I felt this is good a time to revisit Nigel Campbell's blog.
” Keith Diaz, Pan Trinbago president reiterates, “Pan Trinbago is not the Pan Trinbago of yesteryear. We are now a business-driven enterprise.”
https://whensteeltalks.ning.com/profiles/blogs/panorama-and-politics-the-state-and-steelband
Replies
Mr. Campbell has written a very good peice on the present position of the Steelpan in an attempt to state the real situation as * cutbacks to the allocation for Panorama because of the economic situation;
* Dr. Johnson states that Panorama represents the apotheosis of the national instrument;
* Mr. Campbell appears to posit that Pan Trinbago is in this situation because of its inability to manage the steelpan industry ( Panorama is the other side of the coin ) and was unable to capitalize on the spin off industries of the Carnival season.
It is worthwhile noting that the highest revenue was raised in 2016 " indeed it was doubled " but no attention was paid to
directions or advice to that body to possibly increase that revenue with the then learned financial instruments or the interjection of new ones.
Mr Diaz states in the article that " Pan Trinbago is not the Pan Trinbago of yesteryear, we are now a business driven enterprise " and in the same breath turn to the Government to request 90% of the expenses for the 2017 enterprise.
Your centre piece of the marathon International Soca Monarch is a turn off because you point out the errors without any suggestion for improvement with the tools you have in hand.
You stated in your article " Dr. Kim Johnson posits another idea based on his research.....pan is not a consumer thing. Capitalist music systems are about consumption, pan is about participation". A simple local saying begs the question....which came first , the chicken or the egg ? Without the fantastic participation in Panorama in Trinidad and Tobago there would be little consumption. His comment about capitalist music systems seem to point fingers at one economy but economic systems exists throughout the entire world and are not the off springs of only the capitalist
systems. They may, of course be capitalist-like in operation.
Dr. Johnson failed to point out that there are some people who are doing very well in marketing and showcasing the steelpan, even without the excellent largesse of the talents of the young people of Trinidad and Tobago who should not be
an excuse for Trinbago's failure.
Mr. Campbell should be directing Pan Trinbago's attention to pools of technology available to keep Pan Trinbago and the
Trinidad and Tobago steelpan in the front line of the music world. Mr. Campbell is aware that there are several learned
persons who are doing excellently in the steelpan music arena and that these people are more than willing to lend helping hands instead, could there be a hint of disdain or contempt to taking advantage of these oases of technology ?
Dr. Johnson states That Panorama may be in need of fixing, is he not certain ? That only when the society at large get on board ( wait and see!) the idea that fix anything in this island is to shift paradigm away from the familiar. What does this mean ? The image of Panorama will never change, every festival promotes competition, maybe he does not value the Olympics ? Further that " Panorama is a competition for arrangers" This remark reminds me of the stranger who stood nextto Dr. Teague and when the tune was completed asked if the music came from the sticks ( Liam's sticks)
Mr. Campbell you know all the good ingredients, your article shows this, now get them to Pan Tribago and especially to Mr. Serrette.
Helloooo Dolly
The joke is on all of us, just follow the language in reporting Pan Trinbago financial problems, I don’t know if I should blame the reporter because if this was an article in the business section of any newspaper one would have gotten more details...
Last Saturday PKF delivered its independent auditors’ report of Pan Trinbago.
“We draw attention to Note 2 in the financial statements which discloses that the Organization has an Accumulated Deficit of $10,485,685 as at 30 June 2016 and its liabilities exceed its current assets and investments by $14,954,960 as at the year end. Additionally, International Conference and Panorama, a subsidiary of Pan Trinbago, has outstanding liabilities totaling $9,081,621 which the Organization may be liable to pay in the near future,” PKF stated in the Emphasis of Matter section of the report.
“These conditions indicate the existence of a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt about the Organization’s ability to continue as a going concern. Our opinion was not qualified in respect of this matter,” PKF stated.
PKF Independent auditors’ report came out at a time when the operations of Pan Trinbago are being questioned. http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-11-06/pan-trinbago-facing-34m-debt
So, they are saying PT is $34 Million in debt, I’m at a lost by the selective reporting here, I’m sure everyone who has to manage their personal finances know basic accounting involves your income vs your expenses. WHY this reporter or PKF didn’t include the income generated by PT investments, ticket sales, broadcast/streaming royalties’, renting space on the Panorama stage. Where are those numbers?
The Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, says a review is to be carried out to determine if Pan Trinbago is providing value for money in the wake of allegations of corruption within the organization made by outgoing vice president Bryon Serrette. The term value for money I can understand investors would use, from a government subsidy that's questionable. Pan Trinbago still say they are a not for profit organization.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-11-04/review-pan-trinbago-ahead
CEPEP on the other hand is $300 Million in debt and that’s written off as a loss.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,226190.html
ODW you are right. We need to see the complete PKF report.
Can someone who has access to it please post it? Word on the ground is that the full report is out there.
bugs
odw: Everything is going back to NORMAL. Diaz will continue to run PAN TRINBAGO and Panorama will go on as usual. Beverley Ramsey had her say and Byron Serrette has his say but nothing is about to change.
am not surprised if its business as usual
7 days coming soon