Happy New Year to all. Same shit different year from Pan Trinbago.

[Aquil]

Happy New Year to all. Same shit different year from Pan Trinbago.

 

By Aquil Arrindell

 

I was called unexpectedly last Thursday (29^th Dec.) by and alumni of mine (Marcus Baptiste), who attended UWI with me. He was hosting a radio program on WACK 90.1 FM. and wanted me to be a guest on his show that evening to discuss panorama 2018. His initiative came after I posted earlier that morning on FB, “Bandleaders still have no rules & information on Panorama 2018. How much more disrespect will we take?”. On the program we had a healthy discussion surrounding panorama 2018 and the host kept asking the president and his executive to call in with some information. Single pan Panorama, carded to start on the 4^TH of January and although the bandleaders know the date, the radio stations apparently had no information on the dates as well. No one from the executive called in to the show but as I predicted on the show, shame would step in and they would give some information the next day.

 

Friday (31th Dec), they had a press release with the dates of panorama. Which was not new information to bandleaders. I was told by a bandleader that as a result of the radio program, he communicated his disgust on the lack of information to Pan Trinbago and even said that Aquil Arrindell was having a meeting to mobilize single bandleaders to strike. The president called me that day. Which was the 7^th time he has called since I resigned. The 1^st  time, he said what he had to say in a threatening manner and hung up the phone disrespectfully. The next six times, including this last time, I did not answer the phone because I seldom give people the opportunity to disrespect me a second time. Based on reports he called another CIP member and queried about the protest and because it was fake news, the member said he knew nothing of any meeting. As a counter-action to my alleged protest, the president called an emergency meeting for all single pan bands. This is beyond disrespectful. Why?

 

1. The president only reacted after I went on a radio program to complain on the lack of information.
2. The president is reacting based on an allegation of protest.
3. The president calling a meeting on Friday for Tuesday would exclude Tobago bands in the decision making process.
4. The calling of a meeting for single pan bands and not the general membership when we all lack information (the ‘divide and rule’ strategy).

 

Bandleaders, we are not puppets and the president should not have us jumping because the CIP or Aquil Arrindell say something. Based on reports, the Panorama Management Committee is still not ready with the the rules and the president is only calling us together to complain on Dr. Dolly and the NCC. I did warn bandleaders that the bad blood Pan Trinbago had developed when they took NCC to court would affect us all and our present situation, in my opinion, is intimately linked. To me, tomorrow’s meeting is a waste of time unless we use the opportunity to demand that we are not starting panorama until we get a general meeting with rules to ratify. Not executive should be asking us to start any panorama when we do not know what we are being paid for players, appearance fees and prize money.    

 

 Again I ask, how much more disrespect would we take? Last panorama was the worst ever, and this year looks like it is shaping up to be the mother of all disasters. The executive is fragmented and fighting amounst each other. Although the executive is to blame of our situation, we to as bandleaders must take blame as well for allowing them to still be in charge of us.

 

Sign the petition, save panorama 2018 and our organization.

 

Have a bless 2018 and a happy New Year.

 

Aquil Arrindell

Advocator of change

 

 

 

[Ingrid Blackwood-Belle]

Aquil, Happy New Year

Having read the passage above, I'm not sure that signing the petition at this late stage will achieve anything substantive, especially as we are so close to the start of Panorama 2018.  Band leaders and pan players are only interested in Panorama taking place.  They do not see the bigger picture.  I hope that in 2018, we are not going around in circles .... again!

One last thing.  Dale is supposed to be part of CIP and against Panorama taking place under the current executive so I hope I don't see him grinning like a Cheshire cat in front of the cameras when All Stars play .... for Panorama 2018!

[Ingrid Blackwood-Belle]

Opps, that should have read "Dane"!

[Claude Gonzales]

OPPS!!! I look in the CRYSTAL BALL and I see him (Dane) grinning like a Cheshire cat in front of the cameras when All Stars play.

Ingrid, BABY (ah little Yankee Greeting) -- ask Cecil Hinkson to explain these two popular calypso (2018) for you ... ROWLEE MOTHER COUNT and BERLIN. Or maybe Russell knows more about BERLIN than Cecil since Russell is the man who first referenced the calypso on this forum. And, by the way, I have to make plans with Russell to give you a GRAND TOUR of MORIN BAY when you get down there.

[Ingrid Blackwood-Belle]

Claude, it just had to be you who responded to my post.  You and your Crystal Ball  - LOL

Yes, I definitely need a line by line breakdown of both Calypsoes ... and, it seems, a Grand Tour of Morin Bay!

[Russell Providence]

Question for Aquil.

