Pan Trinbago threatens Panorama boycott

Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Pan Trinbago appears to be heading into a “steelband war” with Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, Winston “Gypsy” Peters, accusing him of saying pan players may not receive a $1,000 performance fee for Panorama 2011 which the association has threatened to boycott.

The Pan Trinbago executive is also upset over reports that Peters had criticised the association for its dependency on state funding and had questioned how money allocated for the construction of the Pan Trinbago headquarters in Trincity had been used.



As a result, Pan Trinbago’s general membership have been called to an emergency meeting at the Communication Workers Union Hall in Port-of-Spain today.

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  • The dependency syndrome; moving forward 7 years later this proposed solution has gone unheeded...Peters reiterated that economic challenges meant that special interest groups must reduce their dependence on state funding and “begin to seek out and undertake new partnerships and opportunities to continue and accelerate their work.” He assured the ministry will support groups in such self-sufficient efforts. Pan organizations will have to rethink their business model.

    From “The Best Plan For Pan” Lloyd Best saw the panyard as a platform for economic growth and development. He saw the panyard as a center of excellence and a pole of innovation and native entrepreneurship. He saw as one of the assets of the panyard the “capacity for civic harmony and community collaboration” as well as the potential for engaging “sleeping resources” and “native intuition”.

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  • REAL HYPOCRITES on this forum, boy!!! When GYPSY (a politician in the INDIAN PARTY) decided to drop the prize money to $800.00 -- every man Jack and woman Jane went berserk on this forum condemning the cut in payment. Postings like rain!!! And the lead actors were the PAN TRINBAGO EXECUTIVES and numerous regulars on this forum. Oh how their hearts bled driven by the politics of RACE.

    But when the same PAN TRINBAGO executives joined forces with the PNM GOVERNMENT to cut the payment to $500 (in 2017) -- NOT A WORD from anybody on the FORUM. No UPROAR!!! No "UPSETNESS"!!! No LONG DISCUSSION!!!

    Even the CIP who were supposed to be the new leaders, when they realized that they got caught in the political crossfire with their first loyalty to the at fault MINISTER OF CULTURE -- they decided to STAY QUIET because is she they have to go and BEG (Gimme Gimme) if they ever get in power. Ah really thought that they were fighting for the rights of the PANORAMA PLAYERS and I use to make joke with them and mock them for just being about the power and the office and the paycheck. I am ashamed to be right about dem CIP MEN.

    And allyuh really think that people with this PARTY CENTRIC (ethnocentric) mentality could DO SOMETHING FOR PAN?

    Ah going back and read all the postings on this topic and enjoy the emotional content by the CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS FOR THE PAN MEN -- headed by Serrette and Forteau and Keith Diaz and Michael Joseph and Gregory Lindsay and all the regulars on this forum.

    Is ah good thing I have had this political landscape measured for decades now or else I would have been REALLY DISAPPOINTED!!! But everybody run TRUE TO FORM.

  • GREETINGS TO ALL FELLOW MEMBERS OF WHEN STEEL TALKS...  PLEASE FORGIVE THE BOLD CAPS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BE MORE EXPRESSIVE.

    FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW I HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN A COPY OF "CATELLI ALL STARS" PLAYING RAINORAMA, ARRANGED BY RUDY WELLS. I'M CERTAIN THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO HAS THIS, AND WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF THEY WOULD SHARE IT WITH ME.

    FOR THE PERSON/S IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO WHO HAS IT AND WILLING TO SHARE WITH ME, PLEASE CALL ME @ 620-4957 ANYTIME.

    ANXIOUSLY ANTICIPATING AN EARLY RESPONSE TO THIS MESSAGE.

  • I attended the emergency meeting held last Thursady and was very dissapointed with the lack of respect shown to panpeople by the "minister" of culture. It was alleged in the meeting that the "for cane" man, when told that the $1000 was a stipend to help offset the many days, hours and expenses incurred in practising, replied that " so what dey go stay home and rob people well let de polce deal wid dem".

    This man, because of  his office, in one statement has done irreparable harm to the pan movement and pan people. 

    I have always thought that the man was an idiot who became a minister because Trinidadians favorite argument is "who we go put"?

    The executive of Pan Trinbago has called for an apology but my take is that he is unfit to be a minister of Culture and make such disparaging remarks about the pan fraternity.

    We call elected officials Honorable I think he should do the honorable thing and resign.

     

    P.S. Just last month he walked the Laventille hill listening to steelbands now I know it was just another photo-op for the dishonorable minister of culture.

    • Hi lloyd, this stand off is calling for some serious thought. the minister seems as though he wants to play hard ball.,In my opinion the fraternity has nothing to lose,he has already disgraced and rediculed the organization the minister has come to his conclusion and seems to be fixed in in his percepion of the steelpan.we are not beggars.. the organisation has furfilled its mandate of promoting and developing the steel pan the worldover, as mentioned before pantrinbago is an non profit organisation.and I believe sacrifice and disipline is now required by its members postpone the panarama. for 2011 and drop the ball in his court,...there is nothing to lose when you are in dire straits.

  • Oh so now Gypsy sees it fit to pay $800 - what Pan Trinbago should counter with is $1,500 or no play.

    He's now on the rope after removing his foot from his mouth.

     

    Please Mr Minister - have some respect for the Pan Fraternity.

