China’s First Lady applauds TT panmen, artistes

Trinidad & Tobago Newsday

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - So impressed was First Lady of China, Madame Peng Liyuan yesterday with the performance of Exodus Steel Orchestra at the concert in her honour that she extended an invitation to the panists to visit China.

As the St Augustine-based steel orchestra played two Chinese nation-building songs - “Fields of Hope” and “I Love My Home Town”, China’s First Lady nodded her head, keeping time with the tempo and smiled broadly in appreciation. At the end of the first song, Peng and members of the Chinese entourage applauded heartily with the second song also being well received by the audience at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port-of-Spain. At a photo opportunity at the end of the one-hour show, Peng greeted the Exodus panists and even tried her hand striking a few notes on the national instrument.
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GlobalTimes.cn

Peng Liyuan, First Lady of China, plays steel drum after watching artistic show in Trinidad and Tobago

The sounds of the Caribbean are returning to Brampton when the Steelpan Music Summer Camp returns on July 2.

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, plays a steel drum after watching an artistic show by local performers Exodus Steel Orchestra at the national performing arts center in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, June 1, 2013. Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan are here on a state visit to the Caribbean country.
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This has been an interesting few days, as a “Trini” and as a “panman”. I mean, when was the last time we had two leaders from the most powerful countries, be associated with “pan and steelband”? Certainly, I cannot recall such a circumstance, and on those occasions the leader of the steelbands’ association (then NATTS), was at the forefront. In any case, that was some great exposure, for instrument, steelband, and “the movement”. http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,178572.html http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/BRUTAL-----------TALKS-20927989...

That’s the good news. The bad news, however, far outweighs the “good”, for in reality, on one hand, you have one shady government hosting two shady governments. The truth is, neither visiting government leaders were there to be “entertained”; one was there because of our oil reserves, and the other, to see if they can lend us some money. BIG MONEY! And, of course, being a “loan”, there would come a time when one would have to pay the proverbial piper. http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-06-03/china-offers-3b-loans-car...

The United States, learned that costly lesson, and hope and pray that “God bless America…”, and not have the Chinese piper come a’ knocking. So, again, the “brutal talks” with Biden, and the $3 billion promised by Jinping, are not meant for you, Mr. Panman and Miss or Mrs. Panwoman. You are not more than a cultural showpiece. Which is fine, except, that the rest of the world see the “industry” in what we consider “culture”. We t’ing. And “we” are all okay with sharing it, regardless of how it is exploited by those of whom we share it. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/04/who-do-owe-most-that-16-...

Sometimes daily events are aligned with the most-timely “coincidences”, for just earlier today, (at least) 119 workers lost their lives and over 50 of them injured in a massive fire at a poultry processing plant in the Jilin province of China. This plant had “narrow hallways, a locked front gate…”, and one of the survivors reported that “the emergency exit near her station was blocked and she was nearly caught in the stampede…”. So while the Trinidad and Tobago government (with its own questionable record on governance and human rights issues) hosts the Chinese President and First Lady, the people of China, continue to live in a human rights and workers’ rights quagmire. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/06/fire-at-chinese-poult... http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/china?page=1 http://www.opm.gov.tt/media_centre.php?mid=14&eid=409

So while the average “panman” or “panwoman” have no clue who these people are, what their “generosity” does to borrowing countries, or could not care less about the human rights violations alleged against China, those who have the moral and principled values, would pass on the opportunity. Certainly, the government of Trinidad and Tobago has no issues with China and her human rights problems, some of which cause death and destruction, as in this fiery end of Chinese workers lives (again, AT LEAST 119!). In all actuality, the government of Trinidad and Tobago may be no different in human rights policy than the “People’s” Republic of China. The evidence continues to stack heavily against the current administration in the Trinidad and Tobago government, leading to a vote of no

confidence” motion by the Opposition leader. The TRUE leaders within the steelband fraternity, would know if to perform or not, and granted, the choice is a personal one (to make). I think you all know which decision I chose. Finally, allow me to politely and diplomatically dismiss ALL those who see pan as “culture” and not an “industry”: try telling that to the “culture” of “hip-hop”. Hip-hop, as a “culture” is a multi-billion dollar a year “industry”. (And, we talking US!). Part of a people’s “culture” is their “religious expression”. The fact that “religion” is a part of “culture”, does stop the gospel artist from having an “industry”. I guess, pan (music) is some pariah-like “culture, incapable of “industry”. And don’t tell me it’s an “industry; if it was, AGAIN, it would have been a part of the (yeah, you guessed) “brutal talks”, and parcel to (right, again) the $3,000,000,000. That’s NINE ZEROES! A number –zero –too many are comfortable with, for their “two minutes of fame”. That’s my take. What’s yours?

