PAN IS BEAUTIFUL XII 2013
D’ Original Woodbrook Modernaires – UNSPONSORED Single Pan Band is expressing the frustration it is encountering in its quest to obtain the PRIZE MONEY for the recently concluded festival [mid-November].
My name is Emond Berkeley, Executive Member of D’ Woodbrook Modernaires and one of the Directors of the New Visionaries Pan Foundation. I had several conversations with the Northern Region Chairman, Gerard Mendez, the last on Sunday December 1st – when Mr. Mendez’s response was that he was advised by Mr. Forteau, the Secretary, “it will be given when they get it”.
What does that mean? ……………… What is being implied? ……………………………..
At the launch, the President, stated that there was $2.4 million in prize money at stake!
Am I to believe that the organization ran the above festival competition, knowing full well that there were no funds available for them to pay prize money at its conclusion?
It is extremely disappointing to realize that the Central Executive could be so deceitful by having member bands participate in the festival and not care about the situations they would be creating for those bands when they cannot collect their prize money within a reasonable time period soon thereafter.
Unsponsored bands were promised financial Assistance in their preparations to participate – I enquired about this at the AGM on Sunday October 27th when Mr. Forteau indicated it will be forthcoming within the week – to date NONE WAS RECEIVED - therefore bands had no choice but to borrow needed funding.
When one considers the amount of work, long hours of dedicated practice, sacrifices made by members of the band, it is unfair and unfortunate that these members will not be able to celebrate the impending Christmas season as they planned, since there is no prize money for the band to disburse payments.
Mr. Mendez has suggested that the band send a letter to him to take to the Central Executive to pursue the request for our well deserved 3rd place prize money [$70,000].
I would hope that Pan Trinbago with its failure to provide the promised upfront Assistance would deem it a prudent gesture to waive their ten percent [10%] deduction from the prize money WHENEVER in 2014 the payment will be made.
Emond Berkeley.
Replies
I wonder what is the New Visionaries take on panmen competing against themselves at Panorama. By that I'm referring to the growing number of crackshots who even performing with mutliple bands within the same category. And also i wonder what is their take on arrangers working with more than one band.
This issue concerning non-payment of prize money by PanTrinbago is yet to make NEWS in TT media (as of today 11th Dec) Newspaper, Radio, TV's or in facebook and twitter, WST members have to bombard the media house in TT with e-mails to the editor concerning this issue.
Great suggestion, the NV have also been toying with this idea.
Garvin, that's because steelband issues are not important or relevant to the overall society. By the same token, steelbands (and their "leadership"), have not shown any concerns over the issues that are important to society, such as those that are destroying the very fragment of the society we once knew.
So, while innocent little girls' bodies are found raped and slaughtered in barrels, and our "good citizens" continue to live in fear of a crime epidemic that has everyone afraid to go freely in a "free society", all we seem to care about is steelband and pan-related issues. When we compare ourselves to rock, pop, and jazz artists, we see them organizing events live "Live Aid", Farm Aid", "We Are The World", and "Reach Out Worldwide", while we go on our merry, apathetic path, as a "community".
I wonder when we are going to become involved in humanitarian and philanthropic efforts, and end the perception that we are a selfish bunch, who care ONLY about pan, what it can do for us, and nothing else. Again, as I stated, we are MUCH, MUCH MORE than "musicians".
I am sure that a hungry child in Trinidad, the US,India or Africa, would appreciate a plate of food and clean drinking water, more than they will appreciate being entertained by a steelband or "panist/pannist". I say when we show our ability to affect positive change in society, then the karmic effect is that society will be interested and concerned with out issues. As far as they are concerned, the "noise" we raise, is like the sound of the tree falling in the woods, where we are in the woods, and there are not. So, the question is: When we fall, do we make a "sound"?
Ghost Who Knows The Way To Make A Sound, Is To Come Out Of The Woods.
Interesting point about steelbands not showing concerns about issues important to society, Ghost, and that may be the heart of the matter.
I know that individual steelbands and their leaders are doing good work in their communities, but real impact can only be achieved by leadership from the national organization.
I think that a national steelband organization has the potential to be impactful in social and political issues, and I think that politicians are aware of this.
Think of how powerful Pantrinbago can be if they became active politically.
I am not about cast aspersions at any one, or to suggest that anyone has been openly bribed, but it is quite possible that the leadership of the steelband movement have been seduced into being relatively benign when it comes to taking social or political positions that the government may not like.
I think even the great Dr. Williams was aware of the potential political power of the steelband movement, and went out of his way to ingratiate himself with the more powerful band leaders.
