Visitors Fees and Registration for Panorama 2011

Pan Trinbago is issuing a reminder to steelbands who contract foreigners as players in the National Panorama competitions that they are required to pay dues.

 

This is outlined in Pan Trinbago’s Constitution Bye Laws under the heading Article 9 – Fees and Dues.


from the news desk of Pan Trinbago

 

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  • Foreign Pannists Panorama Registration
    Wednesday, 19 January 2011 21:09

    Pan Trinbago is issuing a reminder to steelbands who contract foreigners as players in the National Panorama competitions that they are required to pay dues.
    This is outlined in Pan Trinbago's Constitution Bye-Laws under the heading Article 9 - Fees and Dues.
    The rule reads
    "Visitors to Trinidad and Tobago who are performing at the Panorama or Festival with a steelband, shall pay a due of ($100.00 US. or $600.00 TT."
    Failure to comply will result in non-performance of player.
    Registration forms can be accessed here. (see the link below)
    http://www.pantrinbago.co.tt/index.php?option=com_content&view=...

    My Response with Analytics
    Freedom of speech, and freedom to grow is available to all in most democracies. This also applies to Pan Trinbago. However, this policy of Pan Trinbago need to be reconsidered for a rapid reversal, a sincere apology and a speedy reimbursement with interest to those foreign steelpan players who have already paid this unfair/immoral levy. In Pan Trinbago’s quest to grow the steelpan as a viable revenue generator for culture and the steelpan industry, it is imperative that amendments to their constitution should be reviewed and processed periodically. These managerial reviews would indicate to interested parties that the organization has been evaluating their plans and consulting with stakeholders of the steelpan industry to achieve the best solutions for true consistent growth. I own my steelpans which I proudly purchased in Trinidad & Tobago and I am a soloist on my double seconds, so I don’t need a band to experience the vibes of steelband panorama anymore. However, I love listening to the full steelbands at panorama time and I love advancement for the steelpan industry as a global whole.

    The following are some point-by-point hypothetical scenarios for consideration by the exploited foreign steelpan-players upon whom this ridiculous player-tax burden has been imposed by Pan Trinbago. Pan Trinbago must clearly define without any ambiguity who is a foreigner.

    Scenario #1 - We the (labelled) foreigners should acknowledge that we really do not belong to Trinidad & Tobago. So let us collectively smile and pay the $100.00US or $600.00 TT, even if you were born in Laventille like I am

    Benefit #1 for Pan Trinbago - Pan Trinbago would gain more annual revenues through the foreign-player taxation

    Benefit #1 to Foreigners - We the foreign players would have earned the right to update their curriculum vitae annually because we paid the required $100.00 US or $600.00 TT for approximately four weeks of advanced steelpan music lessons and steelpan skills development; even if we did not make it on the grand stage for the panorama

    Consequence #1 to Local Steelpan Players - The steelpan crafts-people, players and skilled workers would not inherit much by way of any new financial injection towards from the foreign player tax paid to Pan Trinbago

    Scenario #2 - We foreigners should begin to reconsider investing our steelpan dollars were we reside in the foreign lands. This would help us develop the foreign-based steelpan builders, tuners, arrangers and players etc., and end any patriotic dependance on Trinidad & Tobago because of Pan Trinbago’s short-sightedness

    Benefit #2 for Pan Trinbago - The limited annual revenues would continue indefinitely, or until a fixed time period in the future (The possible removal of this foreign player fee policy by a different Pan Trinbago administration)

    Benefit #2 for Foreigners - The procurement of steelpan instruments for the global foreign-based steelpan projects in school and community orchestras would no longer be aligned or dependent on the Trinidad & Tobago market to supply and service their instruments

    Justification for Benefit #2 for Foreigners - Remember, it is a global market place, and filmmakers are given tax credit and incentives to film in certain municipalities/cities to encourage bigger spending into the local economy and create many opportunities and jobs for the residents

    Consequence #2 to Local Steelpan Crafts-persons - Competition for the foreign dollars would eliminate Trinidad & Tobago steelpan builders and service providers from the equation when large and small scale purchases are required


