NCF against use of Bollywood tunes

And since government is a major prize sponsor, it could be aiding and abetting in the piracy of songs. In a statement issued on the weekend, the foundation released a resolution it passed during a meeting on January 31 at the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) headquarters at the Divali Nagar site in Chaguanas, in which it urged artistes to publish and submit for clearance, in order to determine they are not infringing any melody or lyrics without permission of the owner.

Explaining what the resolution meant, NCF president Dr Vijay Ramlal said, “I think that 99 percent of the songs in in this year’s competition were copies or remixes of Bollywood songs. None of the competitors have permission from song owners to use said songs.

“Everyone knows that this has been going on for some time and it has been ignored, but this is the first time it is being pursued in this way.

People are asking why now, but there is no timing for these things.

More and more Bollywood artists have started to pursue the matter legally, and, it is in the artiste’s interest to protect themselves.” Ramlal said that in the absence of a written agreement between local artistes and foreign song owners, owners can take legal action against local artistes.

Action can range from courts injunctions to stop the use of a song, to local artistes having to pay money earned through use of a song, to foreign song owners.

Hypothetically, winners of Saturday’s competition would never see their prize money if Bollywood song owners decided to take action, the NCF president said.

Ramlal named one Bollywood artiste, Kumar Sanu, who is pursuing similar matters through the TT Copyright Collection Organisation.

Ramlal said Trinidad and Tobago is a member the World Intellectual Property Organisation and breach of copyright is a significant factor seriously considered by United States and Canadian investors, in deciding whether to invest in a country.

He added that the NCF recently met with Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly after passing the resolution, and she assured them, the matter would be looked into.