Trinidad & Tonago Newsday
ANA-LISSA JACK (NYLO INTERN) Wednesday, August 10 2016
ON THE second day of pan month, birdsong Academy Steelband and Music School received an eviction notice to vacate its Tunapuna base. The band has until August 15 to vacate the premises it has occupied for the past 28 years.
On August 2, birdsong was served with an eviction notice by a court marshal informing them that the band’s pan theatre and music school is scheduled for demolition.
Birdsong and the landlord have been in legal battles dating back to September 1997, when the owner filed court action to recover possession of the land. In 2015 a court order was granted in favour of the landlord and the band was ordered to vacate. Lenny Tyson, a member of birdsong’s board, said the band was in negotiations with the landlord up to March. The court ruled in favour of the landlord and gave birdsong until March 31 to vacate.
“However, we continued negotiations with the landlord through the lawyer and a proposal of $15,000 rent was advanced by the lawyer,” Tyson said.
“We began raising funds to cover the year and suddenly out of the blue, this new development.” At a news conference held on Monday at the band’s St Vincent and Connell Streets location, birdsong’s management, past and present students as well supporters came together to ask for more time for the band to put its affairs in order. The band has been trying to complete the purchase of a property near to its current location but has hit a stumbling block for the past six-and-ahalf years due to the non-appointment of a Registrar of Friendly Societies.
Founding PRO David Abdulah lamented the delay which has resulted in the band’s predicament.
Another of birdsong’s directors, Dennis Phillip, described the delay in completing the purchase of the property as a “bureaucratic black hole”.
Replies
Ah hear that THE MINISTRESS OF CULTURE and BIRDSONG and the LAND OWNER are supposed to have a meeting before Monday to resolve this issue. Looks like BIRDSONG might get an extension.
Claude…remember ah say ah rest meh case…I already had the scoop on the court's decision on the matter…is only the owner's goodwill could save them now...
merrytones yuh real wicked!!! 28 years of GOODWILL from the owner and yuh still begging for more GOODWILL. When allyuh STEELBAND PEOPLE go learn some ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE? Is only ask the government for this and ask the government for that and ask the land owner to stay ah next 2 years.
All this got to stop
Ah fed up ah fed up ....
A line from an old calypso and I actually forget the name of the singer from South! Old age kicking in!
So Claude…you really feel I beggin' fuh birdsong…I was just stating a fact…as ah say before…I rest my case…
One would expect the MINISTRESS OF CULTURE to come out from under her shell at this point and make some sort of public statement supporting THE NATIONAL INSTRUMENT staying in the PANYARD. Even Lincoln Douglas and Gypsy should be out supporting BIRDSONG in this hour of crisis.
To make a steelpan
Sound like an organ
Is a great achievement
So why throw it on the Tunapuna Pavement
If you are a calypso lover you got to love how MERCHANT rhymed "ACHIEVEMENT" with "PAVEMENT" -- thrilling!!!