Cricket World Cup 2007 Legislation to be Tabled in House

The ICC World Cup West Indies 2007 Act, also referred as the ‘sunset legislation’, will be tabled in the House on September 26, Information and Development Minister, Senator Colin Campbell has informed.
According to Minister Campbell, the seven-part Act, which is being created for the sole purpose of the holding of Cricket World Cup (CWC) next year, is intended to make provisions for an efficient and effective staging of the games; safe, orderly conduct of the games; protection of intellectual property rights; protection of broadcasting rights, as well as remedies and infringement of such rights.
The pending legislation, he said, was a required stipulation for the nine countries in the region hosting World Cup games to adopt. “Legislation has to be passed in almost all the countries, as well as the designations that are needed for all the venues that the games will be played across the Caribbean,” he explained.
Participating CARICOM countries are required, as a condition of their hosting, to enter into an agreement called the host venue agreement between ICC Cricket World Cup and Cricket World Cup West Indies, a subsidiary of the West Indies Cricket Board.
The Minister, who was addressing journalists yesterday (September 18) at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, said the Bill “seeks to make provisions for the fulfilment of the Government of Jamaica’s obligation in relation to the staging of the ICC activities”.
He noted that the legislation would cover the general conduct expected at CWC venues and authorise Police officers to exercise the power of removal.
“It will deal with entry and exit to the stadium, unauthorised entry, reserved areas for seating, members’ entitlement during match periods, conduct within the venues, prohibited or restricted items for the venues, surrender of items, sale of goods, and requirements to state name and addresses,” he added.
The Minister also noted that the Act would detail “the control of advertising; prohibition of certain advertising on land, buildings and structures; prohibition of certain advertisements, commercial broadcasting, telecasting, recording or filming; prohibition of certain practices and promotional use of the tickets”.
Elaborating, Senator Campbell pointed out that part five of the Act would deal with the protection of CWC 2007 marks.
“Those clauses will include the prohibition of unauthorised use of the CWC 2007 mark; infringement of the CWC 2007 mark, or mark of IDI, ICC, WIBC or CWC 2007. It also has to do with the licensing or use of CWC 2007, or CWC 2007 images for commercial purposes, prohibition of unlicensed use of CWC 2007 images, provision of information, power of customs officer in relation to certain imports,” the Minister explained.
Senator Campbell pointed out that part six of the Act would deal with “certain remedies and injunctions, corrective advertisement, damages, destruction, delivery of goods and other remedies”, while part seven “deals with compensation, the regulations amendment to the schedule, as well as the Act to bind the state”.
Other elements of the Act make provision for special arrangements, which will include working with regular governmental legislation to deal with road closures; visas; work permits; import and export duties; exemption from income tax and other taxes; exemption of taxes on cricket tickets; weekend banking; Sunday trading by general shops and the control of air space.
Senator Campbell stressed that the Bill also provided protection against ambush marketing and also prohibited specified advertising and controls, commercial broadcasting, telecasting, recording or filming.
“The Bill also expressly seeks to protect the existing right of persons acquired by registration of trademark under the Trademark Act, designs registered under the Design Act, the use of a business name under the Registration of a Business Name Act, the use of a name of a company, that is, a company was in existence before the commencement of the Act; and a number of other such provisions in relation to intellectual property arrangements,” he noted. The ICC World Cup West Indies 2007 Act will expire on June 30, 2007.