BY JEFFREY TAFOLEHE
FOR the last 37 years since gaining Independence, Solomon Islands people have been enjoying a rich cultural identity and traditions.
Yet this richness has been exposed to piracy where traditional knowledge can be freely taken and used for commercial benefits by any individual including foreigners.
With the recent workshop organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to consult with stakeholders on a traditional knowledge and cultural expression bill, Solomon Women’s Newspaper takes on an exclusive interview with a local Fashion business owner, Mrs. Lavalyn Grossmith finds out her views around the proposed bill.
Solomon Women Newspaper (SWN): What can you tell us about this workshop on the Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Expression Bill?
Lavalyn Grossmith (LG): I find it very useful and good for the country. It will benefit the country and reach as far as the rural people at the village level.
SWN: How helpful is the bill in protecting traditional knowledge and cultural expressions?
LG: With the bill that is being debated to go to the parliament to become law, I feel as a stakeholder we will be protected in terms of the resources we own.
We are protected in our traditional knowledge, herbal medicines and designs, resources, and a lot of things locally owned will be protected at last since gaining Independence.
For the last 37 years, I feel our traditional knowledge is like a public property anyone can use freely.
Even foreigners use them and make a lot of money out of them. Sometimes they sell the products back to us.
This only increases my struggle in life. I see myself being ripped off of my traditional knowledge. With this bill, I feel my people and my nation will be protected.
The law can look after us and even arguments we have the law is there to settle disputes.
SWN: Are you satisfied with the training workshop?
LG: Yes, I’m really satisfied with the bill and looking forward to it being passed in parliament and enforced because today in the country, we have a lot of talented people who are very creative with new designs.
If the bill is delayed and we have new designs being created, other people will continue to steal our creativity and make more money out of it.
I understand it’s still a long process but I want it to be passed into law as soon as possible without delay.
It should be passed in the next parliament and not put off after two years to look into. So in that way we are all protected.
SWN: What topics are you interested in for this workshop?
LG: I’m interested in three topics, traditional knowledge, Intellectual property rights and the copyright to be protected in the country.
This is where locals can benefit from the resources we owned or produce. It’s not just for individual benefits but for community benefits.
SWN: What are some of the improvement that needs to be made in the bill?
LG: Government needs to do a lot of awareness among the people. They need to go down through the provinces, and churches to let the people in the village know, this is what happened, what we will face, what we will enjoy, the negative side, and so forth.
This is what is missing and if this is solved, our people’s lives will be enjoyable and also village people and those living in town will also have the same understanding.
SWN: What recommendation do you have in terms of awareness to the village people?
LG: If Government were to carry out any awareness at the village level, I would advise having a local translator translate for the villagers.
It is vitally important that locals must really understand what’s been communicated.
Most villagers are slow in their understanding and can sometimes make point-less comments. Also, it is important to have a well-informed local translator to communicate the right understanding to the people.
This is where communication and networking will work out effectively. There we will have fewer gaps in terms of understanding the bill and how it will benefit them.
This bill will close the loopholes some people can take advantage of to break the law.