1. What do you mean when you say San City is "A YOUTH BAND?"
2. Is not San City an entrant in The National Panorama Competition?
3. Is San City an entrant in The Junior Panorama Competition?

• If the answer to #2 is YES - Why is a youth band competing in The National Panorama Competition and not The Junior Panorama?
• If the answer to #3 is also YES - Why is a youth band competing at both The National Panorama Competition and also competing at The Junior Panorama Competition?
• If the answer to #3 is NO - Why not?
• If The answer to #2 is YES - Why is Orlando Octave's Berlin inappropriate?

oxymoron noun - A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

Considering all the information that you have been sharing concerning the modus operandi of the sitting Pan Trinbago Executive, isn't orlando Octave's Berlin appropriately constructed lyrically, to best convey the message you have been attempting to get across though musical expression (that element of musical performance which is something more than mere notes.)?

Mr. Arrindell, after all you would have communicated was said on that radio interview, and on this forum. I get the impression that you are not really serious about implementing any meaningful reform to the Panorama competition, as at the end of it all, it translates into "Eating Ah Food". That action is not dissimilar to the rantings of the two main political parties on the campaign trail regarding campaign finance reform and constitutional reform, but when installed in the legislature avoid those subjects like the proverbial plague.

I am not disappointed, as I have written extensively on this forum about what I choose to call CHILD LABOUR in PANORAMA, and do not intend the foregoing comments tone construed as being in support of, or on behalf of the sitting executive, as that slant from which I HAVE NOT, AND SHALL NOT DEVIATE, from, has also annoyed the gentleman whose band has been around as long as the Security Council of The United Nations, but comprises very, very few adults. 

In "BEYOND A BOUNDARY by CLR James, James relates how his father a highly respected primary school teacher in the first decade of the twentieth century, prepared him for the college exhibition two years before he was actually eligible, confident that CLR possessed the ability to capture one of the three (3) available spots, but had nothing to lose if he didn't, although a good showing would enhance his recognized brilliance as an educator, when asked by his colleagues on the day of the examination of the chances he thought the younger James had, although confident in his mind that his son would excel, he replied that he just wanted him to get "a feel for it".  CLR placed seventh, and would go on to capture a top spot two years later.

I hope that this forum can put into context the reference from BEYOND A BOUNDARY.

[Aquil]

Mr. Providence, San City is a steel band with our largest constituency represented by youths, mainly because of our educations programs during the year. There a huge number of adults as well, so yes we enter national panorama.

The youths did get together and made a conscious decision to further there music education by arranging a song and participate in the junior panorama. The band supported their initiative and they entered, with their arrangement, for the first time in 2016. they made the finals and won $35,000 which was never paid by PT. Our band's output to this project was $25,000 because  of this, PT left us  in a finical hole and as a result, the youths could not enter in 2017 and can not enter in  2018. keep in mind we are unsponsored.

Panorama is used as a LEARN TOOL for the youths in our band. Whilst i am doing the music, i teach them the elements of the criteria, how to achieve those elements effectively and what emotion i am trying to conjure as different musical passages is being arranged. lessons, free of charge.  arranger, captain, executive members non of whom has a big cheque to get after the panorama. our biggest cost is tuners because we have no in house tuner at present. He died about two years ago. which PT promised to contribute $5,000 to a concert that we hosted with the intent to raised money for him to get better. due to that promise we borrowed some money and brought a Port of Spain band to the fun raising which we made about $7,000. PT never paid the $5000 so it left us with roughly  $2000 TT he died shortly after. Keep in mind, all bands, including SAN CITY, contributes to PT boat ride every year, which the proceeds of that supposed to help sick and dying pan men.Lennox (sam) Fortune, he was also our arranger. he thought me music for free and in me his sprit lives on. Because of his kindness i am a music teacher, a performer, an arranger and a composed and before he died he started teaching me how to tune. his action compelled to giving back to the youths in my community using san city as the vehicle to do so.

 

as i said in my interview, we have to much discussion surrounding panorama and it is suffocating our organization. To san city, panorama is just another event we participate in for the year.

and i was joking about the song i have no issues with it. 

[Gregory Lindsay]

Powered by BERLIN

[Claude Gonzales]

GREGORY: Yuh have REAL PASSION, boy!!! And I LOVE people WITH PASSION!!! If I ever come back to TRINIDAD ah want to LIME WITH YOU!!!

[Gregory Lindsay]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1764424963864298&id...

[Russell Providence]

Everything allyuh want Aquil, allyuh could get it from Berlin. LMAO

Doh organize an mobilize and expek ting tuh jess come from Berlin. LMAO

Continue tuh talk talk talk, an wait thu geh results from Berlin. LMAO

If allyuh serious, and could pay my fees, allyuh could fuhgeh Berlin. LMAO