SPONSORS AND STEELBAND.

We are all grateful to the companies that sponsor our steelbands in the mecca, heaven knows they are needed, but there is a negative side to sponsorship, being that the bands grow to depend on them for most things thus hindering their ability grow.

What I would like to see is sponsors use their resources to teach steelbands how to operate as a business. They can either get together with sponsors from other bands or just work with their band. They can offer prizes to university students that come up with the best plan on how to utilize pan yards to run business.

Lets open up the pan yard seven days a week.

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  • opening panyard 7 days, need to consider the crime in Trinidad, is high,, after a certain time everything close,  crime crime,,

  • Many steelbands are registered entities - ie businesses.

    The only reason that more bands are not registered entities is because their leaders for whatever reason have not decided to go that route. And there could be a myriad of reasons. (lack of interest, laziness, lack of business skills, time, etc.)

    It has nothing to do with sponsorship and the idea that sponsors would be afraid to teach those business skills to their sponsored bands for fear of losing them is ludicrous in the least.

    The bands need the sponsors more than vice versa. Sure it's of some benefit to the sponsors to have their names associated with a steelband for various reasons but that's hardly an issue.

    In fact sponsors would prefer to sponsor a business-like entity anyday. At least they know where their sponsorship money is going and how it's spent.

    Most bands have to work hard to maintain and retain their sponsorship and when they lose out (Skiffle bunch for example) it's a big problem to find another sponsor wiling to take up the slack.

    The only way the sponsor would work with a band to teach them business skills if if the band asked for such help i.e. if the band  is willing to go that route. It's up to the leadership of the bands to work out how they are going to do it if they actually want to do it. There are many avenues including government created ones for steelbandsmen to gain the necessary business skills. It's entirely up to them to take advantage of them.

    • Wayne,

      Seeing the sponsors are business people don't you think I could be nice if they take it upon themselves and approach a steelband and tell them here is a plan for you to up your game?

      • Cecil, this will not happen in a month with all Sundays. Steelbands have not proven to anyone that they can make money. That is the bottom line. Also, I am not sure if a business can even claim sponsorship of a steelband as a legitimate tax write-off. So, where is the benefit.

        • Foy, This is why they have to be taught how to make money. I will have to say the benefit is the tax write-off. They should have a cooperate  responsibility to promote the culture of the land.

    • A neutral/objective voice!!! A rarity on this forum!!!

  • "The profit motive,  when it is the sole basis of an economic system, encourages a cutthroat competition  and selfish ambition  that inspires men to be more concerned  about making a living than making a life." Martin Luther King, Jr. (What are YOU "concerned about making"? A "living", or a "life"?) BTW - The steel drum/pan is not "the only instrument that someone gets to play without owning one". There are NUMEROUS schools where children not only get to play their instruments, but get to take them home to practice. I'm not sure about Trinidad and Tobago, but here in South Florida, kids get to play instruments they do not own besides pan. (Especially recorders, which are cheap; almost EVERY budget can afford one.) Ghost.

    • Getting steelbands to do something for themselves will not be an easy task after decades of dependency, a few are already doing good work lets hope the rest will see the benefits of coming together and sharing information, because  of changing times they are being left behind.

      • Hi Cecil, the UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND (UNCF) ran a campaign years ago with what I considered to be one of the great slogans of all times. It said, 'We are not asking for hand-outs, just a hand." If the pan world would embrace this line of thinking, knuckle-down and make a concerted effort to become self-sufficient and self-sustaining we could take pan to the next level.

        • Cecil; KEEP HOPE ALIVE!

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