Intellectual Property Act: MP suggests patent for but will we have gas to make it?

When the Parliamentary debate on amendments to the Intellectual Property Act-2003 was underway on Tuesday, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna ( SLPP) Parliamentarian Charitha Herath came up with a rare example to make his point clearer.

The former academic stressed that Sri Lanka should file a patent for the local delicacy kottu, similar to what Italy holds for pizza or the United States for the hamburger.

The timing of the comparison cannot be more relevant as of now, since the country's people are struggling to put staple food on the table amid skyrocketing inflation and a shortage of supplies. Many poverty stricken people could afford to consume only two meals a day.

Hearing the learned academic's example, one journalist in the reporters’ gallery in Parliament asked his colleague what would happen if an Easterner went ahead and registered the patent for the delicacy since it originated in Batticaloa. Another butted in to wise-crack saying "we will end up with only the patent and no as there is no gas to cook it."