SRC and JIPO To Establish Technology Information Centre

Plans are progressing for the establishment of a Technology Information Centre to give the public access to a database of patents that have already been granted.

The centre will be created by the Scientific Research Council (SRC), in partnership with the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO).

Executive Director of the SRC, Dr. Charah Watson, told JIS News that the facility is being established to further assist local inventors with safeguarding their inventions.

“If they have an idea, they will be able to search the database to see if the invention is already there. If it is not, that would be excellent, because they would have confirmed that the idea is new and they can explore it,” Dr. Watson explained.

A patent gives an individual the exclusive right to manufacture, use or sell an invention for a specific period. Local patents offer protection in Jamaica for 14 years, after which it may be extended for another seven years by the Governor General.

Only new and useful processes, machines, manufacture or composition of matters or any new and useful improvement of an existing invention can be patented. Also, the inventions must be able to be reproduced in many quantities and used by the public.

While the centre is intended to begin operations soon, the Executive Director said the public can continue to use the SRC’s science library to gather similar information in the meantime.

“If you have a desire to make a difference and find solutions to some of our problems, the SRC is an excellent touch point. We can guide you in getting the information that you need to make that difference,” Dr. Watson said.