A When Steel Talks Exclusive
Global: In a carefully-worded communiqué from the office of ATTSDC’s (Africa-Trinidad & Tobago Steelpan Development Company. Ltd.) CEO Chief Bowie S. Bowei, comes a statement that regrettably, the partnership entered into earlier in 2012, has been dissolved. The communiqué went further to explain that failure of the company rests squarely on the shoulders of Pan Trinbago.
The ATTSDC, a joint venture between Pan Trinbago and what was up until then, the Steelband corporation out of Nigeria known as Xcel Steelpan Company - was launched officially earlier this year in July at the Hyatt Hotel in Trinidad. But as of this date, that partnership is no more. It is over. This according to the Personal Assistant to CEO Chief Bowie S. Bowei, who communicated the following statement to When Steel Talks:
- “Unfortunately, Pan Trinbago and FCL Ltd. have failed to meet up with their obligations and have been identified as the reasons why the company cannot make any reasonable progress since it’s attempted merging. It is for these reasons that Chief Bowie S. Bowei, the only legitimate shareholder who is the only one with paid up shares and who alone has been carrying all the burdens of the company, has decided to return the company to its former status of sole ownership.
“Over one year of his [Chief Bowie S. Bowei’s] time, effort and money has been wasted by officials of Pan Trinbago, who do not still have any picture of the objectives of the company and FCL who have clearly indicated through alterations of board resolutions and other questionable behavior, that they are only prepared to eat up the company to destruction.
“Chief Bowei is a true Pan enthusiast and has deep passion for the wonderful gift from Trinidad and has decided therefore, to move ahead with the dreams he has pursued single handedly for over ten years. This information is to keep you and all the Panmen in Trinidad guided, please.”
Stay with When Steel Talks for more on this breaking development.
Link to subsequent follow-up interview with ATTSDC and comments in this WST Forum
Link to original extensive discussion on this WST Forum, on the Launch of ATTSDC.
Replies
Chief Bowie S. Bowei
Referencing : An exclusive interview for When Steel Talks, Mary Ehikhamenor, PA to the CEO of the Africa-Trinidad & Tobago Steelpan Development Company, Ltd. (ATTSDC) - gives insight into the situation which has led to the dissolution of the original business partnership between Pan Trinbago and Xcel Steelpan Co. Ltd., which gave rise to the ATTSDC.
WST - Was the beginning of anything, any ATTSDC project(s) implemented? Is any initiative currently underway?
ATTSDC - “Nothing initiated by ATTSDC was carried out. All the ideas came from Xcel Steelpan Co., Ltd., but were inherited by ATTSDC. Absolutely nothing went on or was implemented, and when support for the kick-off of our tertiary education project [in Nigeria] was sought from Pan Trinbago, again, it was denied; and this led to the failure of that project again. The actual fact is there was no company existing. Pan Trinbago only talks about it when they need to do some form of political campaigning, and when they go back, they tie up the file and lock it up again.”
I wish at this point to state that you are vacillating in the political waters of the National Election of the Presidency of the World Governing Body for Steelpan, Pan Trinbago. The statement that is referenced and highlighted above is in stark contrast to this message that you are now communicating which I might add is now on the Pan Trinbago website, and as well which is attempting to seriously misrepresent the TRUTH about what is the real deal.
Chief, I am advising you that more than 10,000 individuals on-line are viewing your comments and I would suggest as we say in local Trinidad parlance....."to hold your corner.....lest you become a political pawn that you speak of, in your original statement, in this game of cat and mouse with the truth, with Pan Trinbago. Speak your truth Chief Bowei....and it shall set you free........stay clear of the politics.....as we are all watching from the ground in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
Respectfully yours in Pan,
Lindsay
My concern at this time is, the amount of money invested todate by my organisation, in this failed venture? It is the rights of all members to know also, the reason for the failure. We want to hear from Pan Trinbago not Chief Bowei.
When PanTrinbago and the rest of Trinidad and Tobago respects the musical instrument that it invented, then, and only then, can meaningful progress be made concerning anything to do with "PAN."
Lip service and officialdom will not cut it! In fact, now is the time to pay more attention to the music as opposed to the instrument!
"PAN," as an instrument, is our gift to the musical world! Look what we have allowed to be done to it (see attachment)!
NEWS FLASH
Further to my article of 20.9, 2012 re:Nigeria/Pan Trinbago Steel Pan Development Co., I was reliably informed that Chief Bowie Bowei, was begged by the President of PTB and Secretary Messrs. Keith Diaz and Richard Forteau, respectively, to reconsider his decision to dissolve the aforementioned company. This ploy by the PTB officials was made as a last ditch effort to save the company between the parties and officials at the Nigerian High Commission’s office in Port of Spain, not because of any real intent to save the Company, but to save face, considering the amount of negative publicity, that has already been generated since WST first broke the story. Although it has not hit the local media as at the time of my writing, when it does, it will create even more heat, considering that Messrs Diaz and company not only embarrassed the local Pan fraternity, but the country, Trinidad & Tobago, the birth place of the steel pan.
