2007 Speeches

February 13, 2007

2007 Ambassador's Song and Verse Contest 

"Don't Get Caught in the Web: Protect Intellectual Property Rights"

Dr. Roy L. Austin
United States Ambassador
Jean Pierre Complex

SALUTANTS

Good morning!!

I am pleased to be here for the 5^th edition of the annual Ambassador’s Song and Verse Contest. As in the four previous contests, we have a theme that should be important to you, the young people of Trinidad and Tobago, and to people the world over.  We are talking and singing and rapping today about the need to protect intellectual property rights, to protect the expressed creations of our human minds. Today, we will hear about how protecting intellectual property rights is the lifeblood of development for any country.  We will hear how society suffers when these rights are ignored.  

I must first thank many individuals and groups that are working with the Embassy on this year’s contest:  The Minister of Education, Senator the Honorable Hazel Manning, and her staff make this Contest possible every year; and so do many educators throughout this country. The Minister of Legal Affairs, the Honorable Christine Kangaloo, and her staff are new, but very welcome partners on this event, and have provided valuable energy and knowledge to this year's program.  I am also happy that the Heroes Foundation has joined us again this year.  Many of my Embassy colleagues have come to value this event and work hard to make it successful. Then there is Nikki Crosby whose energetic and enthusiastic emceeing for all four years adds immensely to everybody’s enjoyment of the show [she will not arrive until 9:30 due to early commitments].  I also appreciate the efforts of our guest artistes and speakers, who help communicate our message and always add to the enjoyment experienced during the show.  Most of all, I thank the kids who participate as competitors or as spectators, and the parents who provide encouragement. All whom I have just named have made this the fantastic event that it has become.

The United States Embassy and the U.S. government take the issue of intellectual property rights very seriously.  The health and safety reasons are simple: counterfeit medicines, car parts and appliances can be hazardous to your health.  The economic reasons are more complicated: piracy is a drag on economic development and competitiveness in all countries, from Trinidad and Tobago to the U.S. to countries in Africa.  You may think piracy only affects Trinidadian musicians, but actually the economic impact of piracy on other parts of Trinidad's economy is much higher.  When counterfeiting occurs, the original creators not only lose control of their work, they also lose income to counterfeiters, income that could be used to support future creative endeavors, research and innovation.  Companies and individuals have less incentive to innovate when they are not sure if their ideas will be protected.  Therefore, counterfeiting is slowing the process of developing a more effective HIV/AIDS vaccine, a new malaria treatment, a fresh Carnival soca.    

When there is a lot of money to be made in counterfeiting and pirating other people's creations, these activities will attract the serious criminal elements in society, from local gangs to transnational crime organizations.  The money gained enables drug traffickers and gun runners. The drugs befuddle your minds and the guns kill and maim. And so I urge the youth of this country to steer clear of this web of dishonesty and destructive influences.  Encourage your peers and the rest of the populace to “Protect Intellectual Property" in order to protect all members of the society. 

Today, the American Embassy will partner with many Trinbagonians, including some of this country’s finest entertainers, to try and ensure that this great country’s people can live in a country that respects the law – and a country that fosters innovation in everything from music to medicines.

Based on the performances of the previous four years, I know that our young performers can more eloquently deliver the DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THE WEB: PROTECT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS message than I can.  Thank you very much for supporting this year’s Ambassador’s Song and Verse Contest.