MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL MEDIA OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
PRESS CONFERENCE – Newtown Playboys Pan Theatre
Hosted by PAN TRINBAGO MEMBER BANDS
November 9, 2021
Our purpose today is to present a balanced view of the current circumstances within Pan Trinbago, and to highlight acts of violations of Pan Trinbago’s Constitution committed by the Beverley Ramsey Moore led Executive during their term of office. The entire constitution document is available for review at https://www.pantrinbago.co.tt/Overview/TheConstitution.aspx. Presenting below are excerpts of current and relevant circumstances affecting the operation of Pan Trinbago.
Pan Trinbago Constitution dated 1986 states:
ARTICLE 7 – STRUCTURE - The organizational structure of the Association shall be composed of:
a. The General Body
b. The Central Executive Committee
c. Regional Committees
PART A. THE GENERAL BODY
i. The General Body shall consist of all classes of members of the Association.
ii. Each member steelband shall elect two (2) delegates to act as its representatives to the General Body and shall inform the Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the names of such delegates.
iii. Only those members and /or delegates who are in good financial standing with the Association shall be entitled to attend and vote at meetings of the General Body.
MEETINGS OF THE GENERAL BODY
The meetings of the General Body shall be convened as follows:
i. Convention
ii. Special Convention
iii. Annual General Meeting
iv. Extraordinary General Meeting
1. CONVENTION
a. The Convention shall be the supreme legislative and judicial authority of the Association and shall be convened once every three calendar years during the period September 1 to October 31 to determine general policy of the Association and to elect members to the Central Executive Committee.
PART B. CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. At each Convention the General Body shall elect persons from their number who shall comprise and be designated as the Central Executive Committee and they shall be Ex- Officio Directors of the Association.
2. The members of the Central Executive Committee shall hold office for a term of three (3) years such term to be computed from the date of their election to office and each member shall hold of office until his removal from office or until the next Convention, whichever is sooner.
As indicated and clearly stated above, Pan Trinbago is constitutionally mandated to hold a Convention and Elections every three (3) years during a stipulated period. The incumbent Central Executive Committee during their third year of office is constitutionally mandated to prepare, schedule and announce the date of the Convention and Elections.
The Beverly Ramsey Moore led Central Executive Committee has FAILED to prepare, schedule and announce the date for the constitutionally mandated Convention and Elections, and instead has decided to remain in office beyond the expiration date of the Term of Office that they were elected to serve. THIS IS A BLATANT VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION BY BEVERLEY RAMSEY MOORE, AND A BETRAYAL OF THE OATH OF OFFICE TAKEN BY HER TO UPHOLD THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE.
Pan Trinbago Constitution dated 1986 states:
ARTICLE 11-FINANCE -: Clause #7. The Association shall not make or grant loans to any of its employees, agents, Officers or other personnel.
Action by the Beverley Ramsey Moore led Executive quoted from minutes of a Central Executive meeting held on October 20, 2020.
Item # 5 –Other Business:
5.1 PAN ELITES
5.1.1 The Chair Beverley Ramsey Moore informed members about the court judgement against Pan Elites Steel Orchestra and by extension its Manager Mr. Anthony Walker, for monies owed arising out of their performance at the Caribana Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2016.
5.1.2 The payment of $35,000 is required to pay the debt. Mr. Walker has requested the five months’ salary owed to him for the period May 2018 – October 2018, which amounts to $20,000 and 50% advance on his current salary for the next five months, which amounts to $15,000. This would provide the $35,000 to cover the court judgement.
5.1.3 These payments were unanimously agreed by all members present.
As evidenced above, the 50% advance on salary or $15,000 made by the Beverley Ramsey Moore led Executive to Mr. Anthony Walker, Chairman of Pan Trinbago Eastern Region, was the equivalent of a loan and a clear violation of Pan Trinbago’s constitution, placing Mr. Walker in a compromised position, being beholden to Beverley Ramsey Moore.
Pan Trinbago Constitution dated 1986 states:
Article 13 – Discipline
Discipline of Officers:
Section C – Orders:
1. Upon the determination of the guilt of any offender the Central Executive Committee shall have the power to make any or all of the following orders -:
1 a. It may order that the officer be placed on probation.
1 b. It may order that the officer be fined
1 c. It may order that the Officer be suspended from his duties for a definite period upon such terms and conditions as it may determine.
1 d. It may order that the Officer be suspended from the Association for a period not in excess of three (3) months during which period the Officer shall not be entitled to any of the privileges or benefits of membership.
1 e. It may order that the Officer be removed from office.
1 f. It may order that the Officer be expelled from the Association.
1 g. It may make such order that may be determined by it to be in the best interest of the Association.
At a meeting of the Beverley Ramsey Moore led Central Executive Committee held on September 17, 2021, a decision was taken to suspend four (4) Officers of the Association based on a letter written by Mr. Anthony Walker, Chairman of Pan Trinbago Eastern Region to the Secretary of Pan Trinbago. Mr. Walker would have received a letter from a member band seeking clarification on alleged statements made at a meeting at their pan yard. Mr. Walker ended his letter by requesting that the Beverley Ramsey Moore led Executive institute disciplinary action against his four (4) colleagues, all Officers of the Northern Region.
The Order to suspend the Officers before an investigation was conducted and before any determination of guilt was found was in clear violation of the Constitution of Pan Trinbago, as is stated above.
It must be noted here that this is the same Anthony Walker, Eastern Region Pan Trinbago Chairman who would have received an inappropriate loan from Beverley Ramsey Moore that apparently colluded with her to perpetrate administrative harm and personal injury on fellow members of Pan Trinbago.
It must also be noted here that the letter from the member band which was used by Mr. Walker, was written by a band member who was not present at the referenced meeting at their pan yard, and the information stated in the letter was heresay.
Replies
THE TOBAGO BLOCK VOTE deciding the PRESIDENCY at PAN TRINBAGO and the PRESIDENCY in TUCO. And in both cases is nothing but POWER GRABBING and TRAMPLING THE CONSTITUTIONS by DESPERATE TOBAGONIANS.
I like the idea of PAN TRINBAGO and TUCO joining forces in NEW UN-TOBAGO LEADERSHIP ... so leh meh play meh favourite calypso ... that they try to sing at the end of this press conference!!!