If I was a PANORAMA JUDGE -- I would have given DUVONE STEWART first place ... much like I would have given DAVID RUDDER first place in the 1987 CALYPSO MONARCH ...

[Claude Gonzales]

... in the BIGGER GLOBAL PICTURE, we need to send STARS out in the world with some local credentials ... to give them a little SPRINGBOARD.

But THE LOCALS don't understand that!!! Yet they waste MILLIONS and constantly talk about TAKING THE MUSIC GLOBAL.

And I still don't understand how a BAND FROM TOBAGO could come to TRINIDAD and beat all dem TRINIDAD STEELBAND when we have THE GREATEST STEELDRUM PLAYERS IN THE WORLD.

But staying true to my cause: I would really like to see a PAN PLAYER from TRINIDAD reach the heights of ANDY NARELL or JONATHAN SCALES or VICTOR PROVOST or TRACY THORNTON ... and if it means that the TRINIDAD JUDGES cushion him with an EXTRA POINT or TWO ... I have NO PROBLEM with that.

Of course, we talk the GLOBAL TALK but we lack the GLOBAL EXPOSURE (and vision) to PROJECT A GLOBAL PAN STAR!!!

And you all do not have a clue about how AMERICA is fast becoming THE MECCA OF THE STEELBAND.