Part of that seduction may be a lax oversight of the finances of organization.
The true power of pan in T&T could be organized political power, and that's what they're afraid of, I think.
Although, it is also possible that part of PT's agreement with government is that the organization refrain from any political activity, who knows?
Ghost keep your passport up to date when The New Visionaries Pan Foundation take office you and sidd have a part to play.
This is a very educated and professional observation of the people of our nation and the culture within which we live. In other words we operate as "A Christmas job", We put our greatest efforts and money into everything at Christmas time for our associates to enjoy themselves and have a good time. By the first week in January, we forget Christmas and is looking towards Carnival with the same intensity, and on and on.As a result most important things are easily and quickly forgotten and overlooked. So has it been in Pan Trinbago, when we attend meetings i hear the same issues been raised now as i heard thirty years ago.
The pan community can decide to be like a "DOUEN" facing forward, but yor feet moving backward.
I will repeat Pan Trinbago ISSUES would be an issue for the 2014 General Election - TT Citizens always quick to condemn the Govt when they ask questions, it boil down to TRIBAL politics the opposition fools the nation with PROPAGANDA and the masses cave-in THAT IS OUR PROBLEM how to go beyond the PARTISANS politics New Visionaries have to get the country involved.
Claude, TT is awakening we are FED-UP of all the CORRUPTIONS from the TT politicians to the TT court judges - the Chief Justice have to deliver VERDICTS in a more timely manner or face IMPEACHMENT - New Visionaries judgement is around the corner, and then they can FIGHT Pan Trinbago Election - IT IS A MATTER OF TIME....
We are in the social media age and that is the paradigm shift Diaz & Co have to face - WST & facebook would do the job for The New Visionaries Pan Foundation - forget about the BIAS & HYPOCRITES TT medias.
Saturday, December 7 2013
FACED with threats by two convicted prisoners to trigger impeachment procedures against Chief Justice (CJ) Ivor Archie over delays in delivering rulings in the prisoners’ appeals, notice has been sent to attorneys representing one of the convicted men that judgment will be delivered later this month.
Newsday understands notices were yesterday sent to attorneys representing Gerard Wilson, whose appeal has been outstanding since November 10, 2009, when judgment was reserved by Archie together with Justices of Appeal Allan Mendonca and Paula Mae Weekes.
The appellate court will give a decision on Wilson on December 18. There has been no indication from the Appeal Court Registry or the judges who presided over Lester Pitman’s appeal — Archie and Justices Weekes and Alice Yorke-Soo Hon — when a ruling will be delivered in his case, which has been outstanding for three years and nine months.
Pitman issued a pre-action protocol letter to the Solicitor General’s office on November 26, threatening to file a constitutional claim against the State for the failure by the Chief Justice to deliver a ruling in his appeal. Pitman followed up this letter with another addressed to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, threatening legal action if Archie did not give an explanation for the delay in delivering judgment in his case.
Wilson has instructed attorney Criston Williams, who is also representing Pitman, to seek similar reliefs against the State since he has the same complaint of delay.
Both men say they intend to petition Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to invoke impeachment proceedings against Archie by exercising her power under Section 137 of the Constitution. In a statement yesterday, Judiciary’s Court Protocol and Information Manager Jones P Madeira said both pieces of correspondence have been relayed to the Chief Justice, “who is giving them his attention.”
© newsday.co.tt - www.newsday.co.tt
Claude, Diaz & Pan Trinbago appeal the decision given to New Visionaries and we have to wait on the Judges decision - TT are fed-up with the long delay Judges are giving their decision. Lawyers are threatening to sue the Chief Justice about delay judgement for their client. 2014 would be an interesting year for Pan Trinbago - I personally would make an Election ISSUE for the 2015 General Election about Pan Trinbago affairs STAY TUNED...
Wednesday, December 4 2013
THE EDITOR: I do not agree with the suggestion made by Justice Gobin that we should deprive a judge of a salary if he doesn’t deliver his judgment in time.
The better solution would, in my view, be to deduct 15 percent from the salary of each judge and 25 percent from that of the Chief Justice’s salary and put this sum towards the victim or winning party in the case before them.
Imagine the plight of the young taxi driver who was shot by a police officer whilst plying his taxi. He waited for over a decade (13 years to be exact) for his case to be completed. I’m certain that he could have done with the extra money to help take care of his family and medical bills. It is time to make our judges “feel the pinch”. People never learn or change their errant ways until you hit them where it hurts the most — in their pocket.
Amelia Johnson
via email
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