in capturing the value of Jamaica's creative and innovative capacities. He explained that WIPO's activities were of great relevance to Jamaica in its endeavor to capitalize on its rich cultural traditions to promote social, economic and cultural development. The Director General also stressed the importance of raising public awareness and understanding of the role and value of the intellectual property system to Jamaicans in their daily lives.
Jamaica became a member of WIPO in 1978 and is party to eight other WIPO-administered intellectual property treaties, including the Paris Convention of the Protection of Industrial Property, the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, and the WIPO Internet Treaties.
For further information, please contact the Media Relations & Public Affairs Section at WIPO:
Tel: +4122-3388161/3389547;
Email: publicinf@wipo.int
Fax: +4122-3388810.