Everybody says: I love the PAN! I Iove the PAN!!!
Well, if you really love the pan it is time to step up and help remove the tyrant who is currently presiding over the affairs of PAN in a most ignominious manner. The refusal to pay prize money to the PAN IS BEAUTIFUL winners has to be made the last straw for all pan lovers on this forum.
Of course the organization is broke and has to wait for panorama replenishment. That has been the constant modus operandi of the administration: siphon every penny out and borrow for and from tomorrow.
According to Trevor Cooper, the Government gave Pan Trinbago around $26,000,000.00 for the Fiscal year 2012 to 2013. Support from Sponsors and patrons at the "Greens" gave rise to about another $10,000,000.00.
Add to that millions from sponsors year round, some of which is virtually extorted. And then Diaz runs back to the Government to secure an $8,934,263 contract to supply pans to schools. And we all know that they dump garbage pans on the school children.
So as others have suggested (Gavin and Trevor) we should begin a media blitz bringing this corruption to the attention of all and sundry.
Here is a starting point!!! Three hundred forumites should send letters to the following email addresses complaining about the financial abuse of tax payer funds in Pan Trinbago. Write your own letter or let the Ghost write one standardized letter that most people can use.
omatie.lyder@trinidadexpress.com
Then, on the ground, Bertel and Gavin and Beverly Moore and Trevor Cooper have to get email addresses or mailing addresses (snail mail) of radio stations, television stations, Ministers of Culture and Tourism, talk show hosts, newspaper columnists who cover the culture, or anyone else who comes to mind – and bring those addresses back to the forum to continue the media onslaught.
That’s my starting point. Glenroy said that we have a BIG THINK TANK – add your ideas and let’s put them to work!!!
Replies
My suggestion is also to Send A Formal Letter to the Opposition Leader Dr Rowley ,this fella dont mix matters,,Diaz must leave ,bow out with respect and let the New Visionaries manage the Organaisation in the rightful manner.
Confusion maker Claude Gonsalves.........happy Belated Birthday
What is wrong with you pardner......Don't be going against Santa unless yuh have supporting evidence ....De Elfs just collect their Appearance fees for performance from 2013 Panorama from ten months ago.........Pan Trinbago gone Broke.....ole Talk..........I just hope whoever talking following the organization's protocols and ruffling feathers in de proper manner, and can produce evidence of what is added to the body of knowledge in the public forum...lest they get some pre-action protocol letters from Santa's Workshop at Victoria Suites. It is said that Ungratefulness is worse dan Witchcraft,......time will tell
Happy Holidays..buddy
lindsay out
Gregory: It look like pressure now about to bust the pipe!!!
Claude. Happy New Year Pardner
LMAO!!! Claude psst.....ah hear a zeppo boy!!!(laughing)
Christmas was bleak......rudolph foot like it break....so it looking like Santa is going to be sharing some cut-arse from the Workshop at Victoria Suites soon at a meeting, It is alleged that PT Legal expenditure has increased over the last fiscal year .Elders does say....forewarned is forearmed. I just hope whoever bad talking PT on WST following the organization's protocols and ruffling feathers in de proper manner..Ah done talk.....
all de best
The Internet is the most power tool for Activist we are all pan activist on WST the next step share the post with your FB & twitter friends and watch some movement......soon...
Brethren a word of caution be very careful that in doing what you may think is right, does not put the pannist and the organisation that you would like to see do better 30 or 40 years back down the road. The thing I assume is that the organisation over the years have been trying to go in a direction of self government. The business community already have little trust in the organisation all I am saying, do what you doing to whom ever you want all I ask is that in so doing the Organisation that is Pantrinbago must suffer no ill effects of what ever you do, because if we destroy the organisation no new body or group will be able to recoup the losses that would be harvested. I love pan and my first consideration is for the instrument and the people who have spent years trying to bring the movement to self sufficiency. The Government has no interest neither the past nor the present has any love for the instrument and it would take very little for them to pull the plug and bury this part of the culture. An organisation that has no vision and no youth will always suffer. Proceed with caution please.
Colvin: I greatly appreciate your input!!! The PAN has its own indomitable energy and no DIAZ or RAMSEY can stop its PROGRESS. At the same time, WRONG IS WRONG and DIAZ GOT TO GO!!!
Claude,
I am in agreement that wrong is wrong and Diaz have to go. Let me say that for years there has been a call for the movement to have people of business accumen run things. The Southern region in the seventies with Milton Wire Austin and them had businessmen running the region business that didnt last either. May I suggest that what we need to do is allow for the training of the youth of the organisation in the areas that we think we need any particular skill or education grooming them to take over the reigns of leadership. As far as the older heads go anything that we are thinking of right now has already been presented to the organisation over the years. Lloyd Best, Decaries, and others have contributed numerous documents to the organisation for consideration. I am in support of anything that would take the organisation to the next level we still dependant on others for chroming, printing T shirts, pans, etc etc.... For the love of pan they come with hidden agendas representing various bands to be members of the organisation that is PanTrinbago not will to relinquish ties to their various bands. BLESS.
Colvin,
I’m in agreement with you, but your earlier comment to “proceed with caution” represents to me a fear of the unknown.
In order to make change you have to have a vision and able to articulate that vision to the membership for them to support you in your role as their leader/president of their organization. Your role is there to serve not claim self-entitlement. Pan Trinbago was not built by one person as we have observed throughout the last 50 years. It functioned and sustained its existence under some well-known people in the steel band movement. The foundation and its membership are still solid.
Times have changed and technologies and changing demographics have allowed increased membership but now there’s an urgent need to review and analyze what is important as an organization to move forward into the 21st century.
Your suggestion “that what we need to do is allow the training of the youth of the organization in the areas that we think we need any particular skill or education and grooming them to take over the reins of leadership” is well taken.
I will add that this should be done at the pan-yard level. The proper mentoring and schooling/training will better prepare the younger members for bigger roles in the steel band movement. It may even influence them in making career choices that will serve their community better and help them develop both personally and professionally as individuals. I'm not only speaking musically, I'm talking about exposure to accounting procedures, computing technologies, planning and overall managing of steel band operations.
The youths are our last chance to save this country and change the direction from where we are heading. We definitely need people who can lead by example.
"Proper mentoring and schooling/training will better prepare" the youths for bigger roles etc etc. There are not too many pan elders who are willing to impart knowledge to the youth. Succession planning is non-existent. I am curious as to how those who criticize Diaz and Co., run their organizations. The New Visionaries are blowing their own horn re integrity, honesty, transparency and accountability. Anyone checking? ..Like Sprang asks: Way we goin'?
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