Earlier in the week, we showed you some of the major pieces of parliamentary business that were addressed at the most recent meeting of the House of Representatives.
But we have two other important parts of Monday's House Meeting to share with you.
The first is the bi-partisan support for the Briceno Government's Patents Amendment Bill. In this piece of draft legislation, the government wants to remove the seat of the Registrar of Intellectually property from the Registrar General. Instead, the new bill contemplates the appointment of a Registrar of Intellectual Property; to provide, in the interest of administrative and operational efficiency, for the offices of Patent Examiners, Patent Officers, Trade Marks Supervisors, and Trade Marks Examiners.
It's an important statement on Belize's intention to take copyright and intellectual property more seriously, and here's how Education Minister Francis Fonseca and Opposition Leader "Shyne" Barrow found rare common cause on this bill:
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
"Madam Speaker I move the second reading of a bill for an act to amend the patents act chapter 253 of the substantive laws of Belize, revised edition 2020 to remove the seat of registrar of intellectual properties from the solicitor general, to provide for the appointment of a registrar of intellectual property to provide an interest of administrative and operational efficiency for the offices of patent examiners, patent officers, trademarks supervisor and trademarks examiners and provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto."
Moses Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I raise to support this bill. As a creative, I know how important intellectual property is. When I was the CEO of the Belize Society of Composers and Authors, I fought very hard even getting into it with the previous administration to protect the rights of artists. So I am glad that this administration takes seriously the creative sector in this bill."
