What does the opponents of the current administration intend to accomplish as a pressure group attempting to stage a palace coup with no designated leader? What are their objectives if as the apparent de facto leader advocates, they have no intention of running for office in an effort to replace that which they have identified as undesirable? I have never heard of any movement that has risen up in opposition to oppression that does not have a designated leader, or have selected a team from within its ranks, who aspire to, and/or are supported from within the movement to assume leadership roles in an effort to take the trophy to a higher level. The loudest voice of the pressure group on this forum has clearly indicated that although assigned the task of leadership, there is no support for any leadership role within the organization they are attempting to overrun. That is a recipe for confusion, for chaos, an invitation to sellout to the highest bidder, whoever that may be.

Iraq would have been governable today if Saddam was still in control. Libya would not have been a failed state if Gadaffi was not murdered. Egypt may have been much more prosperous and stable if Mubarak was still in office. The foregoing examples identify situations that are similar to what the established pressure group may be on the path to creating in the pan world, quite likely, and inadvertently handing control of PANTRINBAGO to puppets selected and/or supported by the NCC, or some other figurehead appointed by the government of the day who's subvention they are reliant on for their survival. 

There seems to be no concrete plans to make the pan movement self sufficient in the interim, or does the opposition seem to have the support of dedicated financiers who are willing to invest in, and/or underwrite recurrent expenditure, research and development, or infrastructure. As Herbert Clark Hoover who served as the 31st President of the United States from 1929 to 1933 during the Great Depression advocated, “Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die.”. I see a case where older men may have declared war in an effort to rise to power, while youth are fighting, and shall die without honor. Remember George Orwell warned us of Napoleon The Pig in Animal Farm, while Deng Ming-Dao a Chinese American author, artist, philosopher, teacher and martial artist taught us that “Some Warriors look fierce, but are mild. Some seem timid, but are vicious. Look beyond appearances; position yourself for the advantage.”

I clearly the foregoing sayings in action in the conversations. The management of change is necessary, it is not obvious. Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit. In the battle for 14-17 Park Street, Port of Spain, it seems that “All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.” (George Orwell)

Just a voice crying in the wilderness with no express interest in which way the boat rocks, but an onlooker being entertained by the antics of the circus, its performers and ringleaders.

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  • Russell

    Thank you for your salient advice....Please see attached 2018 Panorama Budget ratified by PTB and NCC, and the President's response.... I not in the Lying business....but the President is a consummate professional at this lying business

    Ask me any questions on this and I will tell no lies and call Names...Of the Dotards that negotiated this Dog Food for players... One love

    IMG_20171115_133931.jpg

    Gregory Lindsay Correspondance.pdf

  • Based on your piece, the question I have is:  Where are the New Visionaries? Their silence is deafening!

  • Cecil..

    Your concerns are my concerns.....and it is not being addressed emphatically nor adequately....Further to that, we cannot pin our hopes on a pink donkey flying the nest. You can't run not even a parlour selling mauby like dat. If this orchestra must take the lead as the lone voice of protest and ultimate sacrifice like John the Baptist in the wilderness, on principle, towards continuing to be self reliant, and independent of welfarism,..then so be it....NO PANORAMA under this dubious, recalcitrant, dishonest, secretive, grossly negligent, delinquent national executive for 2018.....I called it and willing to back it up....in thought, words, will and action with my orchestra.... LoveDemfuhDat..seeYaOnDeRoad..blessings
  • A few tidbits...of fact. in this full blown circus down here in the home of the sweetest of all percussive instruments. This is the situation:

    The NCC Board cannot be finalized, the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Bandleaders Association have challenged NCBA to be the representative body for Mas. The matter is before the High Court and until finalized, NCC Board cannot be finalized.

    Ernst and Young who were recently appointed by the State to audit the affairs of Pan Trinbago forensic audit has begun the audit... , however the Treasurer of PanTrinbago is out of the country on personal business, expected to last a week, and the Chief Administrative Officer is on Three(3) weeks leave,..as well..The Minister, I understand is very vexed and not at all pleased about this development.

    Will CIP take the route similar of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival BandLeaders Association to challenge PanTrinbago  to be the representative body for Pan, taking the matter all the way to the High Court if necessary? Time will tell...

    As I understand as well the court case PanTrinbago vs NCC, has been postponed until December 01, 2017. I would further add that judgment of each case brought by PTB on its own merit, has led historically to losses at the Court, with a repetition of such seemingly perched decisions, doomed to repeat. With no money to pay phones or staff, or for heart maintenance, one can only ponder where is the money to come from.....maybe players one can presume.

    I would infer that more than likely whenever a NCC board is constituted, the autonomony of the operations of any national pan competition remit would lie within the same structure as Carnival 2017 under NCC's control, inclusive of the NLCB ticketing arrangement, with a reduced technical supporting role by the governing body.

    Perhaps as the organization Pan Trinbago Inc. continues to be under the details of an audit engagement  that are unknown to me, but I can only hope it extends to a forensic and management one and if it doesn't, that the preliminary findings will lead the audit team ineluctably to such.

    Regarding the players, in light of the current circumstances evidenced regarding players remittances...expect nothing..

    For all of the above reasons and uncertainties,..my band POWER STARS STEEL ORCHESTRA and I are out of this farscical National Competition,..and further to that, we will continue to position our orchestra towards a position of advantage and self-reliance as we prepare for our blessings in 2018 and preparation for the future of our orchestra's development..

    See you on the road.....

    Respectfully submitted

    • Gregory you should be concern about how two years away from the big show affect your players and supporters, why should they alone be the voice of protest?

  • Wisdom speaking there Glenroy.....Claude and merrytonestodebone tune in......Freeness&Abuse is over

  • Maybe a break from Panorama is not such a bad idea after all , even if it takes a strike to achieve it.

    It may give steelbands the opportunity to once and for all prove something that I believe ; that panorama does not necessarily have to be the "be all and end all" for steelbands at carnival time.

    Who knows , they may be able to find and create opportunities for enjoyment and even profit at Carnival time ,for steelbands willing to take a chance and put in the effort.

    Or at least , they can try !

  • Claude

    You better take your blood pressure tablets and be calm and listen to Glenroy and Mercer, while digesting what Russell is vomiting...My band and I are positioning ourselves for the advantage....and that has nothing to do with pinning our hopes on the lottery as we know called Panorama.......We are a traditional band, and traditionally we go to the national competition,..but for 2 years, we will sit it out.....so that we position ourselves to take full advantage of the blessings that will come our way as we celebrate greater success approaching our 50th anniversary next year God willing..

    I want better governance at PanTrinbago, not that i will get it...but I will not allow my orchestra to be used and abused by a fraudulent, bankrupt and insolvent executive, trying to convince the delegate congregation, that free juice flowing off 14 -17 Park Street, whilst these elephants peeing with bliss, in the face of their stakeholders.......not me not my band...who want to take abuse, dat is dem..Ah not changing FRED for ALFRED,....ah want a new CNG model vehicle,, no roll on roll off from Hingland, ..

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  • I like to keep things simple , so I would like to say that I agree with the main thrust of the argument here.

    That is , just replacing the leadership of Pan Trinbago,  without putting in place new leaders with integrity ,  ideas,  and a stated , transparent vision for the future of the steelband , is tantamount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic , as the ship is going down,

    The analogy to the US invasion and destruction of Saddam's Iraq , without having a plan of succession in place after the fact, and the resulting chaos , is well taken .

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