Protecting creators vital: Expert

HAVING a good copyright system to protect the country’s “creative core” in the different creative industries is vital for national development, says an expert.
The director of the Japan Council of Performers Rights and Performing Arts Organisation Samuel Masuyama said this yesterday during the 2019 National Copyright and Related Rights seminar in Poirt Moresby.
“Protecting our creators is the most important thing to do,” he said.
“We need to recognise the economic fundamental of copyright because it plays an important multi-effective role in the national economy.”
Masuyama said with appropriate copyright laws, people in different creative industries can expand and create jobs, hence the creative industries can contribute to the economy.
He said general world average estimates for contribution to Gross Domestic Product for countries is around 5.45 percent.
“Some countries like the United States have even higher figures.”
He said the government had a very important role to play in enforcing copyright laws.
“It can organise and carry out the enforcement which is paramount for the success of copy right for creators obtain a fare division of revenue from their creation.”
World Intellectual Property Office legal officer Paulo Lenity said policy makers should provide incentives.
“There are a few areas where improvement can be made,” Lenity said.
“One of those is treaty membership to provide legal instrument nationals to get paid within the global markets.”