    Solution - If Pan Trinbago is supposed to be the world governing body for steelpan and the global pan people, then consult with the world through a global forums to be effective leaders, or we would continue to determine our own destiny without Pan Trinbago’s leadership or lack thereof - SIMPLE

    Conclusion - If the locals/non-foreigners choose to ignore this foreigner players fee policy because it does not directly affect their pockets; and choose to remain silent to this injustice, then the lessons from the -$200.00 Panorama 2011 experience would have had little to no learning impact on all “players” in the steelpan experience, both local and foreign. A clear road forward must be determined by the people who are affected the most, and this is just the beginning of possible responses from the steelpan people in the diaspora. Do not try to impose draconian policies upon the messengers of steelpan. We are also carrying our responsibility to the other parts of the world just as you are doing in Trinidad & Tobago

    Footnote: Remember Lord Nelson’s calypso,”immigration stamp meh (passport), “Foreigner.” I was born on the hill (Laventille), but if they keep reminding me, that I do not belong here, then I have no other alternative but to take all meh business wid meh.
  • Do Something for Pan

     

    No, No, No Mr. Diaz
    No, No, No Mr. Diaz
    Doh bite the hand, dat does always feed Pan-man
    Go, Go, Go Mr. Diaz
    Town say so Mr. Diaz
    Go, an’ when yuh leaving, take yuh Foto

  • Pan Trinbago could not have come up with this on their own.  This smells like either the Gypsy or Pan Trinbago's boss the Trinidad and Tobago government had a large hand in this.  What are the rules for who qualifies as a local and or a foreign player? Is it the ownership of a utility bill? A passport? Or is a Trinidad birth certificate?

    Will all panorama players have to present their birth papers or passports or drivers licenses  before they take the stage? This is nonsense.  Moreover, Pan Trinbago lacks the ability to collect.  They are not a collection agency.  The Trinidad government on the other hand can.  They can meet foreign players at the airport and tax them when they declare why they are in Trinidad.

    This is why this smells like the Gypsy's doing.  It's clumsy, awkward and dumb.  And the math doesn't make any sense.

    Let's say there are 1000 foreign players in Trinidad during the panorama season and each spends a minimum of $2000 US dollars during their stay.  That's $2,000,000 US that's being pumped into the Trinidad and Tobago economy.  $2,000,000 vs $100,000 at best - you do the math.

    The last time Pan Trinbago tried to block players from playing was two years ago over the number of players on stage.  That turned into one of the most embarrassing moments in pan history.

    Pan Trinbago should concentrate on trying to collect the measly $35 dollars that the Gypsy and their boss took from them in broad daylight.

    Don't shoot yourself again in the foot.

    bugs

     

    bugs 

  • This is shameful.  Making visitors pay to play when local bands are scrunting for players?  Band are paying crackshots to fall in after their bands are eliminated because they dont have enough players.  This would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic.  Panlovers come to Trinidad, rent places to stay for a month or more and spend money.  They don't care about $1000TT or $800 TT, they come for the love of pan. 

    And now they are supposed to pay? 

    And hello TIDCO, hello?  Minister of Tourism, your arrivals are declining yearly.  Hello?  This is the way loyal repeat visitors are treated?   Great idea to tax visitors who actually contribute to the culture.

