Organisers of the GN People’s Choice Awards Ghana, have dismissed media reports indicating that a High court injunction has been placed on the well-publicised March 21, 2015 awards ceremony.Two event companies Spyder Lee Entertainment and Evolution International have been involved in a legal tussle over the ownership of the name “People’s Choice Awards”.
An Accra fast track high court hearing the case on Thursday February 26th, 2015, placed an injunction prohibiting the parties from using the name until the court decides.
This has been widely disseminated on various media platforms as an indication the awards ceremony has been cancelled.
But according to a carefully worded statement released by Spyder Lee Entertainment, the facts of the High court order only “seeks to prohibit” both their organisation and Evolution International from using the name People’s Choice Awards which will not affect the event from being held.
Read the full Statement Below After The Cut.....
We have noticed with great concern the growing level of falsehood being peddled within the media about the GN Bank People’s Choice Awards. With this release, we seek to clarify and state the facts as such.
Spyder Lee Entertainment, organizers of the GN Bank People’s Choice Awards have been involved in a legal tussle with Evolution International over the ownership of the name People’s Choice Awards.
Spyder Lee Entertainment successfully and legally registered People’s Choice Awards as a business at the Registrar General’s Department and subsequently registered GN Bank People’s Choice Awards as a trademark.
In April 2014, Spyder Lee Entertainment in a two week media campaign massively publicized the introduction of the awards and went on to launch the awards in November 2014.
Surprisingly, weeks after the launch event, Spyder Lee Entertainment was notified of the registration of Peoples Choice Awards by Evolution International and a request to desist from the use of the name People’s Choice Awards which resulted in a law suit.
At the hearing at the Fast Track High Court on Thursday 26th February 2015, the presiding judge, Justice Anthony Yeboah, placed an injunction restraining both parties from using the name ‘People’s Choice Awards’ until the case is settled between both parties.
At the hearing at the Fast Track High Court on Thursday 26th February 2015, the presiding judge, Justice Anthony Yeboah, placed an injunction restraining both parties from using the name ‘People’s Choice Awards’ until the case is settled between both parties.
However, certain media houses in their publication have categorically stated that an injunction has been placed on the 21st March 2015 Awards Night scheduled for the Accra International Conference Centre which is untrue.
We assure all nominees and the general public of our commitment to work within the framework of the laws governing the Republic of Ghana to ensure that the awards night comes off as planned amidst all the pomp and pageantry as expected.
Contrary to media reportage, the show has not been cancelled and we are still preparing towards the 21st March 2015 show and in compliance with the court order.
The planning process for this awards didn’t start in 2014 and there is enough documentation available to prove that the process even started before Evolution International allegedly filed for a trademark in 2011. To organize an awards scheme of such magnitude is a long and expensive process and everyone involved can attest to this.
Spyder Lee Entertainment respects the rule of law and if our courts forbid us from using the words “People” and “Choice”, we will surely obey. The point of this awards scheme is to give the general public the opportunity to determine the practitioners within the Arts and Entertainment Industry they think should be awarded and celebrated.
The planning process for this awards didn’t start in 2014 and there is enough documentation available to prove that the process even started before Evolution International allegedly filed for a trademark in 2011. To organize an awards scheme of such magnitude is a long and expensive process and everyone involved can attest to this.
Spyder Lee Entertainment respects the rule of law and if our courts forbid us from using the words “People” and “Choice”, we will surely obey. The point of this awards scheme is to give the general public the opportunity to determine the practitioners within the Arts and Entertainment Industry they think should be awarded and celebrated.
Whether we say it is their “choice”, or their “selection” or their “will” does not change the spirit of the awards.
Whether we call our citizens the “People”, or the “Fans” or anything else does not affect our commitment to involving them in deciding who wins what at the awards night. It is our hope that Evolution International will respect that when we announce the new name of our event.
Our doors are always open and we will appreciate any media house that contacts us for clarity when in doubt before going ahead to misrepresent the facts in the spirit of professional journalistic practice.
Thank you.
Signed
Edwin Kweku Edinkrah
CEO, Spyder Lee Entertainment
Records at the Registrar General’s Department in Accra authenticates Evolution International first registered the awards scheme as a trademark in 2011 and Spyder Lee Entertainment also registered the same name as a business in 2012.
Whether we call our citizens the “People”, or the “Fans” or anything else does not affect our commitment to involving them in deciding who wins what at the awards night. It is our hope that Evolution International will respect that when we announce the new name of our event.
Our doors are always open and we will appreciate any media house that contacts us for clarity when in doubt before going ahead to misrepresent the facts in the spirit of professional journalistic practice.
Thank you.
Signed
Edwin Kweku Edinkrah
CEO, Spyder Lee Entertainment
Records at the Registrar General’s Department in Accra authenticates Evolution International first registered the awards scheme as a trademark in 2011 and Spyder Lee Entertainment also registered the same name as a business in 2012.
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