Panmen: Panorama must go on
Originally printed at http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Panmen__Panorama_must_go_on-112356554.html
By Joel Julien joel.julien@trinidadexpress.comDecember 22, 2009
PANORAMA 2011 is a go.
Pan Trinbago president, Keith Diaz, yesterday said the mandate given to him by the membership of the pan fraternity was that Panorama stays—no matter what.
"The panmen are telling me from the mandate that they want their Panorama. They are saying they want the Panorama," Diaz said yesterday.
However, Diaz said the row between Pan Trinbago and Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston "Gypsy" Peters is not yet over.
The pan fraternity had earlier debated the possibility of boycotting next year's Panorama competition in response to "disrespectful" statements made by Peters.
Peters had earlier this month signalled his intention to stop the $1,000 stipend paid to pan players who performed in the Panorama competition. This statement, in addition to Peters' earlier comment that the Panorama competition was "killing steelpan", angered the pan fraternity.
Pan Trinbago held a meeting last Thursday to decide the way forward for Panorama, where members called for Peters to resign.
Peters met with Diaz and other members of the Pan Trinbago executive on Monday and said the $1,000 performance fee paid to players since 2008 will be reduced by $200.
Replies
According to Bugs do the math - 2 months ago you give the Hindu community $4 million dollars for divali celebration - what revenue they bring to the treasury - now you crying about the treasury is not the same as 6 months ago. You should be ashamed Gypsy you are a puppet in the PP Goverment - check out Dr Keith Nurse analysis the kind of revenue PANORAMA brings to the treasury every year. PANORAMA is an Industry - you have the wrong aides around you - as a minister forget the friends and positions if they are not bright (education) they would pull you down - get people around you who could see the BIG PICTURE and make you look good.
STOP THE HATING PAN SYNDROME AND LOOK AT THE REALITY - PP GOVERNMENT (CABINET) ARE STRESSING ABOUT DIVERSITY OF THE ECONOMY AWAY FROM OIL AND GAS - PAN IS THE ONLY $$$BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY FOR THE FUTURE.
I hope the few bright people's in the PP Goverment (Mr Stephen Cadiz Minister of Trade & Industry and an avaid PAN JUMBIE should show Cabinet the potential of a PAN Industry in Trinidad & Tobago) are reading this board and getting all the bright IDEARS the PAN FRATERNITY have to offer for a sustainable PAN INDUSTRY.
The PNM Opposition have all reason to go MUTE on these issues facing PAN TRINBAGO today. Their corrupt leader could find $25 million dollars to build a church in the boonsdock for Pastor Manning but they cannot find the money to finnished the PAN HEADQUARTERS.
PP Government we have WST as our watchdog worldwide - do not make the same mistakes as the PNM. We the Pan Fraternity are watching and observing the development of the PAN INDUSTRY in Trinidad & Tobago. It is time to get this industry up and running. Mr Stephen Diaz Minister of Trade and Industry do you research and lets improve the employment in the country.
It just amazes me that in this day and age where the steel pan is being embraced around the world, that the country of it's birth is still backward thinking and not doing all it can to promote and support the governing board. If we do not give our national instrument the respect that it deserves, no wonder other countries are trying to take it over and claim it as it's own.
Wake up people!!!
Listen up.....WST family
The writing is on the wall.........and trust me it have plenty more to come.
Remember that I called the shot and please I want to be wrong. I want to be the one to come back humbly to this forum and say that I apologize for my poor judgment of the situation and that Pan Trinbago Executives have indeed done the right thing, and not sorely compromised the movement's position.
That news article that Royce Russell posted is old news that is being regurgitated from the original scenario that I correctly depicted on Monday of this week with the quoted article that has already been posted. The PanTrinbago position has not changed from then either. Cabinet had their meeting at 10 a.m. today. No response as yet. No press conference as yet. As far as I am concerned the media is just trying to create some 'spin' to give people the impression that negotiations are going along honky-dory when really nothing is really happening. President Diaz's statement must be taken in that context.
