Bridgetown - The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) in Barbados says it plans to work with musicians and entertainers to find solutions for stemming piracy of their material.
By Taneisha DavidsonThis comes against the background that a number of artistes withheld their participation for the Pic-O-De Crop Monarch competitions because they were dissatisfied with the efforts of the government to protect their intellectual property.
As a result, the competition got off to a late start, which affected public support for the start of the annual Crop Over festivities.
"They were not happy with the government's failure to provide certain guarantees and tougher legislation to stomp out piracy," Ian Estwick, chief executive officer at the NCF, said, adding that the issue of piracy has been ongoing since February of this year. "They told the government that they would not issue new music until the government put corrective measures in place."
Speaking to journalists at a press conference on Saturday in Barbados, Estwick said discussions will begin after the Crop Over festival has ended.
"As soon as Crop Over is finished, the task force will get down to work and examine the issues, and see what are the recommendations to reduce piracy, in order to ensure that the intellectual property of artistes is protected," he said.
Currently, piracy is a booming multi-billion industry in the Caribbean, affecting most countries including Barbados and Jamaica.
Edwin Yerwood, who was recently crowned Party Monarch and is also a member of the Concerned Musicians and Entertainers group formed to combat piracy, maintains that in Barbados it costs nearly BDS$60,000 to produce an album, and piracy prevents the entertainer from making a good profit.
"We know that it is difficult to stop piracy. We just ask that
some sought of protection be put in place so that when these people are caught that know that it is a serious issue," he said. "We are satisfied enough is being done to save Crop Over."
Terencia "TC" Cowan, another, member of the group and second place winner of the Pic-O-De-Crop competitions, said sensitising the public about piracy is key.
"Information has to be disseminated to the public so that they can become more aware of piracy," she said. "We are hoping not to have this (impasse) happen again."
