KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Persons wishing to apply for Intellectual Property (IP) registration will benefit from expedited processing of documents at an open house to be held at the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) in New Kingston, tomorrow.

The first 100 applicants will qualify for this “hot desk” service during the event, which is slated to run from 10:00am to 3:30pm.

This was disclosed by Executive Director of JIPO, Lilyclaire Bellamy, during a Copyright Seminar at JIPO today.

“Jamaica has pioneered in the English-speaking (Caribbean) the voluntary deposit of copyright works. So, if you have any copyright works and you want somewhere safe to keep them, we are inviting you to come and deposit your work with us. Those who may have a trademark to register or a design or a patent – the first 100 applications we receive tomorrow, you will get expedited service,” she said.

IP refers to the legal rights granted to owners and inventors of work which results from intellectual activity in the scientific, industrial, literary, artistic, musical, and dramatic field.

The open house, which will also include an exhibition, will provide an opportunity for persons to talk to inventors about their creations as well as facilitate questions and discussions about the opportunities and challenges regarding IP.

The events are being held as part of activities to mark Intellectual Property Week from Sunday (April 23) to Friday (April 28).

The week of activities, being celebrated under the theme ‘Innovation – Improving Lives’, will focus on the impact of innovation on the quality of people’s lives, and how to protect these inventions.

Activities will continue on Wednesday (April 26), which is recognised internationally as Intellectual Property Rights Day, with a ceremony to honour JIPO staff.

On Thursday (April 27), JIPO will partner with the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Customs Agency and the United States Embassy to stage a session on how to identify counterfeit goods and the implications if such items are found in one’s possession.

The week’s activities will culminate on Friday (April 28) with JIPO’s public outreach event at the Denbigh Showground in Clarendon. The agency will join with the Jamaica 4-H Clubs to highlight the linkages and ways that IP can enhance innovation in agriculture to improve lives.

Today’s copyright seminar, dubbed ‘The Business of Music’, was staged by JIPO in collaboration with the Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers (JACAP); and Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA).

JIPO is an agency of the Ministry of Industry Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, which registers trademarks, and patents of creative work.