Comparing the 1979 boycott with a boycott of Panorama 2018 is comparable to the following graphic example.
- What are the Benefits to be derived from boycotting Panorama 2018?
- Who Benefits from boycotting Panorama 2018?
The 1979 boycott was a SWEET POTATO. The boycott that the CIP is calling for in 2018 (although they claimed that it was actually Pan Trinbago, and more specifically Diaz who made the suggestion) is a YAM.
- This YAM MAY BE attractive to band leaders/owners who do not have the quality to achieve any measurable success at Panorama, and may have consistently failed to make it past the qualifying rounds. bands lacking in transparency and accountability, where remittance to players is the only bargaining tool available to the dictator among a largely dissatisfied "labor force" whose loyalty is not guaranteed.
- This YAM MAY BE attractive to band leaders/owners who do not possess the capacity to command the respect of seasoned and experienced players, but depend on children, in the guise of "pushing the youth" who are not concerned with transparency or accountability, but look forward to the player remittance cheque as a suitable and sufficient reward for their efforts.
- This YAM MAY NOT BE attractive to the scores of band leader/owners who do not care about making it past the first round, as the assistance to bands, and appearance fees would be sufficient to pad their pockets. What would be of concern to them is the player remittance which keeps their juvenile "labour force" satisfied, and once that can be at least promised, they would reject any suggestion of a boycott.
- A Panorama boycott MAY NOT BE attractive to band leaders/owners who depend solely on the player remittance as remuneration for their players, while siphoning and skimming everything else earned for their personal benefit, not sharing the spoils of war with their child soldiers, or reinvesting in the band's infrastructure.
- A Panorama boycott MAY NOT BE attractive to AGM DELEGATES who do not have bands, but look forward to the assistance to bands remuneration to pad their pockets, while they offer the services of their labor force, usually children, to the highest bidding bona fide steelband, where the player remittance is guaranteed, and other fees commensurate with individual players' skill and ability is independently negotiated.
- All that can be achieved from a boycott of Panorama 2018 may quite likely be the introduction of a structure that takes away the management of the Panorama from Pan Trinbago in it's entirety, but leaves Pan Trinbago with assured net income of 10% of the earnings of participating steel bands, and a percentage of the gate receipts, while taking away lucrative sponsorship and broadcasting rights.
- The raison d'etre of the 1979 boycott was justified, and the prize money that bands now receive is acceptable and can be useful to bands where democracy, transparency and accountability exists, where proper planning, and astute management in practiced.
This raises the question of CHILD LABOR in many local steelbands, EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN disguised as investment in youth, where persons are benefitting financially from the exploitation of minors (under 18 years old) and which may require legislative redress at parliamentary level, as the incidence of panorama bands laden with children may have absolutely nothing to do with the increasingly popularity or love of the national instrument among children under eighteen (18), as much as it has to do with dishonesty and dictatorial (undemocratic) attitude and tendencies among many steel band leaders and owners, whose junior panorama band and senior panorama band are composed of basically the same players, as they refuse to accede to the democratic requests for transparency and accountability that adults demand.
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THEY CLAIMING (especially the KEITH DIAZ administration) PANYARDS DOES STOP CRIME. All I have to say is that ah glad we have all dem 180 PANYARDS (MINUS ONE for GREGORY LINDSAY) STOPPING CRIME down in TRINIDAD. Ah cyar even find ONE crime story where some INDIAN EXPAT stupid enough to go back "HOME" and GET KILL by the USUAL STATE SUSPECTS!!!
Mercer: You are just another FOREIGN USED COLLABORATOR. Don't hold yourself above the fray!!!
