Imported imitations put local artisans under siege

WESTERN BUREAU:

Chairman of the National Craft Council, Delano Seiveright, is warning that imported products imitating Jamaican cultural symbols and designs are putting local artisans at an unfair disadvantage and siphoning tourism dollars away from Jamaican businesses.

Seiveright said the country must become more serious about protecting authentic Jamaican craft, arguing that visitors should be able to trust that products marketed as Jamaican are actually made by Jamaican hands.

“Our artisans should not have to compete unfairly against imported products that imitate Jamaican culture, symbols and designs that are then sold to visitors as Jamaican,” Seiveright said.

“When a visitor buys Jamaican, they want Jamaican craft. We want more of that money staying in the Jamaican economy. We want to be supporting Jamaican hands, we want to be supporting Jamaican families.”

Seiveright, who is also the state minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, was speaking yesterday at the contract-signing for the rehabilitation of the Old Fort Craft Market in Montego Bay, St James, where he said the National Craft Council has been engaging directly with vendors, artisans and other stakeholders about the problems confronting the sector.

Among the concerns raised by stakeholders, he said, are ageing infrastructure, low customer traffic, limited access to hotels and tourism spaces, imported products imitating Jamaican craft, the need for more training and financing opportunities, intellectual property protection and marketing.

“And these are not abstract policy issues, really. These issues determine whether somebody goes home at the end of the day with enough money to support their families, so it’s very important to us,” he said.

PROBLEM OF IMITATION PRODUCTS

Seiveright said the issue of imported imitation products must therefore be treated as an economic concern rather than simply a matter of culture or aesthetics.

He argued that Jamaica risks losing the economic benefits of tourism when visitors spend money on products that mimic the country’s cultural identity but are not produced locally.

The National Craft Council, he said, is seeking to address the problem through greater protection for Jamaican craft, improved access to tourism markets and the finalisation of a revised national craft policy.

However, Seiveright acknowledged that the challenges facing the sector extend beyond the remit of the Craft Council.

“Craft touches industry and commerce. It touches tourism, culture, local government, training and development agencies, intellectual property, private sector, and much more,” he said.

“So we need a joined-up government approach, working closely with the private sector and, importantly, with the craft stakeholders themselves to find solutions to get the craft industry to another level.”

He said the Government’s efforts must ultimately translate into better earning opportunities for micro and small entrepreneurs who depend on craft sales to support their households.

“The rehabilitation of Old Fort is important because it represents a type of practical improvement, our vendors have been asking for,” Seiveright said.

He described the upgraded facility as part of the wider push to improve conditions for vendors while enhancing the experience of visitors to Jamaica.

“Better conditions, better opportunities, better visitor experiences, and ultimately better earning potential for our micro and small entrepreneurs,” he said.

Seiveright said the National Craft Council would continue to press for changes across the sector, moving from consultations with stakeholders to implementation.

“So, market by market, issue by issue, we will keep pushing for a stronger, more modern, and sustainable Jamaican craft centre,” he said.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com