WITH dissension from within, there can be said to be no “pan fraternity”

By Andy Johnson -- Trinidad Express

WITH dissension from within, there can be said to be no “pan fraternity” in the country. Individual steelband people were marching against the leadership of Pan Trinbago months ago, calling for fresh elections. Now the leadership of five major steelbands have moved to form a “steelband foundation”. One of them is from the band which the current Pan Trinbago president had last been known to be associated with. This represents a show of effective no confidence in the leadership of the organisation by some of its most powerful constituent elements.

There has been, for decades now, a National Carnival Development Foundation, rivalling the National Carnival Bands Association, as the voice of the country’s “mas fraternity.” Now a third agency, the Carnival Bands Association, comes on the scene, with the argument that the mas representative on the National Carnival Commission does not enjoy the support of the majority of mas bands. That’s another contest in development.

Replies

Cecil hinkson June 21, 2017 at 9:09pm

They are also the deciding factor as to who will lead the organization.
Claude Gonzales June 21, 2017 at 9:03pm

THE SMALL STEELBANDS IN TRINIDAD are the SOURCE OF CORRUPTION!!!
Cecil hinkson June 21, 2017 at 8:44pm

I was just pointing out that all energies should be focus on the small bands. Forget about Diaz.
Cecil hinkson June 21, 2017 at 8:19pm

Just is case no one was paying attention, With all the negative press Diaz getting it don't seen to be affecting his popularity, people better start looking for ways to get the small band vote if they serious about removing him.
- Claude Gonzales > Cecil hinkson June 21, 2017 at 8:26pm
  
  Cecil: The SMALL BAND VOTE in Trinidad belong to KEITH DIAZ just like the POOR WHITE TRASH VOTE in America belongs to THE DONALD.
  
  Yuh eh see how BEVERLY and the CIP get lick up? We discuss the SMALL BAND TING on this forum a million times already and KD (ah doh mean KEVIN DURANT) have it CORK.
  
  Oil going and CRASH and who knows what is going to happen to TRINIDAD?
  
  KEITH DIAZ TIL 2020 -- if ah LIE AH DIE!!!
odw June 21, 2017 at 2:57pm

Fifth Session Second Parliament Republic of Trinidad
and Tobago
REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Act No., 5 of 1986

Act1986_5.pdf
- Juanitto Jordano Jorda'ninho > odw June 21, 2017 at 5:15pm
  
  Yeah odw, and page 72, No 4 - 2 (a) through (h) , Diaz has clearly breached / violated everything in those (Chapters) and therefore should be held accountable for misappropriation/misuse of funds/moneys...
- odw > odw June 21, 2017 at 3:03pm
  
  Pan Trinbago - Preserving our heritage...
  
  PantrinbagoBusinessSupplement.pdf
Kelvin scoon June 21, 2017 at 1:50pm

There is no similarity, nor are there any points of comparison between the problems of representation in cultural and sports organisations and the problems of unity and the labour movements relationships with government and employers. Because there are no employer/employee relationships in the organisations that the Veteran Journalist mentions.

The problems in many of these voluntary cultural organisations are rooted in governments past and present, removing by various acts of parliament, from the membership of these organisations, their fundamental freedom of association and their right to determine by democratic means the organisation and composition of the bodies of persons to lead, represent them and manage their affairs.

For instance Act No5 of 1986 ordains that a body called PANTRINBAGO is the government appointed representative body of steel orchestras (or is it pan players). It matters not one iota if 51% or 100 % of the steel bands (or pan players) have no confidence in the format or leadership of PAN TRINBAGO and wish to withdraw their support and create a new organisation to represent their interests. Their solution is limited to fighting to change a legally entrenched leadership, and that has always proven to be problematic. It is likely that PanTrinbago would have been still-born if its predecessor The National Steelbands Association was protected by a similar undemocratic act of parliament. A similar situation exists in the mas/carnival fraternity. Such fights have proven to be very difficult in the past and the fractures will continue into the future unless there is meaningful change to the rules of representation.

Compare that to the trade union scenario, where trade unions have to win the right to represent workers, and that right could be withdrawn, or transferred to another or new union, by the democratic action of the workers.
- Juanitto Jordano Jorda'ninho > Kelvin scoon June 21, 2017 at 2:22pm
  
  Here Here Here SCOON

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