Richard Deane, Business Writer

The Swiss Government is putting US$730,000 of grant funding into a project by the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) to develop a system of geographic markings for Jamaican products.

The funds, to be distributed through the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI), will finance the so-called Geographical Indications Project, scheduled to run for two years, starting July.

The agreement calls for the Swiss IP watchdog to provide technical assistance to JIPO.

PROVIDING leverage

Products that are indigenous, for example, its jerk sauce and Blue Mountain coffee, are to be marked as uniquely from the island, allowing the country to leverage its brand in international markets for bigger profit.

A geographical indication is essentially a label on a product that identifies its origin, whether a country, region or locality.

The project essentially will give life to the four-year-old law, The Protection of Geographical Indications Act, which was passed by the Jamaican Government in 2004 in accordance with Jamaica's obligations under the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, an agreement on property rights within the World trade Organisation.

"I think that putting in place a regime like this is protecting brand Jamaica," said the executive director of JIPO, Carol Simpson, at the signing Wednesday of the agreement with the Swiss agency at the Mona Visitors' Lodge, University of the West Indies, Mona.

consultants to jipo

Felix Addor, IPI's deputy director general, said his agency would act as consultants to JIPO.

"All we can do is coach you," Addor said.

During his presentation, Addor pointed to a product that was being sold in Jamaica and labelled Swiss Jamaican jerk sauce. That product, he said, is actually made in Trinidad and Tobago.

"I am convinced that this project will enable Jamaica to take up a lead role again in the Caribbean," Addor said.

Simpson told Sunday Business that JIPO had brought the product to the attention of the ministries of foreign affairs and industry and commerce, and that she was assured something would be done to protect the name 'Jamaican jerk'.

"Jamaica is going to be proactive," she said.

richard.deane@gleanerjm.com