Players will be paid for 2018 and possibly, 2019, but somebody need to grow some balls.

 

By Aquil Arrindell

 

I left yesterday’s meeting with a glimmer of hope. With some convincing from the membership, our players are getting a commitment from our president, that the 2018 remittance will be paid. Hats off to all the band leaders that came a made representation for their players and thanks to our president for accommodating the suggestion. The argument was that the language to the debt for others was a promise to pay in time, however, players would get nothing. Miss Moore immediately righted that wrong and said that it is a debt that would be honoured but she added, not at this time.

 

As for 2019, our president said that from tomorrow she would be going from door to door asking corporate sponsors to chip in and help the pan players. She also said once the panorama made a substantial profit, she would use part of it to pay players remittance for 2019.

 

Now, although none of these things might materialize, and although I know my president is a seasoned politician, I am still comforted by the gesture that pan people’s efforts are respected. I am happy to hear that the executives are working night and day to give each player a remittance for 2019. So where does this leave players? Two unsure commitments to players. I will advise all players to report to your respective pan yards and talk with your band leader. Because it all depends on gut feelings now. Would they get that money? Would they honour the debt? My position has softened because I believe that they will, but I could be wrong.

 

Fuad Abu Bakr, another member from the Concerned Individuals for Pan (CIP) said to the executive that the 20 mill is simply not enough. This is close to a national election year and we will see all kinds of people getting all kinds of things because the government wants votes. Therefore, let us unite, let Gypsy and the rest know NO PANORAMA unless what we need to continue to host the biggest show on earth is available. He went on to explain the social, and financial benefits the show brings to the country and stated “if we have to write that on a piece paper to try and convince Gypsy, the minister, the prime minister, if they in the position they holding now and don’t know those benefits, then they should not be in office”. Gregory Lindsay and Oswald Alexander, both CIP members, spoke about when Pan Trinbago Tobago region and Chutney Soca monarch representatives stood up to the government in 2018, they got the money they asked for. So then, why can’t we? Other bandleaders spoke in this light, telling the executive to grow some balls.

 

Our president said, she is a fighter but, strategy is needed, the last regime left the organization with a water gun and our opponents have machine guns. We will fight but not at this time. She implored us to be patient. “the road is hard but I know what I am doing”. She said. “We are only here for a little over two months, give us a chance, we will turn our situation around. Participate in the panorama, let’s make a profit and move forward from there, as things can only get better”.

 

Aquil Arrindell

Captain of San City Steel Symphony  

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  • Thank you much, Madame... I will certainly take your advice onboard and engage the management of the band to so do.
  • Mr Houlder:

    your steel band organization sounds progressive and forward-thnking, and ready for performing engagements( gigs).
    Now if only you are able to attract year round, profitable gigs , both locally and internationally your
    band would be on the road to major financial success ( you already appear to be  successful otherwise) without having to rely on the non payment of promised remuneration for participation in Panorama..

    You have the drive, focus discipline, organization, leadership etc to move to the next level  as a progressive 

    steelband.

    Continue to believe in what you do, and your big WHY.
    Market your message through media that brings you to your target audience.

    Hire a coach to help you in areas that you are stuck. The investment is  worth it.

    Keep up the good work.

    Lynette Laveau Saxe
    Host/Producer of The Callalloo Express Relationships TV Show
    Transformational Life SuccessCoach

  • To me people mixing up the money talk, the remittance and pay for players are two different things. But let the talk continue it will come out that panorama is not profitable for the majority of bands, most of them loose money.

  • Hey! I was wondering,,,How come I employ you to do a job and ask my sponsor to pay you? Oh shucks! I don't have a sponsor. Well I could ask anybody else to give me some money to pay them then."Hey Pan Trinbago Pay the people they money I sure you could get it." My band Had to buy its land, build a proper structure to rehearse and store my instruments. Pay for a security guard year round, so they can't come and steal my wielding plant, my water pump my water coolers my cutting saws...plus install security cameras...and hear this we also purchased our own truck and 25 seater bus...plus all the added costs of the normal maintenance and they asking we what we do with the money....hear this on top the stipend that the players receive we still pay them a percentage of the prize monies....People real greedy!!! just for the love of the instrument so much sacrifice and we still getting cuss...Lord have mercy.

    • MISTER HOULDER: That is a wonderful PAN STORY. One of the best and most excitingly written I have ever read on this FORUM -- KEEPING IT REAL!!!

