Sharmain Baboolal -- February 13, 2023
Ramsey Moore admits to Tobago's Logistical nightmare:
"We will have to review whether we will come every other year or so. A number of players got left back difficult in moving the thousand of players and their supporters in Tobago have to do a review to see how best we can work with all the stakeholders including the Port Authority and Caribbean Airlines, having to spend too much money in terms of accommodation and Pan Trinbago will have to make a serious decision this year to see whether we can continue," she said in an interview on stateowned TTT, at the end of the Medium Band finals.
Follow the Money
With the childish enthusiasm of Secretary for Tourism and Culture, Tasha Burris, along with her old time friend John Arnold suitably placed as Chief Executive Officer of the Tobago Festivals Commission, Beverley Ramsey Moore should deliver an epic Panorama (Medium Bands) final, at Bacolet, Tobago on Sunday night. A far cry from the logistical nightmare of 2020, as shown in photos and videos.
It will be the second attempt at what she declared as Pan Tourism for which there was no post mortem or attempt to get feedback from the participating bands that experienced all the logistical horrors in 2020 at Bacolet, on the training grounds of the Dwight Yorke Stadium.
Because there is simply no place in Tobago to comfortably accommodate more than 900 musicians and nine steelbands from Trinidad for competition. Except, perhaps, on the Scarborough waterfront.
But, if you follow the money, it is easy to understand why the Pan Trinbago President - and her cohorts- can turn a blind eye.
If “Pan Tourism” was the idea behind the shifting of the finals to Tobago, sadly, no one on the executive of Pan Trinbago , the Tobago Region of Pan Trinbago or the brand-new-second-hand Festivals CEO, John Arnold, was motivated to market the Finals as a product, making it possible for pan lovers to have a Tobago experience outside of the Finals night. Even that they could not do.
This weekend belongs to Calypso Fiesta. Also by staging the finals on Sunday night, Bev and her unthinking crew, eliminated hundreds of Trinidadians from attending the show, to return in time for work on Monday morning, by ferry or flight.
Relying on Tobagonians alone for gate receipts will not bring a profit. It’s money going down the drain.
So, we must follow the money. Who then covers the transportation cost between the islands, for the nine steelbands, as well as accommodation, transport and the meals? What is the input of the Tobago House of Assembly, besides providing a venue?
After all, Secretary Tasha Burris, who experienced her first Panorama when she was invited for the Small Band Finals where Ojay Richards and Uptown Fascinators were the winners before final night, was emotional, almost worshipping the young Richards.
She, as a youngster, could be easily led to the slaughter by the more experienced political animal.
Already, the Tobago region has “earned” TT$925k in prize money for the Small Bands Panorama, with TT$400k for Uptown Fascinators, TT$325k going to New EastSide Dimension while Tobago Panthers, Alpha Pan Pioneers and Crown Cordaans were each awarded TT$100k for their placings.
And with the sudden rise of Kersh Ramsey as a money making arranger on all 3 categories, simultaneous with the rise of his aunt at the helm of Pan Trinbago, friends and family will double the money. Already booked is TT$600k going to the President’s Band, Katzenjammers, with the half a million prize awaiting Champions Couva Joylanders, whose manager, Richard Gill, is acting as events coordinator for the finals. Ojay’s Dixieland and NGC Steel Xplosion will both get in the money.
Once again, arrangers of the calibre of Andre White, (winner of London and NY Panoramas) Amrit Samaroo ( 2nd placed in International Panorama) Akinola Sennon (Amsterdam Conservatory of Music) along with Yohan Popwell, BJ Marcelle and Seon Gomez will be upstaged by the panel of carefully chosen judges, of which three can be compromised.
Thursday night was the last practice for all nine Trini bands in the competition, which sent up their steelbands on the slow boat on Friday morning, after which the players left on Saturday morning.
With heavy rainfall in Bacolet on Saturday night, bands curtailed their practice with some bands opting to return to the venue on Sunday morning to put the finishing touches. But a terse text message from Gill saying ”given the logistics of the events a decision has to be made to cancel all those practices besides Potential and the last pick up time for any band is 330PM" ( to get to the stadium for the show which begins at 7pm.)
Safe in their yard, Katzenjammers and the two other Tobago bands practised late into the night. In Trinidad, though not at home, they would have been well placed along the Savannah drag, easily accessible by the visitors and their Trinidad players, as well.
With a cruise ship in the Scarborough Port on Sunday morning, Tobago just does NOT have the capability to transport hundreds of people, all at the same time.
Playing on stage against the serene backdrop of Tobago’s Main Ridge, a stolen sea bath, free meals and a chance to be outside of Port of Spain, is welcomed by almost all players.
While the venue may be better prepared-than they were in 2020, to cater for patrons, the conditions will remain the same for the bands that will roll their racks down a steep slope from where some will be gathered ahead of the competition, to make it to the inadequate stage.
Logistics simply overlooked in 2020, are evident in those photos which I have not previously published.
Unlike now, the day before the competition in 2020, Ramsey Moore was at the mercy of George Leacock, then in charge of the Festivals Commission when the badly built stage ( see video) was incomplete ( see photos) on the night before the competition. There was no way to push the racks smoothly up the stage, (after coming down the steep slope) the construction of the judges point (under the tent ) obstructed the view for the patrons while those on the mound got only a side view of the performing bands. And the sound system was awful.
Still, please follow the money trail. Most of the people working the tracks and the big stage at the Queen’s Park Savannah for Panorama 2023 are alsoTobagonians, starting with the Small Band Finals.
All of the nepotism is endorsed by Trinidad’s Culture Minister Randall Mitchell, who, none the wiser about anything steelpan, is like the rest of his crew riding the wave of popularity that comes around at carnival time, their emotions strategically manipulated by Ramsey Moore.
Replies
Unless large bands with sponsors take an active role in the decisions made for steelbands things will remain as is..
We will all continue to complain about everything Panorama once the management of the competition is handled by people who have direct interest in the outcome, one way or the other...The faux pas that has been the amendment to the rules that now sees "NO RESTRICTION ON THE NUMBER OF BANDS PLAYERS CAN PERFORM WITH" is a clear indication that the competition organisers have no interest in FairPlay...As has happened thus far in all legs of the competition panists have achieved multiple Final night placings. Clearly the competition organisers didn't pay that any mind because In a serious competition only a tie could allow for multiple placings. I imagine that thinking behind this move was to "help out bands who are short on players". But it only ought to nullify the Panorama exercise as a competition. But don't tell them that...They will be sure to label you as a trouble maker who "doh like dem" or as I was recently labelled as..."doh want panmen to make money"...
So the morass will continue...but I am an incurable optimist...Maybe one day we will get it right...
I am not at all surprised by this development. How in the hell do you expect to navigate to Tobago if you could not get San Fernando bands to Port of Spain without issues since the 70s? The cost factor alone should have been a red flag. Beverly Ramsey Moore is self-centered in thinking because she is from Tobago and the finals should benefit Tobago. With the North Stands back in the Savannah it would have been Ideal to have it in Trinidad even at a modest entrance fee of $100. I was in favor of a Pan Trinbago change and thought Miss Ramsey Moore would have brought a fresh perspective to the organization however she is biased and tainted by her own needs over what’s right for the organization.
How come NOBODY eh talking about how THE TRINIDAD PLAYERS get stranded at the PANORAMA SITE with SHUTTLE SERVICE hitting a colossal snafu after the completion of the show?
Ah cyar even get into the issues with the accommodation and the roaches and rats in the rooms ... PRESIDENT FOR LIFE ... PAN GOOSE COOK.