No money for pan players; no money for bandleaders.
By Aquil Arrindell
Ducking service providers.
Over the weekend, I had a conversation with a bandleader who attended the south meeting. He expressed to me his disgust with Mr. D. Shepherd’s justification of the huge sums of money he and the rest of the executive recently collected. Whilst I was speaking to the bandleader, his phone rang, and he hung up. He said ‘you see what I talking about, look the trucking man calling me for he money and I can’t even answer my phone’. He continued by saying ‘whilst them fellas paying themselves with all we money, I have to be ducking service providers’. Unfortunately, this the the cry of all bandleaders who made an INVESTMENT in the 2018 Panorama finals; International Panorama; Junior Panorama 2016 etc. Bandleaders also have to deal with players who spent their money during the Panorama season to participate of the competition and are now looking for compensation etc.
Shepherd cannot justify his payment, 90,000.00, out of pan people money.
Because there is evidence circulating of the payment, Mr. D Shepherd has to say something. His clams that the money was for events managing is a joke. What event? All Pan Trinbago’s events in the past year and a half, buss, failed, were unsuccessful, poorly attended, utterly disgraceful, did not make a profit.
As far as I know, the real events manger for the Panorama, with the inclusion of the ‘Greens’, which has been getting worse since he took it over, is the financial advisor. Every Panorama, the financial advisor collects a huge some of money for that service. In addition to that, during a Congress of Central Executive and Regional Officers (C.O.C.E.R.O), which is made up of approximately 35 executive officers nationwide, a decision was made on that matter. In light of the 30 million in debt, the money owed to the member bands and the overall decaying financial state of the organization, after the resignation of Mr. Serette as vice president /events manger, it was decided that we would not hire anyone to fill his position. At that meeting, deceptively, Mr. D Shepherd also told the meeting that he had no interest in the position. Ethically, for that decision to be reversed, a C.O.C.E.R.O. would have to be reconvened, with facts presented, that our financial situation has improved and to also show the need for filling the position of events manager. If not ethically, and the decision was reversed in a high-handed manner by the central executive, then a circular must be sent to the different regions stating that the decision was reversed by the central executive and they are appointing Mr. D. Shepherd to the position. At no time should that decision be reversed and Mr. D. Sheppered be paid secretly, and we only know of it because some worker in the treasury discovered that he collected $90,000.00 of pan people money. This is the modus operandi in Pan Trinbago. This selfish, greedy, self-serving, unethical behaviour is why so many bands and players are suffering in this country at present.
No money from N.C.C.
In a previous article, the C.I.P. told our members to brace themselves for the backlash of the victory Pan Trinbago had against NCC.
Well, the backlash is here.
It is reported, that even after Pan Trinbago’s victory over N.C.C., Pan Trinbago was given the opportunity to avoid our present predicument. However, because of the executive’s unethical behaviour, again we the bandleaders and players have to pay the price, literally.
It is alleged that N.C.C. and Pan Trinbago made an agreement that the money the court ordered N.C.C. to pay Pan Trinbago would be given to them symbolically. Because Pan Trinbago owed N.C.C. more than what was ordered by the court, an agreement was made for N.C.C. to pay Pan Trinbago the $3,000,000.00 with the condition that Pan Trinbago would give it back. After which N.C.C. promised to pay all the money which would have covered the finalist bands and the $500 for players. But in the true colours of the central executive, instead of keeping their word, they kept the money. It is reported that they split it up among the lawyers, the financial advisor and themselves. Therefore, N.C.C. then took all the money Pan Trinbago owed to them from the Panorama 2018 allocation, which leaves bandleaders and players with nothing to get.
Whose fault is it?
It is our fault. We are allowing them to stay in office. The damage they have done to our organization on a daily basis in incomparable to anything in the history of this organisation. The sad part is, we are allowing them to continue destroying our organization and paying them to do so.
Solution
We need to get them out now. Tuesday’s meeting on the 27th, is important. Every bandleader who says they care about the steel pan, care about our organization, you need to be there. We need to take the necessary actions. We need to stop this Madness.
Document of Concerned Individuals for Pan.
Replies
only $30US. i better jump out.
nah, to many black youths depending on me right here.
fix home first and the fix others.
I told you all since November, Do as we did in 1978 and strike and they well pay you all, But no, they love Panorama so go Massy's store and pay with that.
You all is not going to get that money until January-2019,That is when they will need you all again.
Panmen & Women they are just playing you all.
Wake up and stop sleeping.
911: I remember well you coming on and saying that -- but dey love dey PANORAMA so much dey just turn STUPIDEE once December come around.
somebody has to talk about it Mr. Claude.
they hate meh, but things got to change.
it don't have no other organisation for me to go to,
so i have to try and fix the one that i am in.
Try the NATIONAL SOCIETY OF STEEL BAND EDUCATORS (Ohio, USA) -- $30.00 US a year for membership!!! Yuh could join that organization and teach WHITE YANKEE CHILDREN to PLAY THE PAN!!!
Better than wasting your time trying to TAKE THE POWER from DIAZ AND FORTEAU and THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR!!!
LEAVE DIAZ ALONE and FORGET PAN TRINBAGO!!!
PAN MEN and BAND LEADERS knew what was coming BEFORE HAND. They had an OPTION TO STRIKE or BLUFF A STRIKE and call PAN TRINBAGO and DOCTOR DOLLY to the TABLE to get some assurances.
But EXPATS and LOCALS so tie up in the PANORAMA THING -- dey does get BAZODEE once DECEMBER REACH and suddenly come back to their senses in MARCH.
So I eh got NO SYMPATHY. KEITH DIAZ have every right to keep digging out EVERYBODY EYE.
DOLLY and DIAZ and LUCAS done get ALL THE PRAISE for the GREATEST PANORAMA IN HISTORY with THE GREATEST PANORAMA PERFORMANCE IN THE HISTORY OF THE PANORAMA.
Ah bet yuh when DECEMBER 2018 come is the same MANIA overtaking dem PAN MEN and BAND LEADERS. So STOP COMPLAINING and DEAL WITH THE NO PAY!!!
Aquil: Yuh giving me ah headache this morning with your ETHICS TALK.
The CHIEF JUSTICE had a hustle on the side. The President had a hustle on the side. The Minister of National Security hustling Real Estate in New York on the side. The Prime Minister when he was Minister of Housing hustle out TEN MILLION DOLLARS and he still get elected as Prime Minister years later. The BIG OIL COMPANY had a big almost HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR hustle on the side. And don't forget JACK WARNER.
So why can't PAN TRINBAGO do their little hustle on the side.
ETHICS? REALLY?