There is a particular band that didnt pay their players, arranger or the drill master. That band name is United Sounds in Arima Dump road Trinidad. They made an agreement to pay the members and broke it. The Pantrinbago east office did nothing to help the situation after a letter notifying them about the issue. I would have to use the international forums such as Im doing now to make sure that this NEVER happens to anyone else. The owner of the band is called Brady. This needs to stop one way or another. Why hasnt Pantrinbago investigate this band that is receiving panyard grants and also prize money and still cant pay the players.
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I dont know why these Steelbands Captains and Committee still feel Pan men/ Women are fools. This spit has been going on since in the fifties and the sixties when the The Captains of the steelbands were also the arrangers and tuners. In these modern times, pan people are more enlightened and should not allow this daylight robbery of their time and effort. In the past panmen played pan because of the love for it, now its a business and should be treated as such. ''All Pan Players should be paid for all their performances, it the right thing to do if Steelbands are to survive!!!
Like someone has mentioned hereon WST ,if it,s a situation that the person responsible for paying the Players,Tuners and Arrangers is unwilling to do so ,,for all!! if time has elapsed,,,take your Pans an leave,,,no one man can,t spoil the show, actions speak louder that words,,,,The truth.
Greetings again: I had to reflect on when this thievery occurred. It was in 1960 when we collectively took the stand to take the pans. Wow! This was 52 years ago and we still have we people stealing from we. Oh Gawd! Guidance Dr. Lance Seunarine
What the members have to do is tell who ever is running the band, That they want 1/2 of their money before,And the next 1/2 Carnival Sunday.Get somebody to make out contacts and they sign it and who in charge of the band sign it.
And if that don't work out,Just play with some other band.That simple.And when he realize that he will be losing that money he will pay.Trust me he will pay.
Greetings: Here we go again A thief is a thief regardless of color.It is a shame that we cannot be considered our bredren's keepers.This is not only happening in Arima but all over.
We had a situation in Point when the leader took the money and we took the pans, move away and started under another name. The band has undergone several transformations but it exists today.
Maybe the check should not have been made out to one person. For example consider a two party check --The name of the captain and the steel band.
A prearranged agreement as to how the money will be divided up. Tuner to get %; Captain %, arranger % , different panmen % etc. Everythinbg above board.
Money for storage of the pans, Money for transportation.
Money set aside for when there is no work
money for the rainy day for the elders so that we don't have a repeat of Maestro ( Allan Gervais) and Bertie.Marshall.
I am talking about a retirement fund.
Lessons on Finance so that the panmen can save their money in secured business schemes. No Ponzis. The culture of the panmen has to be two fold: love for the pan and understand that this is a business. Guidance
Give thanks Dr. Lance Seunarine
I would share my experience on this wbsite as a Tuner,,,Trainer end Arranger attached to the Ministerie van Cultuur in Nieuw Nickerie, Suriname, after three months of vigorous training/practice for the first time we had played for the opening of a large store,,the income had from that performance was utilised to pay the Pan Players and a part reserved for the maintainance of the instruments,then and theer after on any occassion regardles as it was for the now President Bouterse whom we had performed for,or any other occassion or during the Christmas Holidays,,I Jerome had always ensured that my Steelpan Players was PAID,,,GURAUNTEED,,,this is the foundation for unity and encouragement,not only for the love of the Instrument Pan ,one must remember and regard the sacrifices made by all to spend the long hours in the panyard for the sake of practice,,In closing ,GIVE A PANMAN/PANWOMAN WHAT IS DUE TO THEM,,,Straight up,,we cannot compare the olden days to now,,this is the 21 st century,respect ,,pay deh people,,,God Bless.
I don't know if contracts are the solution, since there are no guarantees that the band will make a profit, and contracts open the possibility of drawn out complicated legal issues.
What is needed is transparency.
Bands need to be democratic; no one man rule.
Bands need to be organized in such a way that band members or their representatives are involved in all financial dicisions that affect them.
Pan Trinbago should already have the authority to police the funds they provide to bands, and make sure they're properly used.
Beats me why they are not doing this in cases like this.
I agree with you Glenroy, but we all know in T&T transparency and democracy in the panyard will not happen. We don't have a history of this. Contracts for the pan players at least will protect them from panyard bullies. At least they have something to play with. (No pun intended).
This is why all steelbands today should be operating as legitmate professional businesses. Gone are the days of community pickup sides to engage in territorial warfare. All pan players should be contracted to steelbands and if need be use Pantrinbago as arbitrators. Set the standards high.
Yes Belly, Give them and I agree with Barry all the way. Contract is the new style now. I know Brady as well and i did some tuning last year i think for the band. I must say i was lucky to get a small portion of my money, but after that was prayers until the disappearance of Brady. Cecil, the "buss head" would surely be effective but thinking about we are professionals and we don't want all that scene. It's not a nice image for us. We as the more positive youths and the future of the steelpan, this is what we faced with after all these years. SMH YES. Anyways Belly, as ah said contract is d name of the game but we'd expose them for now. Nice move.
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