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The making of policy on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Technology within the Caribbean Community (Caricom), and the international agenda.

  The making of policy on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Technology within the Caribbean Community (Caricom), and the international agenda. By Abiola Inniss  Ph.D. LLM Abstract   Over the last three decades or more, the making and implementation of policy on intellectual property rights (IPRs), innovation, and technology within Caricom (Caribbean Community) has been fraught with issues. These include the lack of clear direction on the development of science, technology and innovation, and the attendant intellectual property policies and laws which would support their actualization at the level of the Caricom heads of Government and the highest levels of the Caricom administration. International groups and organizations have long attempted to raise the levels of awareness and usage of intellectual property rights in the region through investments in workshops, seminars, training sessions, and other mechanisms. This usually involves the private sector and public officials who most
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NOTES ON THE ARGYLE AGREEMENT BETWEEN GUYANA   AND  VENEZUELA. DECEMBER 13, 2023. By Dr. Abiola Inniss    No. 8 of the agreement makes Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines ,   Rooseveldt Skerrit , and Brazil’s Ignacio Da Silva the substantive interlocutors in the border dispute and relegates the United Nations Secretary General to observer. NO MATTER WHO HOLDS THE OFFICE,it is the effective comptroller of the most powerful and effective internaional diplomatic organization in the world. The United Nations was created after the failed League of Nations following World War 2 for the purpose of instititionalizing diplomatic relations among nations.     Can these individuals who have temporary political office, and in the case of Gonsalves no real international diplomatic influence hold Venezuela to account?     HOW IS THIS A WIN FOR GUYANA ?           This agreement weakens the diplomatic leverage that Guyana held one day ago and places Venezuela where it wants to be
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                                          Wither Caribbean Intellectual Property in 2023? BY Dr. Abiola Inniss Ph.D. LLM Executive Director CAAIPO                It seems endemic to Caribbean society that policy planning and execution in almost all spheres is based either on current needs arising from past partially resolved issues, or in pursuit of world trends such as technological developments which require regulatory coping strategies, especially in the areas of innovation and technology. It is not as common for governments in the region to create policies with the intention of stimulating technological innovation. Most of the time policy efforts are aimed at bolstering the efforts of small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) so that they might contribute to the GDP of the country through the creation of jobs and   perhaps with incentives where there are some elements of technological innovation present. These two approaches are quite different and not to be conflated on
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  On cultural appropriation and Intellectual Property Rights in the Caribbean; How long can we shout strangers away from the yard?   By Dr. Abiola Inniss Ph.D. LLM                In recent weeks, and not for the first time, there has been a tremendous clamour over the issue of cultural appropriation. This time it was about the use of the word J’ouvert as the label for a rum product to be produced by the well-known American actor Michael B Jordan. In 2019 there was the matter of Kanye West using National emblems of Jamaica on merchandise that he was marketing in promotion of his church services. In both situations public condemnation and in the Kanye West case intervention by the Government of Jamaica resulted in the reversal of the decisions to use the identified term J’ouvert and logos for personal gain by these artistes.               In some ways it is heartening that Caribbean voices are being raised in objection to the appropriation of cultural emblems, words, phrases, a
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