We do not respect pan, so pan leaving T&T. It may seem like nothing really, to us, but the world sees it, and they are acting while we react. There are countries right now doing far more for pan than we do, and will eventually have a greater claim to it then we have. Why do we not have a national pan ensemble to use at public events? Why do we not have a national steel orchestra to send as ambassadors to important functions? Because we do not respect pan. Other nations have full time pan players on a salary, we use pan to coral votes through Pantrinbago. It is time that panmen and panwomen got the respect they deserve. WE should be setting pan protocols for the world to follow. WE should be sitting the standards of pan and pan development. OUR pan people should be given assistance to further their knowledge base and skill sets. Teach them to read and write music. Host a tool workshop to streamline and standardise. All of these things are the start of a real revolution of respect for pan, but that wont happen until we respect it. Like with everything else we have and take for granted, it is only when outsiders accept and adopt pan will we rush to pretend we love it too. Again, it is not enough to claim it was invented here. The television set was invented here too. We need to be doing something with it. There should be a national culture museum that highlights the development of pan from its very beginning. There should be a pan school that people could go to learn how to make and how to play pan. We need a pan amphitheatre designed for the best acoustics to allow persons to hold pan concerts for full orchestras for wide audiences who love pan music. Most importantly, we should be leading the way in integrating pan together with other instruments to give it the worldwide acceptance it deserves to have. Pelting a couple million at it for Carnival may put a couple dollars in pan men's pockets and allow us to pretend for a minute that we cultural, but until we take pan seriously and do what it takes to carry the invention where it needs to be, it will continue to lie idle, another potential giant money spinner and source of pride for many of our people left to languish, because we still have not learnt how to love being we. Big up this morning to all the pan men and women who have made this craft their life despite these trying circumstances. Don't think for one minute that your struggle is not seen. Warmest regards.... And best wishes for the day....thanks

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  • The above statement  (inaccuracies et al) was originally written by one Phillip Edward Alexander, a new and very vocal politician on the local landscape. Upon reading it I advised Mr Alexander that he should be more careful and indeed more responsible when disseminating information to the public, especially if he wants to be taken seriously. I wish to take this opportunity to advise Mr Lindsay likewise. He ought to know better than to simply regurgitate rubbish that people put up on Facebook. 

    • WOW, Bigmac!!! I wish you would point out the inaccuracies. Even though I many times fail to expand on some of my assertions on this forum!!!

      • Claude if I have to point out the inaccuracies in the article to you I have wasted my time responding to it in the first place...Ah could kinda excuse Phillip Alexander...but not you and Lindsay...

  • Cecil: They say that almost everybody in the BIG 5 CONCERT was OVER 40. And in most cases -- WELL OVER 40!!! So, clearly, YOUNG PEOPLE in T&T just see PAN as a PANORAMA FUNCTION and then is wait til NEXT PANORAMA. For Carnival they want Machel and Bunji and DEE JAY and BIG TRUCK and Beads and Bra.

    That's the politics, baby!!! (One of my favourite lines from Richard Pryor!)

    It look like about 25 people show up to Gregory Lindsay MARCH. So Keith Diaz is cemented in until 2020!!!

  • Gregory, at this late hour all that's left is to  "pelt" the millions to secure a place in Carnival, a few hours one of the days where we showcase the Steelband. We have to stop dancing around this issue.

  • Gregory:Yuh think that KEITH DIAZ listening to any message from ANYBODY? That man only concern was filling his pockets with PAN TRINBAGO$$$$ -- which he turned out to be quite successful at and very little else PAN PROGRESS WISE. I still don't know how the PAN MEN in TRINIDAD did not know that was going to happen when that was common knowledge to people quite it foreign.Now ah doh know how we go get dat man out ah office.

    Anyway, how come yuh pardner AQUIL have you doing all the hard work posting and CONFRONTING Keith Diaz and organizing march and he dress up in fancy clothes (like some YANKEE HIPSTER) making PAN VIDEO and trying to be some kinda GLOBAL PAN STAR? Ah hope to see him in the middle of the MARCH tomorrow, eh. Or else both ah we quitting TEAM AQUIL!!!

    But keep up the good work!!! You are a true REVOLUTIONARY!!!

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