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Copyright Act to be amended to tackle Digital Piracy

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#Jamaica, August 28, 2017 – Kingston – The Copyright Act is to be amended to introduce comprehensive measures to tackle digital piracy.

Speaking at a seminar on the business of music at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on August 24, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport,   Hon. Olivia Grange, said the response to piracy needs to change to effectively address some of the challenges faced by players in the industry.

“We note, applaud and appreciate the effort of the police to deal with piracy of physical recordings, but we need to start dealing effectively with piracy online. We need to go after the online pirates, shut them down and prosecute them. Our updated response must include a combination of measures, including website blocking,” Miss Grange emphasised.

The Copyright Amendment Act will allow for regulations to be passed, and for   Government oversight of Copyright Collective Management Societies representing the interest of creators and publishers of musical and literary works and producers of sound recordings.

Additionally, the Minister said implementation of the international treaties, to which Jamaica is a signatory, to uphold intellectual property rights must be accelerated.

“Importantly, the performers’ rights agreed under the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Internet Treaties must also now be passed into local law to enable Jamaican performers to secure the benefits their counterparts in other countries already enjoy,” she said.

Ms. Grange pointed out that the music industry plays a significant role in the country’s economy by promoting growth, creating jobs and investment.

“Over the years, through our music and wider cultural and entertainment sectors, some of the very poorest and most vulnerable women and men have been able to achieve and sustain poverty alleviation and wealth creation, with gender equity,” she said.

In the meantime, she informed that by the end of the year, record producers would have earned royalties from and through the Jamaica Music Society (JAMMS) in the amount of $131 million.

“So, that’s $131 million in royalties between 2009 and the end of 2017,  with half of the money being sent overseas to international rights holders and the balance distributed to local record producers/labels,” the Minister said.

She commended JAMMS for launching an automated monitoring system, which is expected to more accurately report on the airplay of recordings.

“I anticipate that this new monitoring system will address the challenges with calculating and collecting royalties in this regard; and that the system will enable the creation of more comprehensive airplay data in Jamaica,” she said.

The seminar was hosted by JAMMS, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary as the country’s national licensing body and performance-rights organisation.

Release: JIS

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CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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