It's about time someone look at the cost incurred in moving around steelbands for panorama, especially the bands from Tobago. The money spent on transport and accommodation ain't no chump change and has nothing to do with the steelband. Time to have a look at the monies spent on steelbands.
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Wrong question , Cecil.
We know that the government allocates a certain amount of funding (depending on the economy) for the steel-band sector of the culture, and most of the available funding goes to panorama related activities.
The question should be , is that the best, most efficient and productive way use the available funds?
And I disagree; transportation and accommodation are part of the panorama expenses.
If transportation and accommodation exceeds the prize money, that should be back to the drawing board, it's like taking ah $25 taxi to compete for ah $10 prize.
It's wiser for Tobago bands to remain in Tobago and split the money it will cost to get them to Trinidad.
Mr Diaz said that he spent the 5mil. given to him in October on the bands from Tobago, so 5mil was spent to bring bands to compete for 1mil. this is Diaz logic, the same thing was done in the ICP they paid foreign bands to come and compete.
Do anyone how much it costs visitors who supports the steelbands to come to T&T for Carnival.
It's easy to spend other peoples money, when you have to raise your own you look at things differently. For too long PT has been on a spending spree, never looking for ways to operate more efficient.
If you look at the cost of bringing bands from Tobago you see it's just giving money to a 3rd party, other people making money off the steelband, I don't have a solution for this, but anytime there is a cost difference in putting a band on the stage you should be worried.
A reexamination of how money is spent is good in good times and more so in bad times.
Cecil: If you remember a recent quote from DR. DOLLY where she said that the Government gives the money to PAN TRINBAGO and what PAN TRINBAGO does with it is THEIR BUSINESS -- something to that extent.
So who is the "someone" that is supposed to look at the cost in moving around steelbands for panorama?
Once that money comes in to PAN TRINBAGO every trick in the book is used to steal money off the top. From transportation to accomodation to sound systems to ticket sales to sponsorship contributions.
Is only because OIL MONEY run out and the government have to borrow billions to keep the islands afloat that people suddenly talking about accountability in Pan Trinbago.
And when you add the MILLIONS this Keith Diaz administration steal in the last few years and the debt that Keith Diaz put Pan Trinbago in, to the shortage of Government Funding -- then you suddenly have a bankrupt PAN BODY. So now Keith Diaz have to look for areas to place blame and he singling out TOBAGO BANDS.
That issue of spending too much on transportation for PANORAMA was first tabled way back in the sixties and seventies. I can personally attest to that.
I don't know why people have such a hard time understanding what PAN TRINBAGO really represents although I and others have pointed it out so many times on this forum.
After the meeting yesterday, Keith Diaz is as strong a leader as he ever was. All dem delegates have to put their tails between their legs when Keith Diaz done with them.
Boogsie could talk and Dane could talk but AT THE END OF THE DAY (doh tell me ah use that expression) KEITH DIAZ is a MASTER POLITICIAN manipulating 10,000 politically immature PAN MEN to his FINANCIAL BENEFIT.