On this very important occasion of World Intellectual Property Day, celebrating the talent of young people under the theme, “IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future”, the Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property (ROCIP) of the Attorney General’s Chambers, seeks to raise awareness of the value of intellectual property rights in today’s economy and to recognize the creativity and innovation among our island’s youth.
Young people today continue to demonstrate their fresh ideas, energy, curiosity and confidence in transforming their dreams into reality. They are stepping up to innovation challenges to drive change into a more sustainable future.
It would be remiss of me to speak about youth creativity without highlighting our very own young Saint Lucian creators, inventors and entrepreneurs. Our island’s youth are making their marks in the creative industries notably in music, performing and visual arts and literary works. The areas of scientific inventions, agriculture and sport are equally popular. Their creative minds are actively pursuing entrepreneurship and exploring new business models that incorporate intellectual property tools in various aspects of commerce.
World IP Day 2022 will afford young people the opportunity to discover how IP rights can support their goals and help transform their ideas into reality. They will learn how the IP rights system – trademarks, design rights, copyright, patents, plant variety rights, geographical indications, trade secrets etc. – can assist with creating jobs and generating income, thus making a positive impact on the wider world. The Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property stands ready to work with other stakeholder government ministries and agencies, as well as ECCO, to explore the means of securing the relevant resources made available by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and other international IP offices.
I take this opportunity on behalf of the Registry to wish all Saint Lucians a Happy World Intellectual Property Day and to extend best wishes, particularly to our young creators, innovators and entrepreneurs, or those aspiring to get there, to press on with their IP goals and ambitions to build a better future.