Had I known - Inventor of Veronica Buckets regrets not patenting the product

The inventor of the Veronica Bucket, Veronica Bekoe, has expressed her regrets for not ensuring that the invention was patented in her name when she could have.

She said that it is unfortunate that when it was necessary, she gave up the fight to get the buckets patented.

She added that a friend of hers who lived outside the country had advised her to patent the buckets nearly 15 years after she invented it but she felt discouraged after she noticed how frustrating the processes involved in getting the patent done was like.

The retired biological scientist said that all of that coupled with her work on the side, she forgot to follow up after some attempts, admitting it is something she now regrets.

“I did not put any commercial value on it, it was to solve a problem in the laboratory which I was able to achieve, and that was enough for me. It was on the quite, known only within the ministry of health,” she said during the Personality Profile on Joy FM on Thursday, March 18, 2021.

She explained further that, “I don’t know whether the patent process was structured as it is now. It was frustrating for me. I didn’t have time to be going in and out of that office because I had work to do so I gave up, forgot about it.”

The Veronica Buckets became a trend again from last year on the advent of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country when it was required that all public places have installed running water for people to use, and even for domestic use.

Veronica Bekoe said that even though she has recently made attempts at taking up the issue of patenting the Veronica Bucket, she was told that the timing was wrong as it is too late for her to do so.

“I have tried several times to get some lawyers on board and everybody kept telling me that it wasn’t possible at this time, I even went to the Registrar General myself and I was told that it was late. It is unfortunate but it has happened,” she said.

But she maintains that while her attempts at getting her product patented have failed, she is nonetheless proud of how well people have welcomed her invention and the eventual impact it has had on people.

She added that to know too that through her invention, jobs have been created for people, through which they are able to make income to take care of their families, it gives her joy.

“I believe in destiny, whatever is mine, I know will eventually come. I may be upset about how things have turned and people have made millions out of my inventions but I am not bitter,” a hurt Veronica Bekoe said.

In the meantime, she is hopeful that the government and the general public will purchase some of the buckets that she is producing herself.

“Now I produce hands free ones (veronica buckets). They work with foot pedals.”