The Eastern Caribbean Collective Organization for Music Rights (ECCO) Inc is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Grace Richardson as ECCO Agent in St Kitts & Nevis with immediate effect.

As ECCO Agent, Richardson will handle the licensing of public use of music in St Kitts and Nevis; collection of music use data; and will also serve as the key point of contact for music users, advising them on effective music use.

Mr Steve Etienne, General Manager of ECCO says this appointment is important to the advancement of the music industry and protection of music rights in St Kitts. According to Etienne, ECCO aims to achieve a greater level of licensing of events, entities and venues were the works of local songwriters are more likely to be performed, thereby generating a higher level of returns for ECCO Members in St Kitts & Nevis.

“We believe our efforts can now be accelerated with someone on the ground who is within easy reach of music users,” Etienne adds. “It is essential for music users and the creative community to have a local face to connect and do business with. This is why were are pleased to have Ms Grace Richardson as ECCO Agent in St Kitts & Nevis.”

A music professional and Co-Owner/Manager of St Kitts-based Music Publishing Company ROOCOO, Richardson says she is excited at the opportunity to positively contribute towards the advancement of the music industry in St Kitts & Nevis.

“At this point in time it is very important that the visibility of ECCO be increased in St Kitts & Nevis,” Richardson offers. “Music creators and users on island need to be educated about their rights and responsibilities so the Federation can sustain a viable music business environment. Much of the business taking place at present is outside of what is the legal standard worldwide and change is needed urgently to rectify this situation.”

Richardson advises that in undertaking her new role, she is determined to achieve three main objectives:

• Increase the visibility of ECCO though public education and engagement with the media.
• Increase the licensing of public use of music, in accordance with music copyright law.
• Assist with growing ECCO membership.

ECCO welcomes Ms Richardson to its music rights team base, and looks forward to working her, as the organization seeks to realize its mandate to administer and protect music rights within the Eastern Caribbean.

A society of writers & publishers of music, ECCO is a Collective Management Organization (CMO) responsible for the administration of performance rights and the licensing of public use of music. Through reciprocal agreements with CMOs throughout the world, ECCO represents and can license virtually the whole worldwide repertoire of copyright music for public performance, broadcast, cable transmission, online and mobile use.