Something ought to be said about the ability of PanTrinbago executive to hold on to power seven months after they were to have an election, they are so sure of themselves that they are telling us what they are going to do in 2014. They are able to manipulate the legal system of T&T and render the opponent nul and void.
The question that is begging to be asked is why the opposition cannot use the legal system to make them call an election?
If they replace the candidates that's involve in the courts why can't the election be held?
Is the opposition getting the best legal advise?
Just asking.....
Replies
BTW - Pan Trinbago is not registered as a "union" with the Registrar of Trade Unions. They keep claiming some type of government-appointed status (statutory body) , however, our Constitution, as a "republic", has "checks and balances" and "everyone is equal under the law". Besides, we do not have a very law-abiding government, do we? (That's another story.) Stay tuned; we about to "bring it", as the young people say nowadays. In the meantime, raise your "intellect". Know your constitutional rights and your rights as members of Pan Trinbago. Which, by the way, Pan Trinbago is not a "true democracy" where EVERY individual has a vote (and a voice). It is more like a republican form of government, where the leaders and "captains" decide what's good for their band members. And, if you have a politically-corrupt or self-seeking leader, then you can "forget about it". "It", being ANY change in the "Quality of Life" of the local panman and panwoman, who will continue to willingly-slave for and equally-willing slave master namely, Pan Trinbago. The "steelband movement" is about to arise from its dormancy!
GHOST.
About time you enter the fray to correct the ship's course back on track. What's old is a New Vision again.
Every time I read these posts, I am truly awed...
What can be done? Do something. Want Pan Trinbago removed? Remove them. How? By ending the exploitation of the local panman and panwomen and reclaiming our industry, so that we can compete on the international scale once again. Anyway, form your own union. Boycott EVERY Pan Trinbago event! PERIOD! I've said that before. Build on the "Steelpan Blueprint For Success" and enough with the personality issues. This GHOST will ALWAYS be a (true) activist, and will ALWAYS ruffle the feather of the elite and snobbish, and those who prefer to "rub shoulders" with them. I will continue in the traditions of the "Malcolm X of the Steelband Movement" - George "Sonny" Goddard - and will continue to speak out and up for the local artiste, whether they appreciate it or not. Time to develop your own pedagogy and "blueprint" toward your own (collective) success. For divided, the local steelbands will eventually ALL fall, and the "image" of the "panman" will forever be replaced with a more aesthetically-pleasing version. The very people who deserve to eat what they cooked-up, will be begging for mere morsels, as the ethnic-cleansing continues. Forget about steelbands; they have been replaced with orchestras of the "educated" and "snobbish". (Don't get me started...lol.) Anyway, back on subject:
Steelpan Blueprint For Success® (Latest Edition. ©2013)
Steel Drum/Pan Blueprint For Success Highlights
*The pan union should represent panists not steelbands. Steel bands should be registered (for-profit) corporations, whom union-represented panists would work for.
*The government would assist steelbands in becoming for-profit business corporations, by way of grants, low interest loans and other business start-up assistance.
*Any union representing panists should function as a non-profit workers' union, that answers to the needs and welfare of it membership i.e. panists (only).
*The leader of the pan union, should be a registered union member for (at least) 5 years, and be registered for at least one year with a functioning steelband, or be an active performing/recording panist . In addition they should (at least) own a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), preferably in the non-profit area.
*The pan union should function similar to any reputable musician's union, and have available benefits to it membership, including (but not limited to): term life insurance, health and dental insurance, employment and education assistance services, financial educational assistance services, prepaid legal services, pension and retirement plans and services, family and domestic abuse counseling services, and a credit union (for low-interest mortgage, auto, student, and business loans, no-fee checking and savings accounts, estate planning, investment options, and other “banking” services). There are so many panists, that by the concept of “The Law of Large Numbers”, on which most of these services are based, the costs should be affordable to even the most modest income.
*The recording (audio, video, or otherwise) of ANY event in which a union member (or members) is a participant/performer, should be by the expressed written consent of the performing union member(s), as evidenced on official union contract(s), prepared by the union's legal team. This includes Panorama, and the local television companies will also have to enter into legal agreements/contracts. The contracts will reserve the rights for recorded union members to payments, royalties and other residual earnings/profits stemming from their performances.
