Government has clipped the wings of Pan Trinbago.

Trinidad and Tobago Guardian

Govt closes financial tap

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Government has clipped the wings of Pan Trinbago. The steelband body, now mired in financial mess, will no longer be the sole authority in charge of the Panorama competition.

Culture Minister Nyan Gadbsy-Dolly told the T&T Guardian she had to act to “protect the taxpayers’ purse and the interest of the panmen, in light of allegations of financial impropriety involving the steel band organisation.”

Pan Trinbago is a private non-government organisation, Gadsby-Dolly said, adding: “But our nexus is that the organisation gets significant funding for Panorama, which is the major national festival for the year. When it comes to Government funding we have to be very circumspect.”

The last tranche of Pan Trinbago’s annual allocation made late last year was $5 million which was to be used to pay remittances to panmen for the 2016 Panorama. Cheques issued to panmen by Pan Trinbago on Thursday bounced...

NCC to collect pan gate receipts

...The Minister said some of the drastic changes to come include allowing the NCC to now collect the gate receipts from ticket sales at Panorama.

“We will no longer be giving Pan Trinbago money. Prize money, money for suppliers and money for remittances for panmen will now be made available to the NCC,” she said.

Apart from the millions in subventions the organisation receives from the State, Gadsby-Dolly said, Pan Trinbago also gets all the money received from the gate from the sale of tickets.

She said: “We are taking steps to put a value on that because it has been nebulous and vague over the years. But this money was meant to help Pan Trinbago.”...

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  • Where is the $10,000.000 in gate receipts collected from Panorama 2016 and all the past years of successful panorama. The twin islands is in a recession because miss management in every sector has been going on for years. Why should the OWTU pay the price when everyone else is squandering money. Their three months strike starting Monday 9th Jan will shake up things in corrupt Trinidad.      

    • I strongly suggest that the NCC approach one of the Big Banks to sell tickets at their Branches and get the staff volunteers to man the gates and sell tickets at the venue, Security could be provided by the Police at all events. This was done sometime in the 1980s and it was the first year that Pan Trinbago returned an excess of revenue over expenditure.

      Anyway, this is just my suggestion.

  •  Just some food for thought as we move forward. Over the last 5 years Pan Trinbago received over $158 million from the Government via NCC. Today it is $31 million in debt.  Panorama/Pan On The Road moved from a Surplus of over $8.5 million

    dollars in 2015 to a Deficit of over $1.6 million in 2016. That is management Pan Trinbago style. They must have nothing to do with Panorama if there is to be one. Take quick steps Ms. Dolly. Start with the Audited Statements from 2012. By the way my figures can also be verified in the Audited Statements. 

    • douglas williams, Ms Dolly have Diaz number, when she was parting in Diaz house she good scope out things, and drink he premium scotch too. Good investigative work Ms Minister.  

  • To "complete" this unfolding drama, put and end to the nonsense and move pan forward...

    Listen to what "Boogsie" has said...  Form a "Steelpan Trade Union".

    As GDG and others have said before for meaningful success for the Pan Movement.

    Steelpan Deserves Better.

    So until the nonsense is dealt with once and for all, No Panorama, seen.

  • It's about time that the Government takes responsibility for ensuring that public funds given to private Organisations are properly managed and accounted for. If the NCC is to be the vehicle for channeling funds to Pan Trinbago then its Board must be made to submit audited accounts to the relevant Ministry on a rigorous schedule or suffer a consequence. If not, we will still be crying over spilt milk in the years ahead.
  • This is the BEST thing to happen for Pan sake! Get rid of all dem CROOKS!

    • Is it really the best thing? Didn't all the bands sign to give back 10% of their earnings/winnings. Isn't there some legal document that enforces that? It could mean that PT can rock back and collect something for nothing? Just asking because PT is the legal entity/org that handles all bands?
  • Phase II - Woman Is Boss

    Boogsie & Phase II pulling out all the stops in this exciting, pore-raising performance in the 1988 Panorama Finals. This unforgettable performance won them the '88 Panorama Title.

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