Panorama tickets increased

ANDRE BAG00 Tuesday, Trinidad Newsday

TICKETS for Grand Stand seats at this Saturday’s Panorama finals have gone up from $750 to $800. The increase, Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz said yesterday, is to allow the national pan organisation to meet its annual year-round expenditure of about $8 million.

“The price has changed a little,” Diaz told Newsday. “We have to take care of our expenses. We don’t get a subvention from Government, outside of the support provided for Panorama. The money which we get from the State goes to all of the bands.

We have expenses for Panorama, including the prizes, appearance fees, transport costs.

There are about 177 bands involved in Panorama.

It is the largest cultural event in the Caribbean and 90 per cent of the funds are paid to the steelbands.” Diaz said while there has been much discussion this year over the state of pan, the fact is economic conditions have played a role in lower than normal attendance levels. “Many people making stories left, right and centre,” he said. “The Brian Lara fete was cancelled? Why? There is a recession in the country.

People are not able to purchase tickets as before.” In relation to the Panorama semi-finals and the Pan on the Greens, he said, “the crowd is a little less than years gone by because of what the country faces.” The Pan Trinbago president said the organisation has offices in north, east, central Trinidad and at Tobago, in addition to its headquarters. “The public must understand that we have expenses to meet,” he said. “We have to make some changes,and that is why we made some changes this year.” Tickets for the Grand Stand special reserve are $800. Grand Stand general, east, west, central tickets are $500. Grand Stand east and west are $400.

North Stand tickets cost $450, which covers “local delicacies and Angostura products”.

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  • Isn.t it time, that the Executive of Pan Trinbago present their audited  Accounts to the Public?. Who knows, maybe  somebody or some group of people may be able to assist with the Financial Management of the Organisation, and the public will know how Pan Trinbago is spending their Allocations as aCultural Organisation.  

  • Since the President of PT realizes that people are more protective of their monies, wouldn't it be wise to cut the price of the tickets to accommodate a full GRAND STAND. Well The Greens "buss" big time, so maybe the intention is to "buss" the sale of tickets at the Grand Stand also. Small profits, Quick returns, operative word "PROFITS". 

  • DO YOU KNOW IF PAN TRINBAGO DECIDED TO  CHARGE  TWO  DOLLARS ($2.00)  FOR THE THE FOLKS WHO COME TO JUST LISTEN TO THE BANDS BEFORE THEY  APPEAR ON STAGE ONE WILL SAY WHY THEY HAVE HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH ?  HERE , A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PERSONS WHO SAY THEY SUPPORTING ANY  BAND  ARE NOT WILLING TO SPEND MUCH IF ANY AT ALL TO HEAR THEIR .BAND. EVERY THING MUST BE FREE. 

  • Can the average family viz mum, dad & two children really afford to go there. Include transport & refreshment

    and you talking about over $1500.

  • If Pan Trinbago cut out the VIP section in the Grand Stand where their people get in FREE and eat and drink all night they could save some good dollars.

    • Cecil: What good is POWER without PERKS? Now that this NEW MINISTER cut up me and Diaz FUNDING what allyuh expect we to do but RAISE PRICES?

      • Don't worry Claude you remember somebody said Diaz coming to New York to run the show.

        bugs

      • Looks like they did not make enough profit from the Greens so they decided to pimp those going to Panorama.

  • I taught there was a Pan Trinbago office in the South on Coffee St at least a couple years ago. I am not in Trinidad so will someone clarify this for me because they need an office in the South so that patrons could buy tickets . The Brian Lara fete was way too overrated and the organizers finally came to their senses because charging over $1200 was ridiculous. There is a show off mentality in Trinidad and we all know Trinidadians believe in partying hard and not putting aside for tomorrow. The Panorama Finals is patronized by mostly older folks similar to the Calypso Monarch Semis in Skinner Park, San Fernando . The problem here is 85% off pan players today are youth . Pan Trinbago have to find ways to sway the youth to patronize the Finals even if it means keeping the Greens for final night .
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