Now having put those statements in the correct time and context said that let me say this. Anytime, statements of the magnitude of :
"Pan Trinbago president, Keith Diaz, yesterday said the mandate given to him by the membership of the pan fraternity was that Panorama stays—no matter what."The panmen are telling me from the mandate that they want their Panorama. They are saying they want the Panorama," Diaz said yesterday."
are being made in the public domain with a spin like that being put on it...........it indicates that the very thing that the movement is fighting for, this highlighted message significantly indicates that whatever happens they are willing to concede despite whatever offer made by the Government in order to have Panorama....This represents a significant shift away from the spirit and unity of 1979 precedent boycott.
Let me also say this. The costs for any steelband orchestra to leave their panyard is what it is. This is where the tyre hits the road...Players still have to be paid, transported, fed...etc...Where is the money coming from to do this. This year as in previous years,....$13500. was given to all unsponsored band for pre-Panorama assistance. That money is normally received by this time....$20000 is given by the Ministry of Culture to all unsponsored bands assistance. This year a transportation grant was given to bands to help offset transportation expenses for unsponsored bands, as well as T-Shirts for every unsponsored band....Please tell me where are funds coming from to offset these costs.? Is it going to fall like manna from Heaven. My band sent out 163 applications to corporate Trinidad & Tobago for assistance.,since September 2010..You want to know what the response has been like...2 companies responded with cumulative total of $2500.00. While we are grateful, let us not get ahead of ourselves, costs are costs and represent cash outflows and we will not cut our nose off to spoil our face.
My mandate from my community is very simple. Unless PanTrinbago desists from acting spineless, and begin to use its full legal leverage, start utilizing the politics of protest and demand what at the very least is just and fair at least for Carnival 2011.......what I have already clearly articulated remains.....Panorama is NO-GO for us. If a one time prize money payout to one category to satisfy a political campaign promise, is used to create a 'divide and conquer' strategy by dangling this money carrot on a stick with old news messages then..people....prepare for the change as the cloud is about to break and the river of woes will come crashing down for sure. Unless every steelband executive in this country from Charlotteville to Cedros, large to single-pan, are prepared to walk into that firestorm united and dance in that oven for the dawn of a new era as the instrument celebrates its 75th birthday.....then regrettably I will have to conclude we certainly will be on a new footing.
We await patiently with hope for a favorable outcome.
Happy holidays from my community to yours....Stay blessed and keep loving up the pan.
TNT without a panorama is a country without a SOUL.
well at least common sense has prevailed..
now maybe pantrinbago can look to prove how much to the economy pan brings in to the country.
we all know what pan brings to the richness of the culture, and how it benefits, young people etc, but politicians really only understand the financial aspect.
So come on pan trinbago prove to them you know what your doing, and when you have the figures then you can hit them where it hurts
Greetings All,
I find it extremely that there is no strong leadership in PAN that would clearly articulate the issues, discuss them and show some guts by standing up against tyranny. We know what we have, we know how we got it and thus should know how to keep and nurture it. And no ideosyncratic wannabee should be able to intimidate us into abdicating our hard fought, hard attained position. Panorama is just a drop in the bucket,if, and only if, we lose it for one year, it is a small price to pay to earn and maintain our DIGNITY. "Pan" can and eventually take care of itself, as it previously did, if the government does not wish to, or fails to to recognize their responsibility in this present Marriage/Relationship. Oil and other things are not the culture of Trinbago; except for those who would enrich themselves at our expense; PANhasd established itself as and always will be the culture of Trinbago, unlesss we let otherstake it away from us or undervalue it for and to us. We should reserve the right to determine our future by being strong in the PRESENT. Unity and Solidarity. One Pannist Love Ras Rico I Ras Tafari ASELASSIE I
It is ironic an important issue involving Pan Trinbago and the National and International community and the PNM Oposition members remain silent - where are Leader Dr Keith Rowley former culture minister Marlene Mc Donald big mouth Amery Brown who made a big stink about the Nicky Minij concert (although the concert gave T & T Iternational recognition and expose sure)
It is over 2 weeks now this National and International controversy is boiling over. The PNM Opposition have not appear on the Radio - TV - Internet - Newspapers to defend Pan Trinbago and the Pan Fraternity. Is this the way an Opposition in Goverment operate?
Gypsy really have the PNM Opposition in his back pocket.
PAN TRINBAGO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE.