Gypsy not comfortable with $800 pan fee

January 22, 2010

Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism Winston "Gypsy" Peters said yesterday he was still not comfortable with giving pan players an $800 appearance fee, a reduced sum from the $1,000 given to players last year.

Peters made the comment as he toured the Grand and North Stands, currently under construction, along with chairman of the National Carnival Commission Kenny De Silva yesterday morning.

Referring to his own struggles in the field of calypso, Peters said, "Calypso got me to where I am today...not money, and the truth be told, I sang a long time without getting any money. I have dialogue with the panmen, but I have my own views as to what I think about the fee."

Peters also dealt with the issue of prize money for the winners of the four major competitions: the National Soca Monarch, National Calypso Monarch, National Chutney Monarch and the Panorama competition.

Earlier this month, Peters said the $2 million prize money for these competitions will only be for this year. This did not sit well with some of the Carnival stakeholders, who said they believed the move to increase the prize money would be a permanent one.

Replying to questions about the issue yesterday, Peters said, "If they don't want it, then it goes back to the Treasury, and they will revert to getting what they received before."

Replies

Jan January 24, 2011 at 4:01pm

What is mind boggling to me, is the fact that thru the ages, the Panmen/women has risen above and beyond and made the Steel pan a major cultural art form, with no respect from our leaders. In the beginning, no mother would have their daughter talk to a man "beating pan", now, pan is taught in schools and is still not getting the respect that it deserves. That instrument has taken a lot of men/women away from criminal elements and $800.00TT, which is nothing in todays economy is a big deal to the pannist. When the minister find jobs for these young people and they don't have to depend on that little money, then we know he is taking his foot out of his mouth. Has he taught about the fact that, he is distroying quite a bit of the art of "the little black boy", that he forgot about in his quest for political agenda. Politics has more power than human compassion for your kind and you will wake up one day to recognize that, the world works on a racist form and Trinidad & Tobago is no different.
Rico John January 24, 2011 at 3:18pm

Greetings Pan people,

I expect that everyione knows who we are dealing with, based on these comments, givem they are true. Gypsy is a liar when he says that calypso ,not money got him where he is today. He has forgotten all the money he received for his performances, and that people like Sparrow, Melody, Spoiler and many otherss paid the dues for the big salaries he ended up receiving. What aDOG! So now he wants to take out his misplaced bitterness on the pan world and others because they are acheiving in a shorter time span. Fire on people like him. Can he be reasonably negotiated with?

Rico I Ras Tafari SELASSIE I
Andre Williams January 24, 2011 at 9:39am

Salah, you are in Trinidad - where is the PNM opposition in this serious issues - where is Marlene Mc Donald, Keith Rowley, Amery Brown are they with the goverment with this issue.

THEY ARE ALL SILENT
Andre-Roger Dellevi January 23, 2011 at 4:37pm

The petition which Salah started is obviously gaining political traction as it should, which is good.

Some continue to pick apart the statements made by Gypsy and focus only on certain parts.

MINISTER of Arts and Multiculturalism, Winston Peters, says Panoram...

MINISTER of Arts and Multiculturalism, Winston Peters, says Panorama, the annual national steelband competition, has "killed" the steelpan and its scope needs to be broadened.

"The steelpan has been relegated almost single-handedly to this Panorama thing. I believe that Panorama is responsible for killing steelpan and I make no apologies for that," Peters said at the launch of the Laventille Pan Relay event at the Desperadoes Panyard Auditorium and Theatre in Laventille on Friday.

"So we want to encourage people to come back not only to Laventille but to come back to the pan, because this is ours, and when all of the finite commodity that is oil and gas run out, what we would have to sustain our country will be our culture of which the steelpan plays a very important role."

The Doc played politics with steelpan himself and for years, many have voiced the opinion that the steelpan's scope definitely needed to be expanded if it were to not remain stagnant and move forward.

From within and without T&T, we have heard many critics level blame at the politicians and PanTrinbago, so let's hope and pray once we get past this hurdle (Panorama 2011) the activist sit down and resolve this so "pan" is supported by government-funding, but less reliant on the political benevolence of the reigning government so it can move forward ever, backward never.

Respect!!!
- Andre-Roger Dellevi > Andre-Roger Dellevi February 6, 2011 at 7:25pm
  
  http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Steelpan_is_dead_in_T_T__says_B...
kaiso January 23, 2011 at 10:41am

Gypsy reminds me of the old Colonial masters - just out to divide/rule the nation with his absurd statements and actions.

The mere fact that no one in his government is reacting to his intrigue, pro or con, says they condone his behavior.

Look out artists in T&T this vulture has an agenda to destroy
- Salah Wilson > kaiso January 23, 2011 at 10:51am
  
  Kaiso ..this is all the reason why one of the things that we can do is to sign the Petition and get others to sign it this way we are not just talking but actually doing something ...If we don't make a stand together and fight this type of behaviour from government officials ...in the next few years there may be nothing worth fighting for anymore. We do have internal issues within the Pan community that must be addressed but clearly we have to unite in a common front against the Band of Gypsies....sign the Petition ..copy it and get your neighbour ..etc to sign up also
  
  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nationals-and-steelpanlovers
  
  Salah
Pan Woman January 23, 2011 at 5:50am

This Gypsy character is evil. He really hates pan and pan people.
Hugh Haydn Anthony January 23, 2011 at 5:36am

What kind of retrograde, backward thinking by the minister? Sounds very vindictive and is indicative of an illiterate person. What a disgrace for a culture minister ! ! !
Hameed Shaqq January 22, 2011 at 8:40pm

The TIME is Now to take a Stand for the future of the STEEL PAN. Where are the thousands of Pan People? Lets mine our own business........sign the petition please

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