I am beginning to think that part of the problem with steel-bands in T&T is what conservatives would describe as the ills of "socialism".
Now , I'm no conservative , but I know what they mean.
Because , I remember back in the day , before government involvement , the pan yard was a hub of commercial activity at Carnival time.
At carnival time , at a typical session in a pan-yard like Southern Marines, T shirts would be sold , the local shoemaker , seamstresses and tailors would be taking costume and boot measurements , people would be trying costumes etc.
People were about the business of Carnival , without the benefits of a business degree or education , I might add.
I would imagine such activities still continue in the pre- carnival meetings of the big bands , but now pan people are convinced that they are unable to compete at Carnival in the business of Carnival , and instead rely almost entirely on a government check.
There are many good government policies that are decried as"socialism " by conservatives, but are in my opinion necessary for a modern society ; a social and medical safety net for the people , for example.
But this type of malaise among pan people reflects the worst of Socialism !
Please , pan people , let's get back to competing in the business side of carnival.
Because , that dependence on the government check takes away that element of "hustle" that created the art-form in the first place.
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I agree, lets get steelbands back to the business of carnival. First get rid of the big trucks aiding the steelbands, a whole lotta waste of money here, this money can be spent on designing costumes and materials for steelband mas.
Before I comment or read any further, I am amused by the headline " Let's get steel bands back to the business of CARNIVAL" and I'm thinking why not get steelbands back to the "business" of steel bands..emphasis on BUSINESS.
I enjoyed reading THIS POSTING Glenroy.
If you have good, creative, energetic, ambitious and educated STOCK and you put some SOCIALISM on top of that -- you have a good formula.
But when you have NON-PRODUCTIVE STOCK who just wants to wait for ALL THE BENEFITS from THE GOVERNMENT without any sense of HUSTLE -- then that SOCIALISM becomes cancerous.