IT is heartening to note that the Government has realised K1,417,500 from the sale of 1,575,000 holograms from September 2013 to December 2014.
According to Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo, the Government is now making money from the sale of holograms obtained through the Zambia Music Copywright Protection Society (ZAMCOPS).
This is a plus in a country where musicians and other artistes have bemoaned the loss of their hard-earned income through piracy by some crooked people who reproduce and use their works without permission.
Previously all efforts, including use of a combined team of police officers, musicians and other stakeholders to confiscate pirated audio visual and digital versatile disks (DVD) and destroying them to stop piracy from flourishing with no success.
It was only in 2010 when the Government radically amended the Copyright and Performance Rights Act to provide for the implementation of the hologram, a security feature to be affixed on all audio-visual products sold in Zambia that there have now been some positive results.
Although piracy has continued, at least the introduction of holograms is bearing fruit, which should help the Government to invest the earnings into other ways of fighting the scourge.
Piracy remains a key challenge in Zambia and is a major reason for losses that the music and video production industry continues to incur on the market.
With the money obtained from hologram charges, there is need to re-launch an awareness campaign against piracy in collaboration with stakeholders such as the Zambia Police, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and learning institutions.
While hailing the positive outcome of getting money from holograms, we mourn with artistes who still complain that they do not benefit from their music products even after the introduction of holograms.
This is because even with hologram stickers a common feature, the market is still being flooded with pirated audio–visual CDs and music DVDs which are sold freely on the streets of Lusaka and other towns in the country.
Since the introduction of holograms, the Government has intensified the fight against piracy and counterfeit products in an aggressive manner never seen before.
Last year, then Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Joseph Katema, who was speaking during the opening of the ZAMCOPS 14th annual general meeting in Lusaka, said the implementation of the holograms was going well and his ministry had sold and affixed a total of 1,005,000 since the exercise began.
Dr Katema said the ongoing review of the Trademarks, Patents and Companies Acts, was all part of the Government’s commitment to the promotion and protection of intellectual property which contributed to job and wealth creation.
He said piracy had the potential to undermine the social and economic well-being of the country and urged artistes and dealers in audio-visual works to comply with the law by having all their products for sale on the market affixed with the hologram.
ZAMCOPS board chairperson, Edify Hamukale commended the Government for providing a conducive environment for local musical enterprise to contribute to the economic growth of Zambia.
Mr Hamukale said the ministry of Information had increased funding to the society from K15,000 per year to K30,000 and this would enable it to contribute further to the economy of the country.
Thus the hologram would enhance national revenue collection through taxation which would help business flourish, reduce poverty levels and create employment if well-supported by law-enforcement agencies.
Going by the revelation by the Ministry of Information that the Government had realised K1,417,500 from the sale of 1,575,000 holograms from September 2013 to December 2014, this is a plus in the fight against piracy in Zambia. OPINION