OZZY?OZONE, the successful cartoon character which was created by Barbados’ renowned cartoonist Guy O’Neal, has gone global – and out of the hands of Barbados.
After striking a deal with the Government of Barbados, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) made the blue ozone molecule its official mascot in 2004 and released it in more than 60 countries.
But O’Neal has never been credited by the UNEP?for creating the character. And now at least 11 cartoonist from all over the world, some of whom redesigned Ozzy for the UNEP, are claiming that they are the original creators of the popular mascot and have been given the necessary credit by the UN agency?on its official website.
An upset O’Neal who created the character back in 1997 for the Ministry of the Environment’s programme to encourage protection of the ozone layer, told the SUNDAY?SUN?that for the past seven years he had been fighting to get Government to intervene on his behalf with the UNEP and put a stop to the unauthorised adoption of his design by these international artists.
Read the full story in today’s SUNDAY SUN.
