Dear Editor,
The Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports must come to the realization that the entertainment industry in Guyana is an untapped industry with tremendous potential to empower those with the interest, talent and skills, for it can create massive employment opportunities and contribute significantly to the country’s economy. It is paramount that the Ministry and the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports take the lead to engage the Minister of Legal affairs and the country’s Attorney General to ensure that copyright legislation is enacted for this sector to cater for this demographic of talented people, young people. Copyright is an essential component of protecting intellectual property rights, especially for artists and writers. This legislation is vital for Guyana, ensuring that artists and writers are able to protect their work, ideas, and creativity and earn money from it. Additionally, it can help to build and develop the entertainment industry in Guyana, leading to revenue generation, job creation, and increases the country’s global image by promoting our Guyanese bands while at the same time contributing to our GDP and foreign revenue.
With the implementation of copyright legislation, artists and writers in Guyana can be confident in their work, getting the protection it deserves. This legislation would allow them to profit from their work while still retaining control of the use of their intellectual property. It will ensure that they have the liberty to make decisions about how their work is reproduced, published, and used, thereby enabling them to prevent third-party entities from exploiting their intellectual property unlawfully. Furthermore, the implementation of copyright legislation in our country will undoubtedly open up new avenues for the development of the entertainment industry. The entertainment industry can be a major source of revenue, employment, and creative output as it is for many countries globally. Therefore, if copyright legislation is enacted in Guyana, the entertainment industry can become a major contributor to the country’s economic growth and address the huge unemployment that currently exists in our country.
The impact of copyright legislation cannot be overstated, particularly when compared to the benefits gained within the Caribbean community and that of the Western world. Many developed countries have already established legislation that protects intellectual property spurring the growth of the entertainment industry in their respective countries. The Minister, and by extension the government of Guyana, must accept, were we to enact copyright legislation, it would make the country more appealing for foreign investors, boost the entertainment industry while contributing to the country’s economic development. Again, I say copyright legislation in Guyana is essential and very necessary for the protection of our people’s intellectual property rights, particularly for artists and writers. The entertainment industry is an untapped resource in our country with considerable potential for growth, and copyright legislation will help to ensure its development.
The time has come and the time is now, the government must enact sturdy copyright legislation that balances the interests of artists, writers, investors, and the growth of the entertainment industry. The Minister with responsibility for Culture Youth and Sports needs to go and look beyond ground enhancements, ball distribution, and supporting social events dubbed ‘baderation’ and ‘stink and duty’, which connotes a negative behaviour to some impressionable youths and do something. Do something that will transform the lives of thousands of people, especially our youths, in a positive and productive way. It’s time to enact copyright legislation.
Sincerely,
Hon. Jermaine Figueira.MP.
