The Eastern Caribbean Copyright Organisation (ECCO) has issued its second royalty disbursement for 2025, allocating $1.3 million collected during the 2024 licensing period.
Saint Lucian creators are set to receive the largest portion of the payout, reflecting the island’s strong performance in live entertainment and cultural events.
ECCO CEO Martin James explained that the distribution mirrors where the bulk of royalties were generated.
He said, “The simple fact is that the majority of the money collected was from live performances and festivals, carnivals, the Jazz Festival, and those events, and you find that a lot of data and money collected was from Saint Lucia predominantly in that regard.”
James noted that the payout is determined by both the volume of collections and the accuracy of reporting by creators.
“The payout is based on the collections for the year and the data received over the period that we are paying,” he said. He added that artists who take their craft and documentation seriously tend to benefit the most. “You find persons putting a lot of the work, a lot of the data, a lot of work into what they are doing and understand the business. You find they might probably be some of the bigger earners.”
He urged creators across all sectors to remain active and consistent in reporting their performances.
“They must ensure that they remain relevant, create good content and as well as making sure that the data every time you perform, you provide ECCO with that information to allow for us to administer your rights every time you perform,” he said.
The disbursement covers royalties across music, literature, visual arts, and digital content, marking another significant step in ECCO’s efforts to strengthen creative rights and reward the region’s talent.