KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaicans are being encouraged to turn their creative ideas into innovations that can generate economic activity and contribute to development.

“We are a group of smart creative people [but] if you are not translating your creations into a product or service that someone is paying for, then it doesn’t count as innovation,” said Executive Director of the Scientific Research Council (SRC), Dr Charah Watson.

“While it is good that we continue to be creative, we want to reach to a point of innovation, which is a critical tool for our national development,” she stressed.

Watson in a release noted that the SRC is a critical resource centre in the generation of intellectual property (IP) and products that can lead to economic activities.

She was speaking at the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) essay competition awards ceremony held recently at the JIPO office in Kingston.

Prizes were presented to the top-three entrants at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, who were chosen from a pool of 42 applicants across 11 parishes.

The winners in each category received a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, a trophy, and a Certificate of Participation from JIPO. The first and second runners-up in each category were awarded trophies and certificates.

At the primary level, student at the Bright Beginnings Educational Centre in St Catherine, Bryce Wilson, copped first place, with Akahlia Mckenzie of Bath Primary and Junior High in St Thomas placing second, and Jhaheem Reid of Osbourne Store Primary in Clarendon, third.

Khyle Harrinsing of Glenmuir High School in Clarendon was the winner in the secondary category, with St. Ann-based York Castle High School students, Vedang Kevlani and Tejaune Shelly placing second and third, respectively.

The winner in the tertiary category was University of the West (UWI) student, Carol Madu, while Serena Williams of the College of Agricultural Science and Education (CASE) in Portland was second, and Britney Brown of UWI, third.

The competition, which was launched on World Intellectual Property (IP) Day 2021, invited students to write well-researched essays on the topic ‘Why are intellectual property rights important to small and medium-sized enterprises?’.

Executive Director of JIPO, Lilyclaire Bellamy, told JIS News: “We initiated the essay competition because we thought that it was important for persons to not only hear about IP but to use the opportunity to delve more deeply into what it entails and to write about it.”

Winner in the tertiary category, Carol Madu, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, expressed gratitude to JIPO for hosting the competition.

She noted that “prior to the competition, I did not know much about IP rights. It was after participating in the competition that I gained knowledge on what it entails, and I am very grateful for this opportunity”.