Further, the fact that come the 28th October 2012. Pan Trinbago will hold its Tri-annual meeting and elections, Mr. Diaz and company are already running scared of their impending demise, as your article has been the topic of discussion, within all Pan Circles world wide.
It is amazing though, that the Secretary of Pan Trinbago, Mr. Richard Forteau, sat through a whole term three (3) years and did absolutely nothing, to stop the abuse of the constitution of Pan Trinbago, and is only now using his experience to try and save face because he sees the writing on the wall when he and his mismanagement will come to an end.
I was also informed that another member of the Africa/TT board was seen crying in PTB head office, saying that “we dogs dead” if this story gets out, and they must do everything/anything to get the company back on track.
I would want to warn Chief Bowie Bowei, not to be fooled by the crocodile tears of these people. as it is this same lack of transparency and accountability, that caused Mrs. Beverly Ramsey-Moore and Mr. Keith Simpson to resign their posts as Assistant Secretary and Trustee respectively. They both must be complimented for the stand they took.
What I would like to suggest to the chief is to Google the company FCL Ltd and the name Daniel Lambert and he will be surprised, at the results of his search, in fact as long as Pan Trinbago remains in the bosom of this consultant, the results will be the same.
Chief you’re from Africa, do leopards change their spots and tigers their stripes?
I rest my case, with these words of advice to Chief Bowie, A WORD TO THE WISE IS SUFFICIENT.
In mathematics the term ' constant" is defined as a quantity that does not vary. in physics, the same term is defined as a number expressing a relation that remains the same for same substance in same condition. let us apply those definitions to the members of the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE of our Pan Trinbago, Same people, Same ideas and Same results. The two committee members Keith Simpson and Beverly Ramsey Moore, who resigned when proper answers could not have been given were made to look as though they were lying on Mr Diaz and his executive. I guess Chief Bowie S. Bowie is also against "them". It would be interested to know how much of OUR money was spent on this venture to date. All those members on that committee can do is old Recycle old ideas.
When everything comes to light I am hoping to hear THE GHOST (whom I miss) comments bout this, this conversation will be very interesting
This was bound to happen, I want all members of the WST family, to refer to all my blogs on this web site, and my various letters to the local press.calling for transparency and good governance in Pan Trinbago. You will recall that I also referred to the lyrics of Len "Boogsie" Sharpe"s DO SOMETHING FOR PAN" and this was since panorama/carnival of 2010. But because of the silence of many band leaders in Trinidad & Tobago, Mr. Diaz and his crew were allowed to get away with mismanaging the affairs of the organisation, many band leaders were even against "Boogsie" claiming that he was wrong to promote such a song, attacking in their view the President of Pan Trinbago. Many. instead, choose to remain silent, and preferred to stay in the President's good graces, in order to get play outs i.e. Pan in the country side/ Tobago Jazz etc.
In true,dictator style, attempts were made by Mr. Diaz, to have the said song banned for panorama 2010, and it was only because Pan Trinbago were threatened with legal action, that Phase ll was allowed to perform the said song.
While we in Trinidad are considered to be the best pan makers and tuners on the planet, there are many people out there in several different countries who are producing pans that are considered "good enough." They have the technology that is more advanced than us,they come here to observe and scrutinize and return to their countries to experiment on what they have picked up and in my travels as a tuner myself, I come across instruments made by non Trinidadians that are good, passable and definitely showing that they would get there with time and patience.
I bought double sided drums in a foreign country to do some pans and the price tempted me to import some as they were much better and a lot cheaper than our local producers even if imported. The chrome plating was like $500 for a tenor (way below what we pay here) and the job superior to what we get here. I am even considering shipping pre tuned pans to be chromed in that country and when I go fine tune them there.So the chief knows that he can get better drums and chroming at a better price with a more reliable supply with "good enough" and improving instruments.
In little Trinidad there were problems with the supply, rate there of and at times questionable quality in the Pan In School program(who want to deny that eh fooling me) so people are looking at the developments outside of Trinidad including other Caribbean islands. A few pan tuners spoken to have mentioned a decline in their export business.
I will choose to remain silent on this issue because a premature commentary on this matter before all information becomes available to me and the rest of the pan fraternity in Trinidad & Tobago would be injudicious.
I will continue to enquire into the circumstances that created the situation before us today via this communique.
I am also summoning Pan Trinbago Central Executive headed by President Diaz to respond on this medium, to satisfy that the ill-effects of unintended consequences and far-reaching implications of this dissolution of this partnership not being consistent with the organization's policies.
Many thanks to WST for publishing this enlightened development.
Ah tink de Chief learn a lesson.
Doin business with Trini eh easy!
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