I tend to defend my organization Pan Trinbago with a passion from all who see it as a soft target or their favorite whipping horse when trying to get their points across on financial matters. And when I speak, I speak as an authority on the business of Steelpan for I have been in the business of Steelpan for the greater part of my living years. I am an active member of a year-round functioning Steel Orchestra, where Panorama and Carnival is just cause for another celebration and not the be all and end all of our existence. I also recognize the value of our umbrella body and the role it has played, is playing, and must continue to play in the existence and development of Steelpan and its industry, at home and abroad.
When I hear some members bad mouthing Pan Trinbago, and going as far as to say, let us mash it up and form something else, my blood does boil. At once I would recognize their limited sense of value, and the extent of their “negro-ness” Negative growth. But, I was really taken aback by an article in the Sunday Express Newspapers of June 10th 2018, written by one of my favorite columnist, Senior Council Martin Daly, where he mentioned that “ political accommodation has wantonly dished out gallons of taxpayers money, and the cabinet in 1997, handed over Panorama to Pan Trinbago in apparent breach of the statutory mandate of the National Carnival Commission, and how a High Court judgement recorded that between 2012 and 2017, Pan Trinbago received $182 million dollars through the NCC which is funded by the Government, yet Panorama Pan Players cannot get their pay.
Bro. Martin, your statement did not disappoint me one bit but, I was a bit surprised by the timing and the manner of your pronouncement, where you tend to leave the gullible and uninformed believing that Pan Trinbago was given $182 million dollars that they cannot account for. Such a statement is erroneous and misleading to say the least. Let me remind everyone, that Pan Trinbago pays prize money, and negotiate an incentive for the Pan Players. A payment value would be so much higher. As a senior council and Steel pan aficionado, I never saw you as carrying out any ones agenda. But maybe, I had a senior moment, forgetting the role of lawyers. Also in your profession, evidence is paramount. Have you ever availed yourself with copies of our audited financial statements over the period of time identified?
If you did, it would show you that the figures mentioned, represented the allocation of Panorama/Carnival prize money and general expenses over the six years period, which fluctuate between $36 million and $20.5 million dollars per year, as is the reality of 2018. And this money takes care of all related costs for the Panorama shows, which includes assistance to bands, transportation for bands, transportation for judges and staff, workers, security, announcers, posters/ banners, brochures, staff overtime, Tobago bands, which includes hotel, travel, meals, all services providers and general caterers, Players remittances / incentive, the prize money of which the organization is entitled to a ten percent as agreed by its membership, and all other miscellaneous expenses related to the activities. Its all there in black and white for those who want to know.
The only money that Pan Trinbago gets from that $183 million dollars, is the ten percent which amounts to give or take $7.5 million over the six years period, for administrative purposes. So while you and others for reasons best known to yourselves, are trying to show the Steelpan movement as a drain on the treasury, and the worst financial managers ever. Let us take a realistic look at our country’s finances, where for the last ten years successive governments have spent over half a trillion dollars with little or nothing to show for it. After ten years of budgeting over fifty billion dollars every twelve months. All our major infrastructures are in debt to the Chinese and other contractors. NAPA, SAPA , AQUATIC CENTER, CHILDREN HOSPITAL, BCL CRICKET ACADEMY you name it, we the struggling taxpayers still owing, and have to pay, yet five hundred billion of our tax revenue, is unaccounted for. Ask the auditor general. Do you really believe that we are all that stupid? While our accounts are in black and white some of you taking night to make day painting us black and seeing red. Stop trying to fool the people in this age of light. Some big business are robing the treasury of taxes by the hour.
Pan Trinbago is going through a metamorphosis. This is a situation that is normal in the growth and development of institutions and even individuals when internal conflicts occur on the road to greater awareness. We do have out internal challenges, especially when strong personalities believe that they must circumvent the rules to have their own way. Not for the first time in our existence. But that does not give rights for a hostile take over by outside forces because social media creates an over kill. As the saying goes, “leave us alone, and we will come home, bringing our tails behind us”. We are in no worse case situation as some would try to project. If the line ministry is not satisfied with our accounts, which was never made officially clear to us, challenge our auditors, and offer help in institutional strengthening and capacity building. Not help in fanning the flames of confusion and vilification.
As an indigenous art form, we have taken a number of initiatives to develop and advance our own cause over the years, with little or no support from the very governmental institutions that extend our resources to foreigners in the form of free land, soft loans and years of tax brakes. The same concessions that we have being requesting over the years, should be extended to the Steelpan movement, so we can properly develop and expand our Steelpan instrument making cottage industries, that can boost our production line for export, thereby bringing in the much needed forex. Or, is their really mischief afoot, to insure that we the grass root people do not maintain control of the commanding heights of this potentially lucrative Steelpan industry. I thought that piracy was outlawed?
Thanks you bro. Daly, for alerting us to that hidden agenda for which we must take nothing or no one for granted. But take note that the battle will be long and hard, and we will not be pulling out until those who labour in the vineyard of the steelpan, firmly hold and control the reigns of power and production. The NCC knows that the interest groups are the ones with the material resources to produce the shows, hence the reason for giving Panorama to Pan Trinbago. They must now sit with us to work out the way forward. Not use our internal conflicts as a weapon to take control of the art form that we are committed too. They control the money, we control the craft. Let us negotiate in good faith.
Remember we are all in this thing together for a bigger, brighter and better national festival to the benefit of our nation.
Michael L Joseph
Public Relations Officer
Pan Trinbago Inc. TC.
Replies
Panorama and Carnival is just cause for another celebration and not the be all and end all of our existence ... Remember we are all in this thing together for a bigger, brighter and better national festival to the benefit of our nation.
The only money that Pan Trinbago gets from that $183 million dollars, is the ten percent which amounts to give or take $7.5 million over the six years period, for administrative purposes.
Doctor Dolly definitely needs to give PAN TRINBAGO a BIGGER PIECE OF THE PIE. That 7.5 million out of 183 million is CHUMP CHANGE for BIG EXECUTIVES like DIAZ and FORTEAU and JOSEPH and SHEPPARD and THE MIGHTY FORTEAU!!!
Until this fella and people like him who runs PTB or any organization for that matter, realize that THEY are the reason for the meltdown (Claudes words), we ain't going nowhere fast. Why he don't let reason prevail and bow out gracefully EH??! Yuh mean dotishness is that stupid!