Steelpan to boost tourism, earn forex

Trinidad Newsday

PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley says steelbands will be put to work to promote tourism in this country and to help earn desperately needed foreign currency, He was speaking yesterday during the “Laventille 123- A Different Me” celebration of Laventille steelband Panorama 2016 winners held at Soogrim Trace, Laventille. Desperadoes came first in the large band, Laventille Serenaders came second in the small band category and Courts Sound Specialists placed third in the medium band category.

Rowley said the wins are a tremendous result and noting such achievements are taken for granted in this country. He expressed hope that the time will come when citizens realise how monumental these successes are.

He said the uniqueness of the steelpan has not yet been put to work for this country. He noted that the prices of oil and gas are not what they used to be and the Finance Minister does not have what he used to have and the country will therefore have to use everything available as a revenue earner. He said the steelband movement will be a part of this process. Rowley explained that when players go abroad and perform people will be interested and want to know where the instrument came from and this will encourage tourism.

Replies

Mercer Ramdoo April 19, 2016 at 4:29am

The hills are alive with the sound of steelbands, but there is no one there to hear the sounds. The sounds of gunfire are the loudest. The man made disaster that is Laventiile is worse than the natural disasters of the world. First in steelband and first in that other thing too.
Not discounting his optimism, but geez I'd like to see Dr. Rowley pull this off........yeah.......this coup. Hope it benefits Laventillians and not the other 'them'.
We have lived there all our lives, so dey say, and if Lavanty bun down, we go live in the ashes. Tis better than nutten.
Yup, Lavanty, the meat and potatoes of PNM politics.
- Claude Gonzales > Mercer Ramdoo April 19, 2016 at 10:41am
  
  Patrick: When the players from Laventille go abroad and perform people will be interested and want to know where the instrument came from and suddenly tourists from all over the world will STOP going to JAMAICA and ST.LUCIA and ANTIGUA and THE BAHAMAS and the US VIRGIN ISLANDS and PUERTO RICO (and soon CUBA )-- and start coming to TRINIDAD to HEAR STEELBAND MUSIC.
  
  EXPATS done carry the PAN all over this WORLD ... like dey eh get the 411 down in Trinidad yet!!!

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