Over 400 people signed the petition championed by international panist, arranger and educator Mr. Salah Wilson, calling for the protection of the funding to participating 2011 Trinidad and Tobago panorama players. You are all to be commended for taking a princlpled position in support for the pan players of Trinidad and Tobago regardless of what part of the world you hail from.
History has taught us that it is never about the many, but always about a select few who have the nerve to do the right thing at the right time. Of course many will say that they did or that they were there as it relates this issue in the future.
In a panorama season where one of the central themes is "Do Something for Pan", it is good to see that again a select few were willing to take a position in support of the panist and the steelpan music art form.
When Steel Talks
Replies
HI Don I think that you are very wrong I have a lot of respect for the steelpan and the players I have played steelpan all my life I have paid my dues. my point is that government should not be paying individual players to beat pan unless it is a national steelband of trinidad & tobago but government should fund the regulatery body (pantrinbago)who should be responsible for paying the panplayers That is how the atrs are treated by governments all over the world You see there are always cutbacks when governments are involve and organizations should have some mechanism to pick up the slack when curbacks happen eg Sponsers etc The government is committed to give pantrinbago 7.2mil to build their headquaters they get the savannah back with their North stands and is promissed a pan factory so you see I think that mr wilson should appologize to the government. $200 a player is not worth it that was a PNM handout . By the way I am a PNM
Mr Wilsom you are backing up the wrong tree Panorama got back the savanah and their Stands. Pan is back in the savanah
what else do you want a poltry $200tt wont make you rich move on man. You are not a trini anymore you just collect your
pittance and leave the country, flemango came 40 out of 42 bands pan in trinidad is doing fine thank you without Manning
why dont you ask the PNM for the $200 I am sure money is left over from the Church.
leave the government alone and and move on.
I am in full support of the petition in support of the funding for the Trinidad and Tobago panorama players anything less would be lacking the foresight in not seeing the advantages of this effort. I left Trinidad in 1961 and looking back am impressed by the progress of the musical advances make by the steelpan, we should not sit back and wait for some other country to supass us before we understand the importance of the steelpan in the world. The need to see that our players, most who cannot affort it, be incouraged to make the greatest effort on their part to raise the level of our steelpan music. We spend millions and millions of dollars public and private funds to get elected, on this I would say no more, and on
something which is really of national importance we are pinching. I am sure we have at least a million people overseas who would support this, please push harder. Hoping to return home someday.
IF
I wish to echo that which 'When Steel Talks has just stated about 'Doing Something For Pan' and the Historic Stance by the Select Few who have signed the Petition. My respect and admirations goes out to all the people who have done this and you have come from all over the world with strong comments. I also wish to thank When Steel Talks for definitely Doing Something For Pan by creating this Forum. What Happens Now?...... Well I have spoken with the Vice President of Pan Trinbago Mr. Byron Serrette concerning 'The Strategy" to present the Petition to the Prime Minister. there is no fixed plan but I intend meeting with the officials of Pan Trinbago to push the agenda. During this Panorama Season there is always the 'Busy Schedule' of the organization and perharps the apetite and desire is not strong because some may not want to 'Rock The Boat' and some may also say that the Money ($200TT) has been replaced by Pan Trinbago ...However the issues of the actions of the Government and the Principles involve are still outstanding. To date there are 432 signatures. I will print these signatures with the comments and send out a call to collect all of the local signatures of the Petition forms that were sent to the local Steelbands. We had requested that the Petition forms be present at the Panorama competitions for the public to sign up ....but I do not know whether Pan Trinbago had done so or will make this accomodation for the remaining shows. One thing is certain is that I am not giving up until the goal is achieved. Again I thank everyone for their participation
Regards
Salah
Carnival is in full swing and panorama is in full swing, I don't think that Pan Trinbago is interested in fighting the system or biting the hand that feeds right about now. And I sincerely doubt that PanTrinbago is looking to build any external alliances, especially taking an "outsider" to have a sit down with the PM ... an objective you mention in almost everyone of your posts.
Pan Trinbago has two outstanding GIMME GIMME big money axes to grind: The Headquarters and the Pan Factory. They are certainly not going to dirty their water and miss the chance to line their pockets with BIG LOOT over a $200 indulgence for the lower crust.