JIPO Continues to Educate Public about IP Rights

The Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) continues to foster public education and safeguard intellectual property (IP) rights across Jamaica.

In a recent interview with JIS News, the agency’s Deputy Director, Legal Counsel, Shantal English, cited the abundant presence of intellectual property in everyday life, ranging from innovative creations to artistic endeavours.

“Intellectual property is everywhere. It speaks about the creations of the mind, so whatsoever the mind can conceptualise, there is some element of IP related to it,” she noted.

Providing an example of this, she shared: “If you want to start your business and you decide to create a nice logo, that logo is your brand. It represents whatsoever goods and services you’ll be producing, so that would be considered your IP.”

Having recognised the diverse landscape of intellectual property, the Deputy Director informed that the agency also offers comprehensive guidance and assistance to individuals and businesses seeking to register their creations, as part of its public education efforts.

“Because IP is everywhere, whether it’s trademarks, copyrights, designs or patents, we are encouraging every person to register their intellectual property, because intellectual property, when registered, provides that evidence of ownership,” she told JIS News.

Persons interested in registering their IP may do so by utilising the services offered by the agency, whose representatives “are able to guide each person through the different applications and through what it is that they need to do to ensure that their works are protected and that they have the necessary evidence in the event that there’s an infringement”, the Deputy Director said.

She acknowledged that while JIPO does not deal directly with matters of infringement, the agency collaborates with law-enforcement entities, such as the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (CTOC), to address such issues.

“While we do not deal with enforcement, we continue to educate the public and we tell them what not to do, what is within their remit to do, and informing the public to seek permission before using the works of any person to ensure that there is no lawsuit for infringement of intellectual property,” Ms. English said.

Furthermore, JIPO maintains alignment with international standards and continuously updates its laws and regulations to adapt to changes in the IP landscape. As a member of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), they remain committed to upholding global best practices in IP governance.

“As it relates to laws, we have a myriad of legislation, and being a part of WIPO we are always trying to ensure that we are in conformance with international standards. We’re happy to say that most, if not all our laws, are in conformance with international standards,” Ms. English said.

For more information about JIPO’s services and resources, individuals and businesses are encouraged to visit the JIPO office at 18 Trafalgar Road in New Kingston or contact them via telephone at 876-946-9216.