Trinidad Newsday
UNSPONSORED steelbands received over $2 million from the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts last week. The bands collected their cheques at the ministry’s St Ann’s office.
In prior news reports, steelbands were said to be feeling the pinch owing to lack of funding and sponsorship. A January 29 Newsday article reported that Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, said 115 unsponsored steelbands would receive cheques amounting to $1.3 million to assist with their Panorama preparations.
On Friday last, the ministry distributed over $2 million to 167 bands from the four regions (east, north, south/central and Tobago) to assist in their preparations for their various Panaroma competitions.
Eastern Region
Conventional...35 bands...$525,000
Single Pan...22 bands...$165,000
Northern Region
Conventional...27 bands...$405,000.00
Single Pan...28 bands...$210,000
South/Central Region
Conventional...28 bands...$420,000
Single Pan...10 bands...$75,000
Tobago Region
Conventional...11 bands...$165,000
Single Pan...6 bands...$45,000
Total...167 bands...$2,010,000
Replies
Stay on the case Claude, they are playing us as fools
"On Friday last, the ministry distributed over $2 million to 167 bands from the four regions [for 2019]."
"There were 115 unsponsored bands with an allocation of $1,342,500 in funding from the Government in 2018."
Ah feel ah misreading something here. The number of unsponsored bands increased by 52 in one year.
Could somebody explain that to me.