Gov’t moves to crackdownon piracy and counterfeits

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) has stepped up efforts to sensitize the public on the Intellectual Property law that aims at fighting piracy, counterfeiting of rights and industrial designs such as trademarks. The law brings together substantive legislation on patents, copyright, trademarks, geographical indications (GIs), industrial designs, utility models and unfair competition. Kaliza Karuretwa, the Director General at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), in charge of the Investment Climate and Intellectual Property, said that the sensitization campaign through songs will help people understand the purpose of the law. “Our biggest challenge is awareness. In fact, if we have these songs we will get this message going to all levels without the need for workshops,” she said She said the sensitization will also aim at making artistes, business people and the academicians aware of the law so that they can benefit from their creations. “There is still a challenge of people who commercialise others people’s creations without the owners benefiting economically,” Kaliza said Gadi Ndayishimiye of New Generation Group that won the competition, said that the law will help artistes who have been losing their music to traders who copy their music and sell it to people without the artiste getting any profit. “Our target is to reach out to those people who use artistes’ creations without giving them any returns,” she said, during a ceremony to award Rwf 2.5m and 1m to the winner and runner-up of the competition. She said that the ministry is working closely with other institutions that are involved in this process such as RDB, Ministry of Education and the Police to ensure that all people are aware of the law and its importance. Ends