Good day to you, please grant me some space in your Newspapers so that i can air my views
Thank you
Jason Thomas
43, O'Connor Street
Woodbrook
City of Port of Spain
Trinidad.
Trinidad.
"Pan in Danger", 1985 the year, Dennis Franklin aka Merchant sang, today 33 years on and "Pan is in Grave Danger" sadly from its own.
How can anyone claim that they love this Instrument so much that they would feel happy to mash it up for their own self benefit? I honestly cannot understand it.
We all know for sometime now, the organisation that governors steelbands have been carrying its self into the ground, We have heard about the "Greens" though not been able to produced any financial rewards to the membership the executive remains loyal to someone from the outside by paying that person huge sums of money, who's portfolio is deemed as financial advisor.
We have heard about the luxury cars that came into the Island, but weere hidden from the membership, thousands of dollars been spent to keep them hidden away from the membership in storage places. We have heard about the Nigerian Pan Factory that went bust even before it began, millions of dollars that was injected into this venture and never recorvered.
We have heard about certain persons been paind for shows that were either free to the public or shows that either bust or just never came of. We have herd about the amount of trips abroad especially to the UK trip that has never benefited the organisation nor membership.
We know that since this present executive came into office we have lost the following:
1-- Music Festival both Seniors and Juniors
2-- The Junior Nation Steel Orchestra non existence
3 -- Pan Down Memory Lane
4 -- Pan in the 21st Century
5 -- Pan Jazz in Tobago
6 -- Pan in the Country side
7 -- The Float Parade did we forget that it was due to be ever year finishing of at the savannah with all the bands playing at once
When questioned the quickest response we get is "The Government aint give us no funds", Why should the Government give any sort of funding to an Organisation that has been in existence for 43 years and cant show as much as 1 % profit?
Hoe can you want to run an organisation such as Pan Trinbago and you are bankrupt of ideas? You are not bright enough to find ways to make at least $1.000.000 in 43 years, but because of the "Gimme, Gimme" syndrome in Trinidad these folks felt contented to stay feasting on Tax payers monies, today they have taken the membership down with a £31 million debt, with no way of paying it back.
Now shamelessly these men who have claim to have "Love" pan so much, these men who have yet to pay any Prize monies for 2018 Panorama, who have not paid Pan Players one cent but these same men have found a way to go to Court "with who's money" to fight a battle to stay in office, after they were legally thrown out by the membership voting with overwhelming support to remove the whole exective.
At least the President Mr Diaz had some decency to resign and try his best to adhere to the membership's request to remove the exective so that elections can be called, buyt oh no the rest of the exective wants to remasin in offive to finish mash up the thing. Is that waht you call "Love for Pan"? Men who have brought nothing to the membership, men why have brought nothing new or inventive to the membership or pan world, wanting to fight to stay in office.
This organisation that wants us to believe there's nothing wrong, but today t carnival we have also lost
1 -- Panorama Preliminaries
2 -- South Panorama that was once the largest pre-carnival show
3 -- North and East Panorama Finals
4 -- Semi Finals on Carnival Thursday night
5 -- Empty North Stand for Panorama Finals
Yes this same organisation would want us to believe that they have done the best for pan and its membership, so go to court to stay in office, is that not the style of selfish people? Oh and how can we forget at carnival time the amount of Ghost Bands yes bands that you just see at carnival where they get a bunch of Kids put down a tune and run and collect Government subvention, pocket the funding then vanish afyer using kids to make a band.
Enough is enough today I call upon the Government of Trinidad and Tobago "Not one dam cent" no more of tax payers monies must be given to men who cant even run a corner shop. The people opf Trinidad must know what is and has been taking place with an organisation that only cares about themselves
Pan is in Serious Danger
Thank you
Jason Jr' Thomas
A Trinidad and Tobago Pannist
A Trinidad and Tobago Pannist
Replies
Dear Brother Ajamu,
you may have just described a global misconception; "We (expats) should be encouraging those in opposition to the Pan Trinbago oligarchy...".
History has recorded for our memory, the many instances where resistance and opposition movements, encouraged by expats who may not be fully aware of what is transpiring on the ground, except for access to sometimes heavily subjective views, have succeeded in their primary objective of removing the incumbent, but subsequently, have never been able to establish the order envisaged or desired.
