PNCR-APNU promises copyright legislation to allow youth artistes royalties

Last Updated on Friday, 20 June 2025, 21:50 by Writer

Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform and its umbrella A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton on Friday said if his coalition is elected to office in the September 1, 2025 general and regional elections, modern copyright legislation would be enacted to allow youths to earn royalties from their artistic works.

“Our innovative and talented youths will benefit from the APNU government introduction of intellectual property laws, inclusive of copyright laws to facilitate the monetization of their skills,” he told a news conference.

He said the incumbent People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration had failed in its promise to do so. Attorney General Anil Nandlall had earlier this year said Guyana was awaiting Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-model copyright legislation before replacing the 1956 British Copyright Act that Guyana had inherited from Britain on attaining independence in 1966.

Mr Norton said if the PNCR-APNU is elected to office, the new administration would engage major global social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and TikTok to ensure that Guyanese creators here could earn revenue from their productions. “Once we have the laws, we could then engage them,” he said.

In terms of the payment of royalties to local musicians, he said his administration would, among other things, “insist” that radio stations play a certain percentage of locally produced content.

More than two decades ago, the state-owned radio had required producers to submit music sheets so that royalties could have been paid to local and foreign artistes through the Performing Rights Society (PRS).

The PNCR-APNU Leader also announced that his party’s youth-centered promises include a national Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) and a National Youth Leadership Training Programme to train and empower youths.

That party also said it would develop a medical insurance scheme for all national athletes regardless of their sport. “We intend to bring an end to the existing situation where through injury many of our athletes are forced out of athletics,” he said. The youths of Guyana are guaranteed that under the YES programme they will have contracts, and the accompanying training and financial assistance to become competent contractors, that opposition political organisation said.

Also on the cards is a National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) that young people can access for grants and low interest loans, after they are trained in financial literacy and small business development.

To ensure that there is additional income to young people, he said the APNU would modernize the stock exchange to facilitate young people’s involvement and benefits. “We will educate our youth on the stock exchange, its structure, functions, benefits, and how the youth can invest in the stock exchange to improve the quality of their lives,” he said.

PNCR-APNU also said youths would benefit from the $400,000 tax threshold that it would implement for a liveable income, monthly cash transfers and involvement in a sustainable modern agricultural programme.

The APNU says it will promote youth in mining through the allocation of special mining permits to young people, and fast-track the permission for them to operate.

Students in tertiary education and technical and vocational training will receive a $50,000 monthly stipend to facilitate the successful completion of their training programme.

In addition to its Rent-to-Own Housing Programme, APNU says young people will benefit from rent subsidies, like all other Guyanese, with the sole aim of reducing poverty and giving all Guyanese a high quality of life.

To facilitate increased attendance at school there will be the establishment of a National Schools Transportation Network and two hot meals as part of the plan.