FSC Announced Formation of IIP Focus Group

The British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission published press release on January 5, 2010 where announced that a focus group has been formed whose task would be to review and advise on revisions to Intellectual and Industrial Property Legislation in the territory. Since the IIP legislation of the BVI has been minimally reviewed and revised for very long time, the Commission considered it necessary to make recommendations for legislative revision according to the recent developments in this area.

The Focus Group consisting of public and private sector representatives who have obtained experience and knowledge within the industry, will work with the following acts: The Patents Act, Registration of United Kingdom Trade Marks, United Kingdom Designs (Protection) Act and the Merchandise Marks Act. It will review all currently acting IIP Law and treaties, consider the operation of modern IIP laws in other jurisdictions and prepare new variant of law for the consideration of the BVI FSC as well as a report on the work of the focus group.

The Focus Group includes the following persons: Mr. Gerard Farara, Mr. Cherno Jallow (Director, Policy, Research & Statistics FSC), Mr. Lewis Hunte, Mr. Jamal Smith, Ms. Dawn Smith, Mrs. Myrna Herbert (Director, Registry of Corporate Affairs, FSC), Ms. Fikile Dlamini, and Ms. Dian Fahie-de Castro (Legal Counsel, FSC).