Owner of media agency Lime TT, Justin Gosein, yesterday instructed his lawyers to send a legal letter to Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar, requesting clarity on the issue of copyright for works of mas in T&T.The letter was also sent to the T&T Copyright Organisation (TTCO), the National Carnival Bandleaders Association (NCBA) and the National Carnival Development Foundation (NCDF).Gosein was one of a group of photographers who last week were denied by the NCBA the rights to publish mas photos online.
The photographers were told that one agency had already paid for exclusive rights to publish content from NCBA events on social media.That information was denied by NCBA president David Lopez during multiple interviews with the T&T Guardian.Yesterday, Lopez also refused to comment on or state what publishing rights the NCBA held.Gosein said: "The letter requests evidence that TTCO represents who they say they represent and this is something we need in writing.
"It seems to us that the TTCO are representing rights for all these organisations and they don't have agreements for everyone."They may not be authorised by the copyright holders to collect royalty fees but they are doing it anyway and we need some clarity on this."Chairman of the National Carnival Commission (NCC) Allison Demas also could not shed light on the current situation regarding photographers and the NCC but said the nation was not clear on the laws regarding copyright.
In an interview yesterday, Demas, an attorney, said the NCC did not hold any rights.Demas said clarification on the issue needed to come from the NCBA.She said, however, that immediately following Carnival, a two-day workshop would be held on copyright and accreditation.She explained that NCBA, PanTrinbago and TUCO had different arrangements regarding copyright.She added: "PanTrinbago and TUCO as part of rules and regulations get calypsonians and steelbands to transfer rights to the respective groups.
"The NCBA does the same in its terms and conditions. They took a licence of the rights of their members but it is a non-exclusive licence which means that the rights-holder can license to other people as well."Copyright is something that can be very complicated to explain and understand. We were trying since last May to work with the Intellectual Property Office to conduct workshops but there were scheduling issues so it never happened."She added that it was now necessary to hold workshops as soon as possible.
"Immediately after Carnival it should be done. Publishing the regulations for the rights and accreditation process is not enough as people are still confused about the nature of copyright."Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Lincoln Douglas chose not to comment on the issue and directed all further questions to the NCC.