So Pan Trinbago says players not getting paid in 2019...or apparently 2020 because budget cuts of $10M means they just don't have the money to pay players
Thing is......they should look at every possible avenue to ENSURE that players get paid.
Players used to play for free in the past yes. But you can't just ups and say...well,,,,we not going to pay you now....but keep doing the job eh. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. It's shocking to me that this is the decision the Pan Trinbago executive arrived at.
Pan Trinbago needs to explore every possible avenue to ensure that players get paid. It's that simple.
First thing to explore:
There are too many bands. PERIOD. We all know that the number of bands registered for Panorama is significantly more than the number of bands that are actually active throughout the year.
Many of those "inactive" bands are primarily used as a hustle and for votes at Pan Trinbago elections. That needs to change.
If the sheer number of bands are reduced at Panorama time, money will be there to pay players.
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Gregory Lindsay exactly as you told pantrinbago eliminate non-starters? Was this meant to cut the fat out? Seem so to me. I just told you this, cut the fat out. Anyhow, last year, I am not sure if the players signed a contract to be paid for panorama. This needs to be answered, to many people beating up on this issue including your self. Your job is to investigate the contract. Here's what needs to be done in the future. Phase 2 pan groove, arranger Len Boogsie and Trinidad All Stars, Leon Smooth, using these two as examples. These bands need to charge players to practice and play for panorama competition. Boogsie and Smooth are selling themselves very very short. I don't believe they understand their worth during the panorama season. This is top notch pan in the universe, nowhere could match. I's unfair to these arrangers to have individuals drop in, network, learn arrangements and also given a pan to play. Then buss it to foreign, no compensation to the arrangers. THIS HAS TO STOP.. Time for these bands to make some revenue.
Phase II has a policy NOT to pay foreign players. Only locals get paid.
Now...that's a generalization because there are always exceptions to the rule, but that's their (Boogsie's) rule. And if you charging "foreign" players to come and play in a band for Panorama, why not charge all players? Why only "foreigners"?
And how do you define "foreigner"? Someone who doesn't live in T&T? If so, Robert Greendige is a "foreigner". You charging him? That's a slippery slope
As far as I can tell the rule charging foreign players is based on this idea of Pan Trinbago being a trade union. When you register with a band you are expected to provide a T&T ID number which foreigners obviously don't have; being non-nationals they are theoretically considered to be taking 'work' that someone local could have gotten so this charge is, in a sense, 'dues' being paid to the 'union' for the privilege.
Nevermind that nowadays there are more pans than players overall and there is little to no competition for a spot in a band anyway, and there is also something strange about a 'trade union' also paying the wages but I digress. At any rate, as someone before mentioned, the majority of foreigners are long gone by the time that check is issued so it's really moot.
Is Pan Trinbago a Trade Union Noah? Or if not, are you aware if they have plans to become one?
Not being facetious BTW. Honest questions.
Thanks
Now as for the "taking work that could have gone to a "local", you rightly IMO pointed out that it's moot given that the vast majority, if not all f"foreigners" have left T&T by the time cheques get distributed.
Besides.....people MAY be surprised to find out that many bands struggle mightily to fulfill their player count in the medium and large band category especially, and depend heavily on the "foreign" contingent to bolster their numbers.
That said......I don't think the IDEA of a surcharge for "foeigners" to play in Panorama is out of the question. I understand why there's that sentiment.
Buit...for that to be properly implemented.....just some things that first need to be clarified off the top of my head:
I'm sure there are more things to be clarified.
They were originally registered as a union. I don't know the status of that today, but they obviously act in some ways as a sort of musician's union for pan players of T&T.
I did some looking on the PT site and see this which is part of their general bye-laws:
(iv) Temporary
...Notably, tuners, arrangers, soloists, sponsors, benefactors, etc also all have their own registration and dues structures...
Thanks Noah. That's interesting and valuable information.
Anyone know if this by-law is being enforced? And if so, by whom?
Thanks again Noah
Patrick: I always treat you with respect and I always keep a soft place in my heart for you. But today ah just find out that yuh DOH LIKE Foreigners and EXPATS.
Yuh real break meh heart, boy!!!
No Claude, honestly not meant that way. I am looking for a way for the steelbands to generate revenue thats all. I want the pan organization to grow and be independent. This is a great way bands can generate income. Example here. USA - Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, are the best universities, very expensive, the professors are the best- all successful students graduate and earn a profitable living. Why we must give freeness to all during the panorama season. Clause do you know how many players get FREE education from Boogsie and Smooth during panorama and are very successful abroad? What's TT benefit? This is my concern. We have to evaluate our worth.
I have been wrestling with two questions for quite a while. (1) When will the Festival Arena (namely) The National Carnival Entertainment Centre get built and (2) completion of the stalled PT multi- million $ headquarters on the C-R highway.
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