Gypsy: All’s well with me and Pan Trinbago
“Nothing ever happened between me and the president of Pan Trinbago (Keith Diaz),” said Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters. “There’s nothing personal. Me and the president of Pan Trinbago are friends for years,” he added. He made the statement during an interview with the T&T Guardian last Wednesday at Nipdec’s carpark located at Cadiz Road, Belmont, the Panorama rehearsal site for ten-time National Panorama champion Witco Desperadoes Steel Orchestra.
Peters’ utterances came despite a publicised war of words over the direction of the steelpan. The issues over which both men have been butting heads include the $1,000 remittance programme to individual pannists during the preliminary round of the Panorama competition, and Peters’ take on the one-tune syndrome cultivated by the Panorama competition within recent decades. Peters has since slashed the payment to panmen by $200, citing the difficult economic climate in which the country now finds itself. The Kamla Persad-Bissessar Cabinet accepted the proposal to reduce the pay packet.
In a direct response, Pan Trinbago criticised the line minister, and subsequently told the government that panmen were not interested in its $2 million first prize for the large conventional Panorama champion. The pan body, in its campaign, said the State could keep the $1 million added to the existing prize of similar value, and should restore the $1,000 payment to pannists. At Desperadoes’ rehearsal venue, however, both men put on a show, which seemed to validate Peters’ friendship remark.
They shook hands in the glare of the media, and dialogued cordially, it seemed, for a lengthy period, while arranger Beverly Griffith took pannists through their musical paces. National Security Minister, Senator Brigadier John Sandy, was also in attendance. He was joined by his special adviser Roy Augustus; Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Roland Maundy; special adviser of steelpan matters to the Art and Multiculturalism Minister, Peter Kanhai; and officials of West Indian Tobacco, which sponsors Desperadoes.
Although the issues that caused the ministry and Pan Trinbago to be at odds remained unresolved, Peters said: “We have a difference of opinion in terms of a business. Me and all the guys in Pan Trinbago are friends.” Peters said the visit to Desperadoes’ rehearsal site was intended to demonstrate the government’s camaraderie with the whole pan fraternity. He hinted that other members of Cabinet would be visiting the panyard throughout the season, and that “even the Prime Minister is going to come down some nights. The others bands have no need to be jealous. We all are going to pass by them.”
Replies
I wish the Prime minister and the Arts and Cultural Minister or the Band of Gypsies could pass by my band ( Flamingoes) so that I could get a chance in a casual way to express our views. I guarantee you that they will get a view from exerpts from this WST forum. But that is wishful thinking ..anyways...we need the signatures for the Petition all 6000 plus members
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nationals-and-steelpanlovers/
Salah
No, No, No Mr. Diaz
No, No, No Mr. Diaz
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