CHAIRMAN of the National Carnival Commission (NCC), Kenny de Silva, is right. It just cannot be business as usual with all the suspicions surrounding Pan Trinbago and the threat these hold for a smooth Panorama, a salient feature of every Carnival.
In fact, we fully endorse De Silva’s assertion that there should be a forensic audit of all of Carnival’s special interest groups: the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Association (TUCO) and the National Carnival Bandleaders’ Association (NCBA) in addition to Pan Trinbago.
It is also welcome that De Silva is quite willing to subject the statutory NCC which he heads to a similar audit. “What’s good for one is good for all,” De Silva is quoted as saying yesterday. We complement that by pointing to the local dictum: “Those who don’t have cocoa in sun should not be afraid of rain.” By the same token if the latter holds true, then De Silva and the leadership of the special interest groups must do everything possible to remove the pall that has descended over Carnival 2017 with the goings-on at Pan Trinbago that have triggered the audit action as revealed Wednesday by the Minister of Community Development, Culture and Arts, Dr Nyan Gadsby- Dolly.
“The Cabinet has been noting with growing concern, allegations of financial mismanagement by Pan Trinbago,” the minister said.
“These concerns began when there was a public furore regarding non-payment of remittances for 2016 and it has been steadily growing with allegations becoming more and more damning as time goes by.” This is not a pretty picture of an organisation that represents hundreds, or indeed thousands of prime Carnival stakeholders, the steelbandsmen and steelbandswomen, who not only give their all in wanting to attain supremacy, not for individual financial gain – they get just $1,000 from the NCC for playing – but in preserving and continuing to promote something that bursts us all with pride, the steel pan.
So that Panorama is more than a Carnival calendar event, and the tens of millions of dollars that are pumped into its organisation are reflective of the extent to which the Government – on behalf of the people – treasures it. Indeed, $87 million over a three-year period is no little bit of money, but we stand to lose much more if the behaviour of those charged with steering the pan movement allows it to be thrown into an abyss of confusion and bacchanal.
The intended audit must therefore be more than an accounting exercise. It must correct the weaknesses that are inherent to disorganisation and inexperience in setting goals and translating these into action for related results. We are sure the organisation also has strengths which could and should be capitalised on.
For too long the pan movement has been energised only at Carnival time. Looking only to the fete is madness. Too many people have studied and compiled reports about the efficacy of Carnival including the place of the steelband to render this facet of our culture moribund when it comes to ideas to take it to another level.
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Todays Guardian, shows that in defiance PanTrinbago executives are in denial.....
Doctor PM and Minister Dolly bring that government audit on NOW Minister Dolly right now for that foolish insidious act of condemnation to accuse the intervenors of hostile takeover ...before those executive officers BURN DOWN de office like WASA...before de audit even start....... And let the chips fall where they may....for that outta timing remark....please madam...start the audit NOW.......Peace
Who is going to guard the guards in trini?
From September 2015 to the present, this government has solely been engaged in audits. Yet, despite government allegations that the treasury was drained of BILLIONS of dollars, not one politician or his/her lackey has been arrested. My guess is that the auditors are also becoming fat cats and another wild goose chase is beginning. You cyar solve violent crime - you go solve white collar crime. Fake news.
Like Andre said it's a "culture of corruption", if that is the culture in trini, you don't need guards, ent?
Not an easy task to tackle when many feel entitled to their tribute in a neo-colonial vestige in a culture of bobbol. We've all seen in in our lives at one point or another, ent...
Andre and Patrick: I am supporting your positions with two quotes from Doctor Dolly.
1. Established Practice is difficult to break [like the culture of corruption].
2. Inefficiency is part of our NATIONAL LANDSCAPE.
T&T has dropped its ranking on the level of corruption published by Transparency International. Without a doubt, we're not the only country to suffer the malaise of corruption. The trick is to identify all pockets in this culture of corruption to stem and roll-back those who suffer from it most, like the pan people who make the music and are yet to be paid their kakada. The deal is, who will stand up to the Fat Cats at the top and how will it be done?