    • The man continues to belittle and disrespect the pan fraternity, what is the worth of the steel pan industry to the economy of Trinbago? please mr. minister do u sums.+ + - - what is the socioeconomic contribution ?
  • With all due respect, the Minister of Arts & Culture really needs to rethink his plans because it does not add up. First of all  one has to look at the political promises during the election campaign. $2 million each for Calypso, Soca, Chutney, and Pan.... Calypso, Soca, Chutney are all one individual each. Pan is 120 people, on this forum Bugs and others indicated the percentage increase for all of these and the Pan again comes out with the shorter stick. This could be considered discriminatory against the Pan. Secondly, the $1000.00 as a stipen for the Panorama players for at least six weeks of rehersal is a big help but hardly enough (only about $150.00 US). Nevertheless it indeed is a motivational tool especially for the younger ones to know that there is something at the end of this journey ....win loose or draw. To take this away or cut back on it would also be considered discriminatory. You are talking about 15,000.00 active pan players who will be affected . This six weeks of practice is a strong disipline that should be encouraged rather than discouraged, especially when the country is still under seige with muderous criminal activities. These 15,000 plus pan players are not contributing to criminal activities, rather they are strengthen the national economy of the country. During this period (1) theTransport industry benefits,(2) the food industry benefits , (3) there is a social camaraderie that exists where if we can transmit this vibe to the rest of the country it will certainly reduce crime and criminal activities. The Minister should be thanking the Pan community for this activity and instead increase the remuneration to at least $2,000 per individual. The Minister should consider cutting the Calypso, Soca and Chutney, from $2million to $1.5 million and the $1.5 million saved could well go towards the Pan players to assist at this time. The Pan is only asking for its fair share. The economics will show that the amount of foreigners that come to Trinidad & Tobago for the season, a large amount comes because of the Pan more so than Calypso or Mas. Please mister Minister re-consider your actions .Your party was voted in to make things better . The up cry on this Forum for instance is not about waging a war against you or your government but it is a cry from the 'Panman-Panwoman' who knows what a struggle is all about. We also know that there is no victory without a struggle. You mister Minister are in a position to do something positive for the Pan Movement ...we urge you to use your position to do the Positive thing. Now is the time.

  • Greetings to WST community

     

    NEWS PRESS RELEASE - More Steelband Managers Weigh in on the Impasse

    Source: Trinidad Newsday, Section A pg.8

    DATE : Wednesday December 22, 2010

     

    ARTICLE TITLE: Pan Trinbago rejects Gypsy's $800 fee.

     

     

    PORT-OF-SPAIN - PanTrinbago members voted against a proposal by MinIster of Arts and Multiculturalism Winston ' Gypsy' Peters for an $800 performance fee, instead of $1000.

    However, the association won't make a final decision until it gets a response from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

    Peters said with the reduction in performance fees, his ministry would give $2Million to the 2011 Panorama champions- a million dollar increase over this year' s cash prize, which PanTrinbago had to pay. In turn Pan Trinbago would use its $1million to make up the $200 difference in the performance fee.

    The minister told Newsday "that's what we can afford" and he intends to present the same proposal to Cabinet. On Monday, the association's president Keith Diaz, vice -president Byron Serrette and secretary Richard Forteau attempted to speak with PM at her St. Clair office.

    However, she was unavailable and the three met with Ministers of State in the Office of the PM Collin Partap and Rodger Samuel, who promised to relay Pan Trinbago's message.

    Manager of Sforzata Steel Orchestra Trevor Reed yesterday weighed in on the issue. He said the proposal needs more discussion and perhaps a counter-proposal by Pan Trinbago. 

    "I feel that there is a lack of understanding on the minister's part about the pan fraternity. Steelbands have to house their players, especially the younger ones. House them, feed them, sometimes give them passage. People sacrifice their time for months to play in a band. That's why we pay them (the performance fee) in the Panorama prelimanaries, to give them  some comfort and money for their effort. The minister should probably give $2Million to Pan Trinbago to distribute evenly to all bands," Reed said.

    Manager of Exodus Steel Orchestra Ainsworth Mohammed is calling on Peter's to keep the $1,000 performance fee.

    "The minister should maintain, as a minimum, the $1,000 fee. What pan people work for is never enough, Compared to calypsonians and mas men, we are the only interest group that works at a loss," Mohammed said.


    • It appears like Minister Peters is in a different world as the more he talks, the more he puts his foot in his mouth.

      His Government is offering $2,000,000.00 to the winning band for the year 2011, and is suggesting that the newly added $1,000,000.00 should be used to defray the shortfall of the $1,000.00 per player.

      Is he suggesting that the winning band pay the shortfall to the players of all the participating bands? Somehow, what he's suggesting makes absolutely no sense, physically, economically, or practically. I suggest he consult a chartered accountant before making these suggestions.

      He keeps saying that his Government is unable to accommodate the existing "grant" or Player Performance fee, yet he still has not explained the rationale of Chutney, Calypso Monarch, etc. to receive an increase of $1,000.000.00 for a single performer.

      This proves that Minister Peters really haven't a clue about Pan, or as he recently stated publicly, he doesn't like Panorama. This confirms that he doesn't just don't care about Pan, our National Instrument, but rather, don't care about the talented and dedicated people who sacrifice their lives for some 4 to 6 weeks in preparation for this competition which bring in thousands of visitors for the Carnival Season. Checks will confirm that at least six out of every ten visitors for Carnival, come here for the Mother of All Pan Competitions in the World Mecca of Pan.

      I've mentioned at this forum before that in the "olden days" bands would have comprised mainly community members, however, Pan has evolved to such an extent that the majority of players now either commute or travel great distances especially at night (A Great Security Risk in the country today), and what's worse, seven out of ten are female, to rehearse with their respective bands. At the end of the Season, they would have been out of pocket more than $1,000.00. Mr. Minister, these people are doing it for the love, their dedication and commitment to the Art form. I have been for more than three decades.

      If Pan dies next year, it will be Minister Winston "Gypsy" Peters who would have killed it.

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