Research of, and application of lessons learned, dictates that blind support of antagonism is oppressive in its intent, useless, counterproductive and destructive. The determination of what may be considered constructive criticism is a matter of choice, and debatable.
How consistent and relevant are we being, when we solicit encouragement for advocates of a cause, who callously refer to the only forum where the issues they highlight are hotly debated, as "Ah Ole Talk Forum", because of their inconsistency of views and positions, flip-flopping?
If you know of another global forum that commands the attention of steel band aficionados and practitioners locally and internationally, highlighting issues surrounding the allegations, deficiencies and undesirable behavior reportedly taking place at 14-17 Park Street, Port of Spain, please share it.
When it may be unclear who and what is being supported, understanding of the most objective views that identify cracks on all sides, is quite likely the attitude that may be required to eventually create a stronger (not the strongest) structure.
Too much "ole talk" on this forum. We (expats) should be encouraging those in opposition to the Pan Trinbago oligarchy. Let our criticism be constructive, please.
Mercer Ramdoo, pan men were never organize in any way to make a difference, they always depended on someone to talk for them, this is the reason why they were exploited by those that lead them. Had the Government been paying any attention they would have seen the potential of the steelband and invest some money in R&D but all they did was give money for panorama and get rid of them, there was never a long term plan for development. This is why things are the way they are today.
Mr. Hinkson your first point suggest that you don't know enough of the history of pan and panmen in TT or, you just talking "ole talk." You should start by reading George Goddard's "Forty Years in the Steelbands."
This video epitomizes Mr. Thomas's letter, his message. Trinidadians though, are not Americans.
Rudder too, immortalized many actions and attitudes characteristic of Trinidadians, not necessarily Tobagonians in his song Trini To The Bone, remember "We doh vote how we does party"!
THIS IS AN OLE TALK FORUM - Aquil Arrindell.
Agreed, but ah fraid de parsing. I playing meh position and I stayin' in meh lane. "Jackassness"? Not me. Allyuh could talk and parse all allyuh want. Panman responsible for the mess.
Cecil Hinkson: You remind me of OBAMA!!! All yuh want is PEACE PEACE PEACE.
TRUMP say MIGHT IS RIGHT so rip up the deal and if they try to build a NUKE he and ISRAEL go BOMB DEM TO RADIOACTIVITY.
merrtonestothebone is right!!! That letter should not have even been posted. But then again I does post so much stupidness on this forum ah have to forgive Aquil and Jason.
Boy, but that RUSSELL PROVIDENCE fellah DOH FORGIVE NOBODY!!! Especially AQUIL ARRINDELL!!!
Aquil should stay in SOUTH and continue to teach them children MUSIC as he is doing. But he better start teaching them harp and guitar and violin and percussion along with THE PAN. Because the GLOBAL COMPETITION eh musically ONE DIMENSIONAL, eh!!! And for the most part PAN is just another musical instrument to them. NOT THE ENTIRE WORLD OF MUSIC!!!
Aquil: If you see Mr. Jason Thomas tell him I say that PAN IS A HUSTLE ... always been!!! Here, there and everywhere!!!
Like everything else, you will find a few genuine and passionate souls involved in the PROGRESS of the instrument. But by and large is mostly BIG PIMPING.
Claude but you not easy...You bothering to respond to this new old fret?...I asked a question a few months ago and nobody responded...I'll ask it again although I know I will get the same no response...
How come the CIP and everybodyelse (you included) blaming and cussing out Diaz and co. for teifin' money, renovating house, the greens bacchanal, buying car, feteing politicians in dey house...you name it...But nobody eh even say thanks to Diaz and Photo for the easy money all dem crackshots and even misshots make over the years? All dem children who parents pimp dem out to various bands over the years. All who knowing break the law for years by uttering false names for government checks. All who playing wid ten bands. Ah mean to say man...Comon now...Diaz and Photo and Co. turn a blind eye to all dat and is so allyuh repaying dem. Ah sure Jason Thomas is a hustler LIKE ALL AH WE...All who either play with, arrange for or encourage it by staying quiet all the time only to come out now with dey ungrateful selves and try to lay ALL the blame on poor Keith Diaz...
Why allyuh didn't do the right thing back then and be Loyal to one band? Respect Competition. Respect yuhself. Respect Pan. Respect the same Elders that everybody harping about now.
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