JAMAICA is adjust its copyright policies to “better police and prosecute infringements of its intellectual property around the world”, Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister Karl Samuda has disclosed.

The industry minister, who was making the opening presentation to the 2010/11 Sectoral Debates in Gordon House in Kingston on Tuesday, said the success of the country’s athletes on the world stage have also increased the challenges to protect niche products, intellectual property rights and ‘brand Jamaica”.

Displaying to the Parliament several products which he said were just a few examples of the ‘wanton piracy’ now taking place with respect to Brand Jamaican commodities world wide, Samuda said countries and companies across the globe have continued to gain at the expense of Jamaica’s name and reputation.

“We have been getting all our producers organised beginning with coffee, jerk and rum. In legal terms, the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office is establishing Codes of Practise, which clearly set out specific rules and standards by which our products can be registered locally and internationally,” Samuda said.

Among the items he paraded were sauces made in Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica, but bearing the Jamaican brand and even national emblems in instances.