This is how the Pan Players are treated in 2017 in the Mecca, and they had to wait 6 months to collect it. Shame on all who stood by and watch this happen. Shame on all those who feel it's alright to disrespect Pan Players.Shame on the Pan Trinbago for running the organization to the ground. When will it end?
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Cecil: I beg you to share your sources with me or to bring your ON THE GROUND information and put it on the forum and yuh keeping all your LOWDOWN for your other websites and have big men starving for THE REAL SCOOP.
Ting must be REAL HARD in Trinidad boy!!! Dem fellahs break down the door to snatch dey $500 and dey never been happier and we up here complaining.
What happen to Earl Richards and Bede -- I think they were in the path of HARVEY. Boy, ah almost move to Miami early this year and ah would have run right into IRMA. Ah still want to come to CANADA: No earthquakes, No hurricanes, No Muslim Terrorists and No illegal Mexicans -- that must be PARADISE!!!
Cecil: I don't like how yuh does treat the forum. You have all kind of INSIDE SOURCES down in THE MECCA and you don't share the INSIDE SCOOP with nobody. Since August 7th you done know that the PAN MEN were getting $500 and all you did was put a cryptic post with no details.
Ah sure you done know that there is NOT going to be a FORENSIC AUDIT. And ah sure yuh done know which house going and get home-invaded next and which old lady going to get their throat slit. And ah sure yuh done know which politician from the opposition party going and get arrested next.
And ah sure yuh done know that KEITH DIAZ will be in office until 2020.
This is the information age man and we want to know the FIVE W's!!!
It's not feasible to operate a steelband aanywhere, so with this mindset one could see there will always be a struggle.
The plight of pan players in TT and Brooklyn requires serious psychological and sociological analysis of their mindset. Can the love of PAN (really Panorama) be so deep that pan players allow themselves to be continually exploited?
Almost the same scenario which has been playing out in TT is playing out in Brooklyn. Pan players were ready to perform on Saturday night after receiving only 50% of the monies owed them for Panorama 2016 (sometime in August I believe) and PROMISES for the next 50% and the monies for Panorama 2017.
But it was as though the GODS were feeling the plight of the pan players, begging them not to allow themselves to be exploited.
It rained cats, dogs and turkeys Saturday night. WIADCA rescheduled the Panorama to Sunday afternoon. At least so we thought. Panorama is a competition, right?
I wonder if pan players knew that there would be no judging on Sunday?? Again WIADCA pulled a fast one and in the process saved (actually robbed pan players) some $43,000, assuming they honor the $5,000 per band in promised appearance fees for participating in the PAN SHOW on Sunday.
Had the panorama been held on Saturday WIADCA would have had to pay (or promise to pay as they usually do) some $78,000 in prizes and appearance fees. (I wonder if the Philly Pan Stars, which could not stay in Brooklyn to perform on Sunday, would be receiving $5,000 in appearance fees for being on stage in the rain for some two hours on Saturday ready to perform?)
Mind you, steelbands peeled out thousands of dollars in preparation for the panorama: payments to tuners and arrangers, expenditures on uniforms, decorations, welding, paint, not to mention transportation and meals and refreshments for the three months of rehearsals under the most horrendous conditions in the increasingly gentrified POLICE STATE of Brooklyn.
And steelbands came out TWICE for this panorama. I wonder what was the excuse given by WIADCA (and accepted by pan players) for not judging the bands on Sunday??
I also wonder if pan players are allowing themselves to be used and abused or, is it the administrators of the bands who are responsible for the continued exploitation and disrespect of pan players? Pan players really don’t make the major decisions. Many pan players play for the LOVE of the instrument and the culture. Can we not do better for our young pan players?
Come on people, WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE! That mindset has to be changed.
The mind-set refuses to CHANGE; you have to be willing to outgrow what no longer fits, coming from the Marabuntas mentality early in the steelband movement to having professional’s involved at various roles in Panyard management helped distinguished successful steelband organizations and the ones who continued to struggle, unable to achieve financial independence or receive meaningful remuneration for their work.
The time has come for leadership in their Panyards to conduct themselves with high level of business acumen. I for one don’t believe all pan musicians can be successful business people without seeking professional guidance in the digital (new) economy. Most business operations I know have a (SOP) standard operating procedure that contains rules for conducting their business. This is about entertainment business, know you power, know your strength, stand your ground.
Cecil: I admire your FOCUS and persistence on the PAN IN CARNIVAL issue. But there is NO MONEY and things are only going to get worse throughout the WHOLE CARIBBEAN. Go and read Arturo Traverso's report (today) on his recent visit and give it some WEIGHT. The Unions and Politicians have to turn to RACIAL DIVISION just to hold on to power and you know what that is going to lead to.
PAN is on a coal-pot in the backyard right now as MARIO SABGA'S prediction begins to UNFOLD!!!
Mi Amigo, I'm kind ah disjointed in yah man, believing all dat B///S/// Arturo Traverso's and the Sociologist from Virginia article, Pan had no notes in1947 B.S, the second band to win the Island Wide Festival after Young Sun Vallians in 1946 was Casablanca in 1947, from Puerto Espana / Port of Spain OK, and George (red man) Yates was NEVER the Captain or Leader of Desperadoes, the 1st Captain of that band was Wilbur ( stammering hawk / Mr Speaker ) Harrison, Yates were NO WAY around that band as yet, the Captain of Desperadoes in the mid to late 50s was Carl ( bumpy nose) Greenidge, Robert Greenidge uncle, that was when Yates became the Manager, I knew Uncle George very well because, he use to date my Great Aunt, Tantie Drew drop, as a little fellow,Yates later groomed Rudolph Charles a young guitar pan player, who later moved to the 3 cello in 1961, who later became Desperadoes Captain until he died, I lived in Quarry Street for 8 years before moving to St James, I lived among these people, and as adult I visited Quarry Street, Belmont, Laventlle and Nelson Street as well, I still has brothers and sisters there, one of my younger brothers use to play drums for Renegades, they called him ,(Wacker),therefore I know what I'm talking about, I lived it...
patrick ramdoo old tune, new tune we jammin still, leh we go wid ah new tune. All these problems are because everything steelband is geared toward a 8-9 minute tune on the stage. Pan on the road is from Carnival to Carnival.
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