Theron Urbano wrote:

"How can New York Pan Fraternity deprive these kids and this band from panorama.  This question is very puzzling to me. I am an American Soldier who took my Pan to War. I could be an ambassador for our instrument and yet in still my kids are being told to go home and come back next year for Panorama. What S%$t is that. Is it because our band manger is a female. What is it? I have yet to get a definitive answer as to why or why not our band Steel X Plosion cannot participate in this year's panorama.

 

"We have a pan yard.. We have players... We have a tune.. We have our own management team. Is it fair to have these kids practicing and parents sacrificing in vain. I have checked your website [WIADCA] and there is no paperwork on (SOP) Standard Operating Procedures or no memos concerning when to register for panorama.
 

"You have bands dropping out and yet in still you wont let another band replace them? This is an outrage. I thought that we want to preserve heritage and pass it on to the younger generation not keep it stagnant. I remember being in Iraq with my pan and getting panorama updates from When steel talks and even publishing my story there as well. http://www.panonthenet.com/spotlight/iraqUrbano.htm

 

"I came back to the states from Germany and said if I ever get the chance to be close to NY my son and my daughter will play. Well Mr. Thomas Bailey please come to our pan yard located at 5601 Preston Ct between 56th and Ralph in Brooklyn and tell the band parents and children to go home and come back next year.

 

"Band from Canada could play but not we. (Nothing against Pan Fantasy).

 

"I encourage pan unity. If it was a band from Norway or Switzerland would they get the same treatment that we are?

 

"I applaud young Arrangers such as Freddy Harris III Odie Franklin Andre White Khuent Rose Iman Pascall Earl Brooks Jr. and Foster. You guys will take pan into the next generation. Tameeka Garcia you are a strong band manager and I thank you for all your hard work in trying to get this band on the stage. You should not have to put up this much fight to get a band on stage since you didn't break any laws. To the parents thank you for the support. Now we have to raise that support shield a little higher.

"It seems like the badjohns stop playing man and move to the governing body. Tanty Bevy and Uncle Earl I didn't know that pan was more so for the politics than the music. Then they want to know why people don’t come out to NY band launches. I want WIADCA to tell us why the decision taken at a recent Panorama Committee meeting should remain in effect is a sufficient answer to why we can’t play.

"A Panorama Committee meeting without representation from our band. Why are we not even allowed an audience with this so called panorama committee. Everything is email and he says she says. MAN UP MR BAILEY. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR BAND, OUR BRAND, AND THE WAY WE DO THINGS; COME TELL US OR CALL US INTO YOUR OFFICE LIKE A REAL PRESIDENT, CEO, CHAIRMAN OF SAID PANORAMA COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER YOUR TITLE MAY BE.

"At the end of the day I have to explain to my kids why they lost a summer practicing pan that they may or may not play. That is rellllllll S%4t… When Steel Talks put it out on your forum. Somebody need to take a look at this. It is really sad when I have to get Senators involved."

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  • Mr Marcelle, If you can or if you are able to pull some strings some kind a way, PLEASE, let the KIDS PLAY, the kids today will be the kids of tomorrow in the STEEL PAN business, I don't think any of the other bands will object to this, LET THE KIDS PLAY, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE

     Thanks, Bede Lopez

  • Let the kids play ....

  • What we have here is a dispute between two aspects of steelband; on one hand you have the socially conscious, youth developing , community role of the steelband  and on the otherhand, the natural competitiveness between steelbands.

    So, when a steelband is seen to have in some way violated the rules of a steelband competition, and their participation depends on a vote by other steelbands , the result, based on history is a foregone conclusion.

    I could see why a vote was taken but the results were predictable.

    Maybe it should have been an administrative decision, but that would have been hardly likely without problems, given steelband culture.

    So, for better or worse,here we are.

    • part of the issue was the bands were asked why. those that were asked stated that they said did not give a negative vote.
    • Any Executive with foresight could have known that with a vote, members would have strike out the kids from competing, whatever the reasons may be, and this is Ok. But if that Executive cannot realise that these are Kids ,and as leaders they must use their authority to encourage the members to allow these Kids to play otherwise as Guest Artistes to encourage them along, then that leadership is not seeking the interest of Pan in the long run, and hence its membership.

      Leaders must ALWAYS think of the best interest of ALL, particularly in Pan, where the young are concerned. They are the Pan's Future!

      These Kids will remember this as long as they live. What do we expect them to do when they become Pan Leaders?

      • The KIDS are being used. It was already stated earlier that the kids had other choices. furthermore. most of them were already playing in other bands. The lesson the kids should learn, is not to let yourself be used by unprincipled adults. If the kids want to go down with a ship called Steel Xplosion, let them. 

        • REALLY!!!???

          • Yes... It's not like these kids were seating on the sidelines. They were pulled from bands they were already committed to and playing in. We are being played. And the parents are being played. Why would anyone continue to practice and push these children after you were told you could not enter the competition?

            I'm no fan of WIADCA but it is their show. Moreover, it was the bands that voted Steel Xplosion out.

            • Bugs, What is the purpose of all this? Who is to benefit?

              • That's the sad part. No one will benefit. Everyone will walk away from this bruised and diminished no matter how it concludes.  What is clear is the management of Steel Xplosion played a card they never had.  And worst, they gave out false info and got people to take sides. This issue should have been over before it started.  They, the management of Steel Xplosion, should have investigated why the bands voted against them. That was the only story here. Everything else, is personal nonsense played out in broad daylight before our very eyes.  The steelband community cannot waste energies on false battles. Steel Xplosion needs to apologize to the kids and tell them we didn't do our homework and we got jammed up. They should pack up and come out next year and make a musical statement then. Are they coming out for J'Ouvert?

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