The Creativity of our people exists across the length and breath of our beautiful isle. JIPO as the office charged with the responsibility to educate and disseminate information on Intellectual Property (IP) Rights seeks to ensure that the rights of Jamaica as a state and the rights of Jamaican creators and owners of intellectual property rights receive the just remuneration and recognition.
In the global village in which we live, it is the ability to distinguish oneself by the creations of the mind or by the physical creations that will set us apart and allow one to have instant recognition locally, regionally and internationally.
IP is a valuable commodity and its value is growing and will continue to grow, and is becoming a major element in corporate business management. The role of JIPO is to further strengthen and ensure that our creators continue to enjoy the highest level of protection necessary, as we expand in markets globally.
JIPO offers to the public information and advise on steps needed to protect Copyright, Designs, Trademarks, Patents. Public education continues to be a major focus in our campaign, in schools, with community groups, private and public sector interests and collaboration with fellow agencies, as such, creators are becoming more aware of their IP Rights and are seeking to take the steps necessary to protect these rights.
Today, we are proud to witness the growth and development in particular of our Copyright sector, with the establishment of four national collecting societies, the Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers (JACAP), the Jamaica Copyright Licensing Agency, (JAMCOPY), The Jamaica Music Rights Society,(JAMMS) and the Jamaica Performers Administration Society, (JPAS). In addition there has been the establishment of supporting Copyright based associations such as the, Recording Industry Association of Jamaica, (RIAJAM), the Anti-Piracy Alliance and the Jamaica Music Business Network.
For a society that has thrived on creativity, this progress augers well for Jamaica’s IP system. The objective of our Office is to foster in our country an Intellectual Property culture, to achieve the highest level of respect and appreciation for our creators, owners of IP rights, inventors and innovators.
Let me commend our team of dedicated staff that have remained committed to the task at hand. It is this commitment that has allowed JIPO to achieve the level of success that is now evident. It is our aim to expand our services to the public, to offer on-line services and fully cater to the needs of the creative sector (and users of IP Rights).