Old Tech Steel Orchestra kicked out of home base
DUMPED: Some of the steelpans belonging to the Old Tech Steel Orchestra which have been dumped behind the San Fernando West Secondary School. PHOTO BY ANSEL JEBODH
MEMBERS of the Old Tech Steel Orchestra woke up yesterday morning to find their pans dumped at the back of the compound of the San Fernando West Secondary School at Farah Street.
Leader and arranger Sean Ramsey said the band was unceremoniously kicked out from where it was birthed in 1994.
However, the Ministry of Education said while it cannot determine legality or illegality of the action, this is two and a half years overdue.
An official at the ministry said Ramsey was given notice to vacate the premises three years ago. The official said Ramsey asked for a six-month grace period which was granted, but two and a half years have elapsed and he refused to adhere to the notice.
“The official said there are several reasons for the band to relocate, among them the fact that it is no longer a school band, but a private band using the compound.
Replies
ALLYUH is some real HARD CORE PNM SUPPORTERS on this forum, boy. NOBODY will NEVER CRITICIZE the MINISTER OF CULTURE. Just ah saga girl dressing up and posing but accomplishing NOTHING. (SHE really deserve to get RESHUFFLE.) Allyuh remind me of dem TOBAGO PEOPLE. Rowley could take away dey boats to TRINIDAD and destroy dey economy and dey still eh have ah WORD TO SAY while dey already lining up go vote him back into office in 2020.
Speaking of TOBAGO. Ah hear somebody LICK UP BEVERLEY real bad on some PAN FORUM. So she out the RACE. Dey (THE CIP) just have to focus on FORTEAU and MICHAEL JOSEPH now. But dem is two HARD CORE PAN MEN. Dem eh no EASY MARK like BEVERLEY. So THE CIP go learn a HARD LESSON from FORTEAU as much as dey jumping up and celebrating. FORTEAU putting dem ON HOLD next TUESDAY and dey doh even know that.
But in the real world: If you have incidents of break-ins and vandalism on the compound and you know is the STEELBAND MEN doing it -- why yuh want to keep them around to do MORE DAMAGE.
And the RECYCLED NAMES I seeing on these ELECTION SLATES -- dem cyar even help ah BLIND MAN to find he CANE much less run some PROGRESSIVE STEELBAND ORGANIZATION.
Ah feel meh time will be better spent joining the NATIONAL GUARD and driving down to the border to stop all DEM ILLEGAL MEXICANS from coming in to CALIFORNIA than trying to get RID of DIAZ and FORTEAU and JOSEPH.
As the astute BRYON SERRETTE asked: Where is the letter of resignation, Mr. Diaz?
you calling on Pan Trinbago.
you really feel any one of the care or will go in the hot sun with placard for you.
call on the CIP.
you will have better luck.....
Or the Mayor of San Fernando.....
Money talks Bullsh1t walks.
Gone are the days when persons in the community would allow steelbands to use their back yard.
Today every thing is money. It's about time small medium and large bands start to sit up take notice and buy up as much land as they can. Even if it means crowd-funding to get it. It's obvious that you don't need to be in a community to exist.
The Nomads of Lavantille could attest to that. They're pushed out by the criminals in theirs.
We're now coming to the end of the second decade of the 21st century. You should not be begging any more or relying on goodwill.