Pan’Tum – The Ghost Who Talks.

Honoring The Legacy Of George “Sonny” Goddard

TNT, US, and China.docx

Replies

Pan'tum - The Ghost Who Talks June 3, 2013 at 4:09pm

This has been an interesting few days, as a “Trini” and as a “panman”. I mean, when was the last time we had two leaders from the most powerful countries, be associated with “pan and steelband”? Certainly, I cannot recall such a circumstance, and on those occasions the leader of the steelbands’ association (then NATTS), was at the forefront. In any case, that was some great exposure, for instrument, steelband, and “the movement”. http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,178572.html http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/BRUTAL-----------TALKS-20927989...

That’s the good news. The bad news, however, far outweighs the “good”, for in reality, on one hand, you have one shady government hosting two shady governments. The truth is, neither visiting government leaders were there to be “entertained”; one was there because of our oil reserves, and the other, to see if they can lend us some money. BIG MONEY! And, of course, being a “loan”, there would come a time when one would have to pay the proverbial piper. http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-06-03/china-offers-3b-loans-car...

The United States, learned that costly lesson, and hope and pray that “God bless America…”, and not have the Chinese piper come a’ knocking. So, again, the “brutal talks” with Biden, and the $3 billion promised by Jinping, are not meant for you, Mr. Panman and Miss or Mrs. Panwoman. You are not more than a cultural showpiece. Which is fine, except, that the rest of the world see the “industry” in what we consider “culture”. We t’ing. And “we” are all okay with sharing it, regardless of how it is exploited by those of whom we share it. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/04/who-do-owe-most-that-16-...

Sometimes daily events are aligned with the most-timely “coincidences”, for just earlier today, (at least) 119 workers lost their lives and over 50 of them injured in a massive fire at a poultry processing plant in the Jilin province of China. This plant had “narrow hallways, a locked front gate…”, and one of the survivors reported that “the emergency exit near her station was blocked and she was nearly caught in the stampede…”. So while the Trinidad and Tobago government (with its own questionable record on governance and human rights issues) hosts the Chinese President and First Lady, the people of China, continue to live in a human rights and workers’ rights quagmire. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/06/fire-at-chinese-poult... http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/china?page=1 http://www.opm.gov.tt/media_centre.php?mid=14&eid=409

So while the average “panman” or “panwoman” have no clue who these people are, what their “generosity” does to borrowing countries, or could not care less about the human rights violations alleged against China, those who have the moral and principled values, would pass on the opportunity. Certainly, the government of Trinidad and Tobago has no issues with China and her human rights problems, some of which cause death and destruction, as in this fiery end of Chinese workers lives (again, AT LEAST 119!). In all actuality, the government of Trinidad and Tobago may be no different in human rights policy than the “People’s” Republic of China. The evidence continues to stack heavily against the current administration in the Trinidad and Tobago government, leading to a vote of no

confidence” motion by the Opposition leader. The TRUE leaders within the steelband fraternity, would know if to perform or not, and granted, the choice is a personal one (to make). I think you all know which decision I chose. Finally, allow me to politely and diplomatically dismiss ALL those who see pan as “culture” and not an “industry”: try telling that to the “culture” of “hip-hop”. Hip-hop, as a “culture” is a multi-billion dollar a year “industry”. (And, we talking US!). Part of a people’s “culture” is their “religious expression”. The fact that “religion” is a part of “culture”, does stop the gospel artist from having an “industry”. I guess, pan (music) is some pariah-like “culture, incapable of “industry”. And don’t tell me it’s an “industry; if it was, AGAIN, it would have been a part of the (yeah, you guessed) “brutal talks”, and parcel to (right, again) the $3,000,000,000. That’s NINE ZEROES! A number –zero –too many are comfortable with, for their “two minutes of fame”. That’s my take. What’s yours?

Pan’Tum – The Ghost Who Talks.

Honoring The Legacy Of George “Sonny” Goddard

TNT, US, and China.docx
yvette johnson June 3, 2013 at 12:00am

Politics anyone! Last week it was Vice President Biden of the US! This week China's first lady!
- Randi Curvan > yvette johnson June 3, 2013 at 4:04pm
  
  they must really want we LNG, otherwise no one would ever visit.
  
  All without one brown nose! Are you watching David Cameron????
  
  Ha! Ha!
vicky June 2, 2013 at 9:45am

I have seen several videos with Chinese pannists...and they are GOOD!

This reply was deleted.