2008-08-25
International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisation AGM for Montego Bay
Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Karl Samuda (right) speaks as Secretary General of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisation (IFRRO), Olav Stokkmo (left) listens. Minister Michael Stern (centre) looks on. The event was a press briefing held yesterday (August 21) at the Ministry’s St. Lucia Avenue offices, where the annual general meeting of the IFRRO, to be held for the first time in Jamaica, was announced.
The historic staging of the annual general meeting of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisation (IFRRO) in Jamaica from October 28-31, 2008 was officially announced on Thursday, August 21.
Secretary General of the IFRRO, Olav Stokkmo, who addressed a press briefing, held at the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce explained that the annual general meeting will include a series of events including board meeting, relationship and network building.
He said a special session will be organised in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Rights Organisation (WIPO) and the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) on how to protect intellectual rights in a small economy.
"We are extremely pleased that the Jamaica Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY) and Jamaica have accepted to host this annual general meeting. When you work on serious matters (such as) copyright you need someone to build an atmosphere that enables you to do this in a constructive way and we are confident that is what JAMCOPY will enable us to do," Mr. Stokkmo said.
Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Karl Samuda, noted that the Ministry has for some time been intensifying its efforts at ensuring that the intellectual property rights of artistes and authors are protected.
“As we emerge as a nation, it is the protection of these great Jamaicans for what they do and for what they produce that is of paramount importance to us all,” Mr. Samuda said.
Active in every continent, some 50 reproduction rights organisations and about 60 national and international authors, publishers and visual creators’ organisations are members of IFFRO.
JAMCOPY is Jamaica’s national reproduction rights organisation and represents the interest of creators and publishers of copyright protected materials published in the print media.
The annual general meeting of the IFRRO will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Spa in Montego Bay from October 28-31, 2008. Jamaica Trade and Invest is also partnering with JAMCOPY and JIPO in the staging of the AGM in Jamaica.