Now I is ah man who LOVE TO READ ABOUT PAN, and been doing so for DECADES. So ah have to call some people out on the carpet with THIS POSTING. As you all know, there is a BIG DEBATE in PAN about the newly-minted term "STEELPAN" -- a word I never use -- and the outside world usage of the word "STEELDRUM."
But let me enter into some hypocrisy here that has been going ON of late that exposes the TRUE CHARACTER of the so-called STEELDRUM LEADERS in TRINIDAD.
For the last few years, BERTEL GITTENS and SIMEON SANDIFORD have been busting their asses off to try to ESTABLISH a "WORLD STEELPAN DAY" working with UNESCO.
If you go back and look at all the pictures over the last few years, You will never a picture of ANY MEMBER of the PAN TRINBAGO EXUCTIVE in any of the pictures.
Here is a letter to BERTEL GITTENS from the PERMANENT SECRETARY:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10222739277781923&set=a.1047873368442
There is no inclusion of PAN TRINBAGO or BEVERLEY RAMSEY-MOORE!!!
Now that BERTEL GITTENS has brought this WORLD STEELPAN DAY to the verge of fruition, BEVERLEY RAMSEY-MOORE and PAN TRINBAGO have jumped and confiscated THE HONOURS claiming to be the originators of the movement that brought THE GLOBAL HONOUR and GLORY to THE WORLD OF PAN.
But hear the HYPOCRISY: BEVERLEY RAMSEY-MOORE told BERTEL GITTENS that she was the originator of this advancement for PAN because a STEELBAND MAN came into her office and pitched the idea to hear of a WORLD STEELDRUM DAY and that she was the one who brought that idea into the PUBLIC DOMAIN which was then appropriated by BERTEL GITTENS and rebranded as WORLD STEELPAN DAY.
Allyuh get the point? Well PAN PEOPLE so caught up in THE GIMME GIMME and HANDOUTS from the government for so many decades, allyuh may not get the point.
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Dr. deLight: I am so glad to hear from you. Just in time.
I have a proposal for you!!! I just completed a manuscript on "GLOBALIZING STEELDRUM MUSIC" which will be published in the next few weeks. But I need the book edited and cleaned up syntax-wise and ting.
Now, you are the PERFECT PERSON TO THAT JOB if you have the time or inclination. We could work out a good price. So here is my email address: musicfromthetropics@yahoo.com
Do you remember this line from the EXORCIST in the subway: "Could you help an old altar, Father?"