  • I have been coming to Carnival for many years; and there is not a year that I know of where there was not a confusion related to Trinidad Carnival. Why is it that Trinidad has been promoting Carnival for so many years and there is no perfection in the art form. Trinidad should be showing the rest of the world  how to perfect all divisions of its Carnival.  At this point and time in the life of pan, Pan Trinbago has been quarreling with the Minister (not that he is right in his remarks); Quarreling with the Government on funding; Now its gone to the bands and their players.  Pan Trinbago has been raising its fees to Panorama patrons for entry into the various competition successively every year, and they are still facing a defecit. Now they are attacking the foreign players.  On Mr David DeSouza's comment, he must remember that the Foreign Player is not bringing a band into the country to play his/her music.  He will be playing with a registered Trinidad band. The undertone here is that only Trinidadians should play in a band for Panorama.  I however think that Pan Trinbago is mismanaged.
  • So would a foreign arranger, welder, trucker, painter also have to pay dues to the Pan Trinbago Government? Let me get this straight... someone who spends money to come to Trinidad and Tobago, stay and eat here, participate in the creation of a valuable product should pay a tax to Pan Trinbago, yet pirates with camcorders and phones are allowed to capture performances for redistribution!!! I agree that in order to make the product saleable, we have to lock certain aspects down, taxing a foreign player is NOT the answer, in my opinion. As a matter of fact if a foreign player pays ANYONE, it should be the band whose music they are playing and whose instruments they are probably using. This just does NOT make a lick of sense.  I have no doubt that running Pan Trinbago is no cake walk, but if you don't know, ask someone who does!!!!

    It would be really wonderful if Pan Trinbago could sit down after Panorama and develop a comprehensive strategy for Pan. Where are they planning to take this? If they do not know, then do the honourable thing and resign. We have 7,000 registered players and probably about the same number who do not participate in the Panorama, what is the future for these players. I have always held that Pan Trinbago's mandate does NOT include any responsibility to or for the pan player, we the players need to sort ourselves out. This nonsense that is being played out between them and Gypsy really should be resolved by US. I personally would love to STRIKE in 2011, let the pans play themselves. As a matter of fact, I better call up some unions to see whether we could join them, I am fed up of the annual abuse we suffer; we end up subsidising the culture and the economy to the tune of millions, yet Gypsy is acting like we are begging for handouts... I say let's turn into spectators, beat two parties and watch the carnival on TV. Let GORTT observe the change in revenue. We have to decide to strike NOW, so the Panorama crowd will cancel their flights and hotels.
    • Keith...well said,

       

      It looks like a case of muzzling the ox while it's treading out the grain.

       

      Pan Trinbago should be looking out for the interests of "all" pan players, but instead they are taxing us selectively. How do they expect to represent Pan globally, if they are targeting foreigners this way? It makes me want to stay right here in the good old U.S.A or fly to my homeland in England and play there.

       

      Instead of looking at nickels and dimes, they need to initiate long term plans to get the Panorama on Cable TV because there's a lot of money to be made there. It will also serve as a marketing platform to the world and advertisements can be made, advertising Trinidad pans for sale, etc. They also need to finish their new headquarters and expand it to include a "large" pan musem so foreigners can visit and learn the history of the instrument.

       

      Pan Trinbago is in power or exists solely to represent the pan player, they should be "dedicated to the promotion and development of the steelpan and pannists worldwide", but taxing foreigners will not promote the pan worldwide.

       

      As a foreigner, I refuse to pay $100.00 US to play in ANY Trinidad band, especially when I can play in a band in the U.S or England, WITH THE SAME TRINIDAD ARRANGER, does that make sense? I mean think about it for a minute...a local player may take the bus or taxi to get to the panyard, a foreigner has to pay airfare to get to the country, then pay for a taxi..., a local player goes home after practice, a foreigner often has to pay for accommodations (like a hotel or stay by a friend where it is customary to give some money for their stay) and after all that, they have to pay $100.00 US to bust their chops every night to play for Panorama?

       

      Not me.

      • Hey Gospelpan.... what if they don't even get picked for panorama... you know the infamous last minute "drop" ....didn't make the cut because....you know what sometimes goes on (preferences and stuff) what happens then? Do they get reimbursed????? This rule don't smell good I refuse to eat it. I guess my panorama pan playin days in sweet T&T are over....

         

        Question - Has this rule always been in existence?

        • Good questions Eye4pan
    •  

      well-stated mr keith maynard and i agree 100%

       

      all this makes my head feel to explode. i'm not even a Trini but the state of things IN trini just make me so sad sometimes.

       

      as bad as part of me wants to be there RIGHT NOW practicing, another part of me can't manage it any more. sometimes i feel i'd just rather go Grenada and play.

       

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