Sad time for Pan Trinbago’s constitution. The grocery has been taken away from us.

by Aquil Arrindell

I wrote an article which compared Pan Trinbago’s members to a grocery owner who hired a team of people (the executive) to be managers.  The article compared the 30-million-dollar debt of Pan Trinbago (which is a result of mismanagement, high salaries, deals with their friends and high bonuses without membership’s knowledge), to the grocery managers doing the same with the owners’ money. At the end of the article, the question was put to our membership if they would keep those managers.

 

Pan Trinbago’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is the only guaranteed meeting for the year where the membership, the owner of the organization, could make decisions on the organization’s direction for the year. We, the members, thought the AGM is the highest decision-making body which is clearly stated in the constitution.

Section C, article 7, part A, iii, a, page 7,

Whenever the AGM or Special Convection is not in the session the AGM shall be the highest authority of the Association.

 

The constitution also gives us, the members, ultimate power at the AGM.

Section C, article 7, part A, iii, c, page 7,

Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and to any other written laws for the time being of the Association. The AGM should have the power to confirm, vary, veto any decisions, by-laws, or other rules passed during the year by the Central Executive Committee.

Which means, the AGM trumps the Executive.

 

The process to make a decision is simple. According to parliamentary procedures, a member would move a motion (which is like a suggestion), someone would second it (which is like an agreement by someone else that the suggestion is worth discussing) and then the floor is open for discussion on the topic. Arguments for and against on the topic would be properly ventilated and then the members would vote on it. The president, as chairman, is to facilitate and guide the process, which means that when people begin to go off topic, he must bring them back and to, give information to help us make an informed deisicion. The decision now becomes a mandate from the members to the executive, which means that the executive must carry out the decision made by the members.

 

At the 2016 AGM, a mandate was given to the executive, that there would be no Panorama if all the money owed by the government, as claimed by the president, was not paid. The president and the executive decided not to carry out that mandate. One, because according to the PRO and the rest of the executive, other than one trusty and myself, the executive is in charge and the membership cannot tell them what to do. In the PRO’s words ‘the tail don’t wag the dog’. And two, what the president was claiming to be owed by the government was really misinformation given in an attempt to pass of blame for the 30 million debt.

 

In 2017, during TWO DAYS of the AGM, first on the 29th of October and second, on the 30th of November, every motion brought to the floor was rejected by the president.

Claiming he would not be accepting it as presented; he would not be accepting it at this present time or he would not be accepting it at all. In none of the cases did he have the authority to say to the membership (the owners) how, when or if he would be accepting any motion. At the continuation AGM, we spent two hours demanding that the president and the executive uphold the constitution by acknowledging that the membership is the highest authority. In spite of this, for two hours, the president insisted that he would run the meeting however he chose and would only discuss the topics he wanted to discuss. After imposing his will onto the meeting, most of the membership got up and walked out, leaving about 16 people seated. The president was quite happy to have the auditor tell them that the organization cannot pay its way out of its 30 million-dollar debt. After which he asked the 16 if they would accept the audit on behalf of the 130 financial bands so that he could go to the NCC to accept money on our behalf again.

 

My brothers and sisters, without a doubt, we, the members, don’t have a say in the affairs of our organization. The grocery owner has lost the business. We, the CIP, know that there are only two ways to deal with people who take our rights away from us. Either do it through the judicial process, which would give the president extended time pending the completion of the case; or to physically fight for it. To get respect from bullies and dictators, there must be a fight whichever way you choose. The CIP are here to serve you. Tell us what option to take because the president and this executive are no longer serving anybody but themselves.

 

CIP says is only love in the house.

 

Document of the Concern Individuals for Pan.  

          

 

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  • You know the flouting of the Pan Trinbago' constitution is way more important that the PRO's behaviour.

  • WST family I am not frustrated. Actually, I am very enthusiastic about this Pan Trinbago chest game i have found my self engulfed in. The challenge is wonderful. The president is a worthy opponent. I am learning and growing as the " game " goes along. Understand the genetic make up of the Pan movement and its importance in the national/political landscapes is the greatest lesson here. These lessons will only help me and others when the rebuilding process starts in our organisation.  

    • Aquil: How dare you blaspheme in the CHURCH OF KEITH DIAZ calling him a LOWLY "worthy opponent"? KEITH DIAZ is THE GREATEST POLITICIAN IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. And you and Gregory Lindsay could come to America and get some degrees in POLITICAL SCIENCE from the IVYEST LEAGUE SCHOOLS and still when you went back to Trinidad -- is MORE POLITICAL LICKS from KEITH DIAZ.

