ORCID
0000-0001-5500-0305
Abstract
Over the last three decades, the making and implementation of policy on intellectual property rights (IPR), innovation, and technology within Caricom (Caribbean community) has been fraught with issues. These include the lack of clear direction on the development of science, technology, and innovation, as well as the attendant IPR policies and laws that would support their actualization at the level of the Caricom heads of government and the highest levels of administration. International groups and organizations have long attempted to raise the levels of awareness and use of IPRs in the region through investments in workshops, seminars, training sessions, and other mechanisms. This usually involves the private sector and public officials who most often have little impact at the level of policymaking. The challenge is for Caricom to plot a course that incorporates the development of innovation, technology, and IPRs that will propel the region to a greater scale of global competitiveness. Even more important, the creation of such technologies can assist the region in overcoming significant challenges, such as food security and climate change. This essay discusses aspects of policy and procedure within Caricom and the involvement of the international community. It highlights the issues and some possible solutions to them.
