A groundbreaking workshop to promote fair business practices, drive economic development, and support innovation across the region is being held here in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Workshop on Intellectual Property and Competition Policy is being hailed as historic – its focus being promoting the development of legislative frameworks, guidelines, and policies related to intellectual property across the region.
Minister of Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein notes Trinidad and Tobago is one of four CARICOM nations with both a legislative framework and a national competition commission.
He believes such collaborative efforts strengthen our collective ability to support entrepreneurship, drive innovation, and uphold the public interest.
“To this end, I am informed that the TTIPO has recently collaborated with the curriculum division of the Ministry of Education, the TTIPO, to integrate IP into students transitioning effectively from primary to secondary schools. This incorporation signifies progress in the development of an enhanced IP population. These activities further align with the government’s policy to modernise the curriculum to prepare students for the future.”
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) representative Sonia Cruickshank says the strong response from CARICOM member states made this workshop possible. She emphasised that competition-related issues in agriculture are especially critical for small developing nations.
“How as small countries, small developing countries, having the proper policies in place helps your farmers, helps your industry grow, and as the Caribbean has this trade network, how important it is to have a well functioning system.”
Executive Director of the CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC), Nievia Ramsundar, explained that Trinidad and Tobago’s legislation lacks extraterritorial reach, posing a challenge to the effectiveness of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.
She noted that one of the CCC’s key roles is to support stakeholders in strengthening trade policies and regulatory frameworks across the region.
“So let’s see competition as a tool to build trade and competitiveness, as a tool to assist governance and government-making and decision-making, and not as a policeman that will go against our chambers. We are here to support your chambers and to support trade.”
The workshop, hosted by WIPO in collaboration with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago through its Intellectual Property Office and Fair Trading Commission, is designed to enhance cross-border collaboration and support a regional future grounded in innovation and fairness.