BIP SXM attends IPCA at INTA 2019

 

The Bureau for Intellectual Property (BIP SXM), Director, Mrs. Vincentia Rosen-Sandiford attended the Intellectual Property Caribbean Association (IPCA) half yearly meeting, which was held in Boston. This meeting is hosted yearly by IPCA during INTA’s annual meeting and allows members to debate IP opportunities and challenges in the Caribbean and Latin America. It is attended by both Attorneys as well as Intellectual Property Offices in the region.

This year’s panel discussion topic covered “Anti-counterfeiting in the Caribbean” and presentations on the topic of copyrights in the Caribbean were provided by speakers Fiona Hinds-Lafond, Elleson Fraenk & Kimberley Roheman.

BIP SXM has been a member of IPCA since 2017, which currently has 35 members and counting. The association has created four committees that are tasked with topics such as education and training, legislation and registry liaison, enforcement and anti-counterfeiting, and also marketing.

The Dolphin Team joined by BIP SXM in 2018 is tasked with the education and training of current and future practitioners in the region. This committee, among other things, works on creating a model for training and education focused on young people wishing to have a career in the IP sector. Furthermore, to educate the public about IP and its importance to business and the overall wellbeing of humankind, especially where it relates to counterfeit goods. The committees are volunteer based. Quarterly meetings are held with committee members to discuss status updates and future projects.

IPCA’s Annual General Meeting is scheduled to take place in November 2019 in Trinidad & Tobago. More information and membership forms are available on www.ipca.website.