It is evident that some persons come into the discussion, and instead of intelligently articulating their opinion, and agreeing, disagreeing, enhancing or opposing have taken the liberty to state without any evidence:
As a child, when coconuts were sold on donkey carts around the city, it was not uncommon to see the jackasses that drew the carts blinkered, allowing the coconut vendor to have more control over the jackass, and disallowing the jackasses to be distracted by the movements occurring all-around them. The animals served a useful purpose by transporting the loads, but were forcefully inhibited and restricted in what they were allowed to see occurring around them. Their primary purpose was to cary the coconut vendor's load to the location where it was sold, and to take the coconut vendor back for more load to take to market again.
When someone attempts to be critical of what I write and predicate their opinion with the above assumptions, that, I make out as Jackassness, because you are subtlely calling me a jackass in blinkers being controlled by someone else although not in so many words. That is the sum of your unfounded inferences.
If Aquil, or anyone else believes, and can write that, "This is one of the only forums where educated Trinis discuss real issues that are affecting us, even issues outside of pan...", yet introduces their response to my comments by stating that I AM A BLINKERED JACKASS, PAID BY THE EXECUTIVE THEY DESPISE TO WRITE ON THEIR BEHALF, then that makes Aquil and anyone else expressing that opinion publicly, on a global forum a JACKASS, IN MY OPINION and for that I make no apology. I didn't come here to be popular, to be likable, I came to this forum to express my independent personal opinion, and the prerogative of others is to agree, or to disagree, unlike Aquil I have no intention, or desire of running for office.
For Aquil's benefit, and the benefit of others, this is not personal, although you made it personal by inferring that I was being used by those you detest in the organization instead of intelligently engaging me, that attitude in my opinion represents the actions of A JACKASS, my respect is earned, not demanded, or acquired under duress.
I sincerely hope that contributors to this discussion do not fall into the category of HIRING CHILD LABOR to line their pockets, and see it as their deserving reward for the yeoman service that they may be providing to the development of the national instrument, as the silence of many active practitioners on this subject is deafening.
Russell Providence , I do not know you personally , and we may disagree from time to time , but I respect your opinions as your own , and nothing in your postings , ideas and the way you express yourself suggest to me that you are anyone's stooge.
So just post your ideas ( like I do ) and whether we agree or disagree , let the chips fall where they may.
Your contributions are welcome on this forum.
As much time as I spend WRITING on this FORUM, I enjoy READING the comments from others THE MOST. So I am having a lot of fun since RUSSELL PROVIDENCE came and stirred up things on the forum.
Almost anybody with ONE BRAIN CELL would realize that I have NEVER COMMENTED on the CONTENT of Russell's posting. Although everybody on this FORUM has already concluded that I am on HIS BANDWAGON and agreed with EVERYTHING he has POSTULATED.
BREAKING NEWS: My agenda has always been to KEEP THE FORUM ALIVE!!!
And Russell really HELPING ME OUT. I am also HAPPY to see GLENROY back and RAISING HELL!!!
At no time should we be calling each other JACKASSES. This is one of the only forums where educated Trinis discuss real issues that are affecting us, even issues outside of pan. I refer to you guys as the WST family and I look up to all of you for guidance. The world is watching, let's have a little more decorum as we debate our issues. I love you all and CIP says there's only love in the house.
C.I.P's position is no panorama under this executive. Panorama management committee is needed.
However sensitisation on the benefits of a boycott is necessary, should there be a need for one.
We will have to agree to disagree Mr. Joseph, as I consider much of what you would have written as being quite contradictory to what you may have intended to convey.
You may have stopped just short of expressly agreeing with me on at least four (4) occasions in your response.
Additionally, if only because of the fact that you have alluded to the following, "Last time I checked , there were way too many steelbands in Trini with such a small population, for us to depend on competitive market forces for their survival...', is compelling evidence of the fact that the practice which can only be described as CHILD LABOR is being engaged in by TOO MANY steelbands in Trinidad and Tobago at Panorama time, not for glory, not for honor or bragging rights, but solely for profit by unscrupulous band leaders/owners.
Well said Mr. Providence! Your "expose" may apply to all steelbands in T&T but certainly to many.
WHO THE CAP FIT,
LET THEM WEAR IT!
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