  • Claude...Ah know yuh missin' meh...But I done talk and say what I had to say years ago...Ah keep saying it all the time...Nobody listening....Now yuh jump on Aquil PanTrinbago owe panmen bandwagon too...Even newly appointed Madam President and all saying that PanTrinbago can't pay for 2018 and 2919....Have PanTrinbago ever paid anybody for playing in Panorama in the first place? Is not the Government who does pass de change every year? Is not Joan Yuille Williams when she was whatever Minister that PanTrinbago went to with cap in hand and initially got $200.00 per player? PanTrinbago never throw a Tea Party self to raise money to pay panmen/women, but Madam President saying she can't pay...Well at least she give the excuse of Diaz and co. spending the stipend money long long time ago. So does it mean that SHE was going to pay penman/women from 2019 onwards, but she meet the cupboard bare...like Ole Mother Hubbard?

    Tell meh nah?...Who really owe Panmen/women?...Who they really play for? Individual bands/employers?...Or the Government/PanTrinbago?...Ah may answer depending on your response...
    • PAN TRINBAGO really owe Panmen/women MONEY.

      Every year THE GOVERNMENT allocates (subvents) X MILLIONS of DOLLARS to PAN TRINBAGO for their annual PANORAMA PRODUCTION. In theory, that money -- along with the PROFITS (or returns) from producing the PANORAMA SHOW -- goes into a POOL from which WINNING BANDS and PAN PLAYERS are paid.

      If there is a SHORT FALL, Pan Trinbago goes back to the government and begs for more money.

      Now the DIAZ and FORTEAU corruption brought the process to a confusing halt in 2018 because when that pair was given the money by the government to pay the players -- the money disappeared. And THE NEW PRESIDENT was forced to go back and beg GYPSY to pay (again) money that he had already paid and GYPSY said: NO WAY!!!

      So in some ways, 2018 is an aberration.

      From my perspective, a precedent has been set and a mechanism has been put in place whereby PAN TRINBAGO has become responsible for the payment of the remittance to the players.

      So: Pan Trinbago owes the Panmen/women their stipend. I could say Keith Diaz and Forteau are the ones who owe the Panmen/women -- but that is another story!!!

    • Good question. Considering that this a competition where the individual competitors are the bands and not the players, I would say that the responsibility for paying those players falls on the bands. The bands' main goal is to win and that is why they pay what they can for an arranger to put down a winning tune; a tuner to make the pans sound like winning pans; a driller to perfect a winning performance; etc. So why ask Pan Trinbago to pay the players? They don't set aside money to pay participating arrangers and tuners, after all. That isn't their responsibility; their responsibility is to pay to run the event and for the prizes that bands earn after investing in all the aforementioned variables.

      It's amazing if you think about it that here we have a competition where every individual participant expects the same remuneration regardless of placement. How is that good for competition? What does that do for the drive to excel and win? 

      • But you self Noah...How yuh go 'teef' meh answer jest so? I haven't yet heard anyone explain how steelbands find money to pay Arrangers, Tuners, Truckers...et al...according to Aquil's list in another post, but they expect somebody else to pay the most important people who work for them. So I could hire a man to cut meh lawn and tell meh neighbour to pay him then?...

  • The SELLOUT started when Pan Players elected Diaz without proper vetting. BOYCOTT WHAT???

    From Mia Gormandy

    Pan Trinbago and the Social Conflict

    Surrounding Phase II's Panorama

    Performance of 2011

     Diaz stated, “A lot of young people don’t realize it. Anytime you want to be a great manager, try

    and run a steelband. When you finish, you can run any organization in the world."

     Ten years later in 2009, Keith Diaz was appointed president of Pan Trinbago

     Diaz discussed with me his business skills, which he attributed to the many managerial

    roles he has held. He shared an interesting story with me:                   

    “Hear how we use to make money at the bar. I use to pay players to come practice, but I

    made a rule… every person who comes to practice at night gets paid. So, you can’t come

    back and ask for money later in the night because you got money up front for traveling.

    During the night they would buy beers. I would even give them a free beer but once you

    start, you would want to buy more. The money was recycling.”

    How can you account for the discrepancy in gate receipts from $10m in 2017 to $3m in 2018 but money burning up in lawyers fees. Tell Fuad Abu Bakr to take Pan Trinbago to court, who go pay his legal fees?

    FUAD ABU BAKR is the ONLY MAN who try to STAND UP AND BOYCOTT!!!

    “D-Azz”

    sung by Lennox Picou

    composed by Winsford Devine & Edwin Ayoung

    https://whensteeltalks.ning.com/page/d-azz

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