Once again the President of Pan Trinbago has reported to the Steelband movement and membership on January 9, 2014 without the 2013 Financial & Auditors Reports.
A statement was made to the membership by the Executive of Pan Trinbago, that the Auditors would have completed their reports within two to three weeks after that October 2013 AGM [Sunday October 27th 2013], Somewhere in November 2013 [either the 10th, 17th, 24th], the adjourned meeting should have been convened.
On January 9th 2014, some 74 days after the October AGM, the meeting was convened by Pan Trinbago, [was this in response to public pressure, both home and abroad to account for the Panorama Greens profits and monies spent in 2013?], with the subject matter as a General Meeting to present 2013 Presidents' Report and 2013 Auditor's Financial Report, and among other items to be discussed was Panorama 2014.
The President informed the membership that the financial reports from the Auditors could not be provided since they (the Executive) received the documents the day before [Wednesday January 8th 2014], and another meeting will be scheduled after the Carnival season to present these reports. Another point of interest he stated was, that a note would be presented to the Cabinet of the Trinidad and Tobago Government, through the line Minister, for provision of the $2.4 Million Dollars in Prizes monies for the recently concluded Pan is Beautiful XII. The necessary funding was not received from the corporate world, and letters of apologies have been sent to all participating bands regarding the non payment of Assistance and Prize monies.
Now, something is terribly wrong here! How is it possible that Pan Trinbago can receive state funds from the National Carnival Commission, out of State coffers, to promote and organize Steelband shows and Panorama 2014, without submitting accounts for funds previously received and spent in 2013? How could Pan Trinbago apply to the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago through their line Minister, the Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, for $ 2.4 Million Dollars prize monies in 2014, when they did not submit audited nor unaudited financial statements for disbursements previously received in 2013? Is this how things work in this country?
This worries me!
Honourable Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, are you aware of all these happenings, and if you are Sir, please explain to us, the Pan people of this country, the players of the Steelpan our National Instrument, how can this possibly happen? As tax payers of our Republic, we all deserve to know!
It is time that the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago take a serious look into the World Governing Body for the Steelpan and the Steelband Movement in our country, especially when it is our tax payers’ money they take out of the nation’s Treasury every year and put it into the hands at Pan Trinbago. A Forensic Audit is URGENTLY REQUIRED! In this modern age of technology, where there are cries for fairness and equal treatment everywhere, it seems that there is no Transparency and Accountability within Pan Trinbago, and the feeling by many, including myself, is that ordinary Pan people in our country are being bully, trampled, and wined upon by a few of our Bosses at the expense of the State every year, and this is going on for so long, Too Long, that it has created a sense of lethargy and hopelessness within the movement.
For the Steelband movement and our Pan culture to move forward in our country and beyond, we need to clean out the house at Pan Trinbago. It starts at the Head and in the Head. We always have to get our head right so that we can lead right. We are the world leaders in Pan, let us not forget!
Replies
I am wondering, kind sir, with all this noise that is being made about the prize monies and lack of accountability. That the bands and the pan players are silent on the matter. Just remember millions of dollars was use to build a church by the past government, millions of dollars to remove a fire truck. So like the Cypher did say if the priest could play who is me, ah mean dem.
Colvin yuh so right! Count the number of pannists and others who can start making a crowd to reject this--but no! It-good-so!
TT media is not helping out the issues - reporters Peter Ray Blood, Sean Nero, Gary Cardinez, Joan Rampersad what are you all reporting about the non-payment of prize-money on the just concluded Pan is Beautiful XII....
Will we law abiding citizens will let this pass? Will we allow the Ministry to disburse funds this year to Pan Trinbago without past accountability? or Are we still saying "it good so" and leave things as they are?
Ayesha, the law abiding pan people in the Mecca have to rise up and let their voices be heard, enough is enough.
So what else in new, Bertel? Are YOU really surprised? And what are the VISIONARIES doing to bring the TEEFING to a halt?
The VISIONARIES may have ONE trump card if they have the political skills and the right level of support (which I doubt) among the steelbands.
I say: Assemble your troops and march and call for a boycott of PANORAMA 2014.
Claude, boycotting the Panorama will just be a Furlough for Mr Diaz next panorama he will get back all his money, back pay, Get the Govt' involve. Can the president of PT be impeached by the Citizens? just asking
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Bede: Right now Diaz is strapped for cash (all the money gone) and about four million dollars in debt. The staging of the PANORAMA and the GREENS 2014 is his ONLY financial solution.
If an act of god or an act of man or an act of the VISIONARIES or an act of Bertel and Cecil somehow cuts off his 2014 CASHFLOW -- he will NOT be able to survive 2014.
But everybody want dey PANORAMA even though we grieving with frustration through maladministration but as yuh know -- WE LIKE IT SO!!!. (Ah teef somebody lines.)
A few letters in the media about how this man is able to minipulate the legal system to do what he want will surely put shame on the courts.
I guess that transparency and good governance are still foreign concepts to TnT ... it may be time the tail starts wagging the dog (i.e., the steelbands themselves assume individual and several ownership of their collective enterprises [Festival, Panorama, etc.] in lieu of Pan Trinbago, and deal directly with govt., if that is legally permissible.
Just my 2 cents ... Peter
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