Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
THERE WAS no shying away from the financial link between copyright and creativity at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus' main library on Tuesday.
As Beverly Pereira, the university's legal counsel, put it, after saying that copyright protection is there to encourage creative expression, "copyright protection is also about money. We have heard this; show me the money".
Pereira was speaking on the second of the day's three presentations at the library's multi-functional room, where the Jamaica Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY) staged 'Managing Your Rights - The Reward For Creativity'. And copyright literally means the right to copy, as the organisation deals with the copying of printed material. The first was 'A Conversation With Authors and Journalists', with John Maxwell, Annie Paul and Tanya Batson-Savage among the panellists. The last presentation saw Raymonde Kilpatrick giving the international perspective in explaining 'How Collective Administration Helps You', while Carol Newman explained all about 'JAMCOPY - Your National RRO'.
FINANCIAL FACTOR
The financial factor was underscored when both Kilpatrick and Newman ended their presentations on the matter of money. Kilpatrick, International Development Manager of the U.K.'s Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) said last year the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisation (IFRRO), the organisation which governs copyright collection agencies worldwide, collected and distributed US$618 million to authors and copyright holders worldwide.
And Newman said in closing her address that the first distribution of money by JAMCOPY took place last November, describing it as "a milestone for not only JAMCOPY but Jamaica at large".
Before collection, though, comes qualification for copyright as well as registration for accessing funds. Pereira said that the works which qualify for copyright are original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works in a tangible medium. "Original means not having been copied. You must show skill and labour," she said.
Kirkpatrick said reproduction rights organisation covers reprography, which includes photocopies, faxes, printouts and scanned copies onto paper. "More recently reprography has been extended to include digital copies," she said.
Joining a collection agency allows the author to collect when his or her work is copied and Newman noted that the system does not exist to replace the buying of books. JAMCOPY, established in 1998, was the first such collection agency in the English-speaking Caribbean.
"This is a plea. This is a message. Let JAMCOPY help you. That's what we are here for, that's what we want to do," she said to potential members. Membership is open to individual authors and publishers who have at least one published work.
