By David Maunday - Trinidad Express
Pan Trinbago has dealt a mortal blow to its image and charter as the world governing body for pan.
The steelband body over the years has moved itself from being the “national'' Association of Trinidad and Tobago steelbandsmen to Pan Trinbago, the “world” governing body for pan.
How could an organisation which relies mainly on government subventions, which has no money and does not seem to be able to raise any money, be the world governing body for anything?
Can someone tell us where is the world governing body for piano, guitar, saxophone and trumpet?
There are more of those instruments throughout the world than there are steel pans.
This Pan Trinbago overreach merely serves to inflate the ego of some persons.
The pan was spread mainly by touring steel orchestras and nationals who settled one way or another in foreign lands. For many years steel orchestras were the ones travelling abroad; now it's the officials who travel more than the bands.
The relationship between the State and organisations such as Pan Trinbago is like that of parents whose financial support to their children did not encourage them to leave the family home, so now the parents are condemned to support those children for life, in spite of the children's alleged misbehaviour.
It should be viewed as shameful that this world governing body cannot be trusted to collect the gate receipts from their biggest paying event in the “home” of the steelband all because in the midst of all the honest hard-working pan personnel there could well be “scamps'' in concert.
Replies
Each band has to get its act together. Pan Trinbago cannot help.
There is no turning back. These clowns have made money, entered into secret contracts and paid themselves. But guess what? Ordinary pan men and women cannot get $1,000 each. Everyone has been taken for a ride. I will never pay a cent towards any future Pan Trinbago event under the leadership of this Executive. This is a sordid turn of events. And it isn't over yet.
Lance: Ah lot ah people know dat!!! But ah lot ah people DON'T KNOW THAT!!!
David, you could not have said it better.
As a pan player who moved to Denmark in 1984, I had to take a more independent approach than back home with Tunapuna All Stars.
Companies don't sponsor steelbands. The government doesn't give steelbands assistance. Even the panyard is a place where you have got to pay rent.
Rudy "Two Leff" Smith told me when I got here:"Nobody eh go help yuh pay yuh rent when month end reach. When dey want yuh play, make sure dat dey pay."
Get paid for your performance. When you pay your taxes, deduct the costs of buying and maintaining instruments, transport, clothes and rent for your practice area. Pay your players at the end of each performance.
Don't wait on anybody, whether it is the government or any other governing body, businessman or sponsor, to get assistance. None of them have any genuine interest in the instrument.
Yuh see wey ah comin from?
David, I did not know you were so good with lyrics!!!! You could not have said it better. I never saw it in that light before.
Pan Trinbago has now become a disgrace to Pan People.
Gregory, my good friend. I eh going nowhere. Don't forget that I am on PACIFIC STANDARD TIME. And this morning WST put up this interview with JOHNATHAN SCALES so I have to go read that about three times and deLight in the successes of this man since NO TRINIDAD PAN MAN can't seem to play on such GLOBAL SCALES.
there could well be “scamps'' in concert. as David drops mic!!
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