      And you are trying to belittle the man and call him a "worthy opponent" when he got the HIGHLY EDUCATED DOCTOR DOLLY losing sleep every night because she is so OUTCLASSED by Keith Diaz school of politics.

      Tell Gregory Lindsay that I spent the whole week waiting for the FAT LADY to sing!!! Is a good thing I know better.

      • My apologies Mr. Claude. lol. i would not dear imply such a thing again.

  • I was really starting to wander if any on would continue the discussion on the blatant disregard of the constitution by the executive. To me, this is no small matter.

    • Brother Aquil, never underestimate the POWER if this medium. Like you stated earlier "yuh real life catching up  with yuh, no small matter." Look how much talk/debate they had trying to change the constitution of T&T they let Sir Ellis Clarke pass before they could get any reform done. I believe he quit participating in the process.

      Any response to Lilian's question? I know with Russell there's a whole lot of soul searching and analysis with his concerns, all good for the growth process. Take yuh time CHANGE don't happen overnight.

      Where is College Boy in all of this, he wrote the constitution, are there trust issues involved???

      Smiling faces...you know the rest or is it time changes and so do people???

      2959987925?profile=original

      • Good​ day to all in the pan ferternity  if we as players and owner's of bands don't stand up for what we believe in we will fall for anything as it seems we have been doing just that for the past few year's so we really need to wake up and smell the coffee as they say because this is a cycle of circles and we as players and owner's need to break the circle just say no put your foot down and stand by your decision. When you go to a restaurant to eat and u get poor service from staff and management u walk out and don't eat their again , loose enough business and u

        have to close . Stop the cycle just say no stand up for what u believe is right. 

    • As you know, I have chided GL about his ubiquitous references to the PAN TRINBAGO CONSTITUTION on this forum. Knowing FULLY WELL that it has ZERO RELEVANCE to WINNING POLITICS in fighting KEITH DIAZ.

      COURT? LAWYERS? 2020 FOR SURE!!!

      What a CRYSTAL BALL?

  • It is rather disheartening to read of Aquil's frustration with matters over which he seems to have no control (or are there ways in which he can have the burning issues that he relates addressed?). I firmly believe that this extremely talented young man's intentions are noble, and that he is committed to improving the conditions, and the environment under which Panmen are required to function and operate. I also believe that his desire may very well be to create the vehicle for taking the movement forward, to transform THE TADPOLE into THE FROG.

    I strongly suspect that the constitution OF PAN TRINBAGO to which Aquil refers, and quotes may also give sweeping powers to the president of Pan Trinbago, and those conditions may not have changed, or would they have been amended in any significant way since originally drafted and adopted. 

    It begs the question, what quality of legal advice is Aquil receiving or soliciting? It begs the question, what level and quality of support is Aquil actually receiving from those who may be openly advocating support for the cause he so enthusiastically and vigorously promotes and advocates, while in principle, are not engaging in actions that would ensure success for that which he aggressively fights? Is it that Aquil is being used conveniently, played by some members of the steelband fraternity who want to have their cake and eat , black jacket/white jacket as we say in Trinidad and Tobago (Turncoats for the foreign used commentators. LMAO), while Aquil has to struggle for the survival of his band and his initiatives?

    I would be inclined to suggest that Aquil, as an individual, if he so desires, and if he has made a decision to hang in there for the long haul, for the betterment of the entire movement, like George Goddard, and not like some of the selfish people he looks up to, who are in it only for themselves, to seek out the best legal constitutional advice available, as it appears that The CIP may not be doing that, or have they done that.

    It may be useful to seek expert professional opinion in an effort to identify the sections of Pan Trinbago's constitution that are being manipulated to the advantage of the sitting executive, and how these actions may be in contravention of the laws of the state, as Pan Trinbago's constitution must be interpreted within the ambit on what is lawful and permissible under the constitution of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

    I would sincerely hope that the members of the local steelband fraternity who would be likely to benefit most, from the changes Aquil so desperately pursues would have been directing him in this direction. As I would have stated sometime earlier, although it is evident that he lacks respect for me, it is also expressly evident, to me, that there are members of the local steelband fraternity who commands his respect, but he is not a recipient of the benefit of their best advice.

    Steelbands in Trinidad and Tobago are literally like "Crabs in a Barrel", and if you do not possess the strength (or lucky to get the assistance) to climb out of that barrel by pulling down, and climbing on the backs of the other crabs, you will remain in the barrel to be eaten in the next callaloo or crab and dumplings.

    A word to the wise is sufficient.

  • Constitutions differ, but the most commonly used AGM procedure for NGO's is:

    After presentations of reports the Executive Committee is dissolved.

    A temporary chairman is elected to conduct and oversee  the elections of new executive officers.

    New executive takes over.

    Is that the PT way?

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