Keeping Pirates at bay!

Anti-Piracy Hotline: 624 COTT

Recently COTT member and executive producer Ella Andall took the fight against music pirates to the streets of Port of Spain. Street piracy continues to be a great threat and is the most visible form of piracy in Trinidad and Tobago at the moment. This does not rule out internet piracy although, street piracy remains the biggest challenge!

The goal to eradicate piracy is not a singular effort and needs massive support from COTT members in educating friends and fans that "if you support pirates, we cannot live!" Members can no longer adopt a passive approach to piracy as it affects everyone. If this were not the case then perhaps the following comment may not have had to be made by Ella Andall herself "I was very disappointed with the physical and visual support from the artistes in the motorcade. I personally went around to numerous tents to invite people but many of them did not turn up".

COTT's income from Recording Rights is minimal. It is therefore necessary for all members to support COTT's recent anti-piracy campaign and turn around the trend towards decreasing returns. Contrary to popular opinion, COTT is NOT an enforcement agency and therefore does not have the power to arrest perpetrators or seize equipment. COTT can only facilitate the process and assist the police.

The Copyright Act of 1997 states that anyone found guilty of infringement of the law is liable to a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment and a fine of $100,000.00 Pirates will begin to take this seriously when we all take responsibility for what this means to each of us as members of COTT, if our income earning possibilities are reduced.

Tell everyone to: