THE Government of Guyana has partnered with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in the hosting of a two-day workshop on the use of Intellectual Property (IP) as a tool for growth and development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

The workshop was opened opened on Friday at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), Liliendaal.
Head of WIPO’s Caribbean Unit, Paul Regis explained that the aim is not only to strengthen the capacity of SMEs on the strategic use of intellectual property tools, but to also focus on the application, innovation and creativity for enhancing national capacity to create branded products; increase revenues as well as market shares; forging alliances, optimising IP tools and polices; and leveraging IP as a tool for promoting some of the inherent and natural resources of countries.

[box type=”shadow” align=”alignright” ] “Speaking for the Government of Guyana, it is not that sufficient attention has not and will not be placed in this direction… when one is in the position of government in a developing country, there are certain considerations to which one cannot turn a blind eye, and one has to be careful that one does not design, implement and execute a system of laws or policies that are inconsistent with the realities of the society in which those rules and regulation are expected to operate,”[/box]
Regis said that a key concern of the WIPO is to work with member states to enhance and facilitate the strategic use of IP assets for development to ensure that the countries are fully able to participate in the knowledge economy by providing programmes reoriented to suit the diverse and changing needs of countries in the Region.
The WIPO has proposed as a holistic solution for the Caribbean Region, the carrying out of IP audit and strategy that would allow for stock-taking, and the designing of an IP blue-print for the countries.
Speaking on behalf of the Government, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall said that this initiative is welcomed by Guyana as the country recognises the need for reform of the current legislative framework under which intellectual property, patents, and trademarks operate.
The minister said that one cannot be oblivious of globalisation, the level of competition taking place internationally in the commercial world, and the need for intellectual property to be honed to meet the exigencies of the dynamic changes taking place in countries.
He said that often times the view has been expressed in the public domain that Governments in the Region have not been paying sufficient attention to the issue of intellectual property.
“Speaking for the Government of Guyana, it is not that sufficient attention has not and will not be placed in this direction… when one is in the position of government in a developing country, there are certain considerations to which one cannot turn a blind eye, and one has to be careful that one does not design, implement and execute a system of laws or policies that are inconsistent with the realities of the society in which those rules and regulation are expected to operate,” Minister Nandlall said.
He spoke of the dilemma that could result from the imposition of a law or laws on a nation’s people which will be difficult or even impossible for them to comply with having regard to certain economic realities. This position is not unique to Guyana; it exists in the entire Caribbean Region.
“I would like in your deliberations over the next two days to take matters of this type into account and to address your mind to the possibility of coming up with a regional policy for the Caribbean Region, one that can be applied in all CARICOM members states,” the AG urged.
Many CARICOM countries have already made innovative, modern, and commendable changes to their intellectual property legislation; however, Minister Nandlall said that they have failed abysmally to enforce those changes simply because it is impossible.
He explained that the governments depend on the populace to stay in Office and therefore they will not execute a task that is inconsistent with the aspirations of their citizens, and will not win their support.
He maintained that concepts have to be amended and modified to meet the exigencies and peculiarities of the social, economic and other realities of the Region. Guyana on the other hand, looks forward to the inputs and recommendations that will emanate from this workshop and similar forums which will serve as a guide to chart the way forward.
“We recognise the value of people’s intellectual worth…we recognise how important it is for the human being to grow and therefore that human stimulus must be protected in the strongest possible fashion,” the AG concluded. (GINA)