*If Panorama is a “competition”, then panists and arrangers should be allowed to play/arrange for one band only. The registration deadline should be (at least) by October 31st of the prior year. Any applicant with an arrest or conviction for any violent crime where any weapon was involved, should have their application request denied, and should be disallowed from any union-related pan or steelband event, until the five years from such event has lapsed. Such records will not affect their union membership, and they would be eligible for the relevant assistance services that the union offers. Finally, on Panorama, it should always remain a competition for (acoustic) steelpans/steeldrums/pans only, in keeping with its tradition. The definition of a steelpan/steeldrum/pan should be: an “acoustic,steel percussive instrument, made from, either a 55-gallon oil barrel, or other steel container specifically manufactured for the production of a steelpan/steeldrum/pan”. NO ELECTRONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF ANY KIND SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE USED IN THE PANORAMA COMPETITIONS. (This includes the P.H.I., and the E-Pan. These creative innovations are very important to the continuing history of the “steelband movement”, and should definitely be deliberately highlighted during the competition. Soloists and “crackshots” like Professor, Boogsie, Robert, Othello Duvone, and Leon “Foster” Thomas, can perform on these innovations during breaks/intermissions. However, their use create both a distraction and an assumed advantage, as well as a dilemma, especially when it comes to judging for the tuning and tone quality of a steelband's instruments. It further marginalizes those competitors, who may not be able to afford the technology, and every steelband should have an equal
opportunity to win. (In my opinion, I've heard them all, and NOTHING can EVER sound like a TRUE pan. Neither of them “improves” the pan, the latter of which is “perfect” in its “imperfection”. Plus, anyone who knows the history, electronics and amplification have been pan's nemeses.) Likewise, no form of amplified music should be allowed withing 5 miles of Panorama.
*Any business or corporation that intend to conduct business on the premises of any steelband event, should be made to agree to declare their earnings at such event, and make immediately available an agreed-upon percentage of such earnings to the union, unless they “broke even” or ran at a loss. The union shall have assigned member act as a monitor, and the agreement should have the option to audit their books. Individual vendors (on the outskirts) will be exempt from having to do this.
*All national government schools should have a pan program added to their curricula, broken down into subject areas that cover (among other things) the history of pan and the steelband movement, applied pan, basic musicianship/music theory, pan manufacturing techniques, arranging for the steelband, recording techniques and computer applications, and intro to music business. EVERY child in the government school system in Trinidad & Tobago, should be required to have a basic education in pan, and be able to play (at least) our National Anthem on our national instrument. (Makes logical sense, to me.) The goal should be by 2015, and by then, every government school should have their own start-up steel band (full range of pans for about 25-50 players), with the assistance of the government and the pan union.
*ADDENDUM 1: The government should include a No Steelband Tax Penalty, for any Carnival event where at least one steelband is not a part of the music entertainment. The monies gathered from that penalty, should be used to fund steelband projects.
*ADDENDUM 2: Likewise, any event promoter(s) that hire(s) a steelband outside the Carnival season, should be given a Steelband Hire Tax Credit.
*ADDENDUM 3: Every panman and panwoman should have a registered photo ID with a unique numerical identifier (such as their Tax Payer ID No.), which may be used for paying out benefits and for verifying number of hours logged.
*ADDENDUM 4: Every registered panman and panwoman should receive a Steel Band Performer Tax Credit, and be able to deduct expenses incurred in the conducting of their business as steelband and pan performers. This includes clothing, meals, transport, equipment, etc.
*ADDENDUM 5: Every business establishment that employs a steelband or pan player, as part of their year-round entertainment, can deduct the entire cost from their taxes for the first year, 75% of the cost in year two, and 50% of the cost for years three through five. They must not have any gaps in years, or they lose the benefit of the deduction. The business must show that it employed a steelband act for at least 20 hours per year, each year.
*ADDENDUM 6: Likewise, any live music establishment that does not hire a steelband for at least four hours in any one year, should also have to pay the No Steelband Tax Penalty.
*ADDENDUM 7: Any professional music band that does not include the steel drum/pan in its music (live and/or recorded), should have to pay into a special “Steelband Incentive Benefit Fund”. This should be a marginal amount, say, 2-5% of their yearly earnings.
ADDENDUM 8: The "steelband/pan industry" should be an equal-opportunity entity that does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, economic status, sex, sexual orientation, religion (including “atheism” and “agnosticism”), physical and/or mental handicap, or political affiliation. ANY organization, body, association, union, company, or steelband, should include an "equal opportunity" statement in all of their printed material, openly displayed on the front entrances of their offices and panyards, and include a “equal opportunity” clause, within their corporate articles and constitutions.
Trinidad and Tobago Companies Act-81.01.pdf
Trinidad and Tobago Constitution.pdf
Trinidad and Tobago Income Tax Act.pdf
Sometimes I feel it is better to discard Pan Trinbago and start NEW. It has become so DAMN OLD with too much OLD THINKERS that dont think. You might just be so right Ghost.
I am really liking this conversation, there are so many things that need to be fixed before Pan Trinbago can move forward, e.g. why should a candidate in an election be the one who decides if you can be a candidate? it's like you're judging your own self, and if you believe that your opponent is better qualified than you to do the job, what's stopping you from refusing his/her nomination papers or rejecting it? Why can't someone from the elections & boundaries commission have that responsibility so there can be fair play?
Since 2009, the current Vice President has had the responsibility to draft a new/amend the current Pan Trinbago constitution, where has that reached? these are just some of the issues that are keeping the current executive in office. When would there be one man one vote at PTB elections? As Joseph John said in his post nothing will be done. And we can go on and on on this site the pan players are the ones to rise up and demand change.for most of the leaders will not do it because of fear.
The Big Bands should assume a more responsible role in everything pertaining to pan. First they MUST come together and just TALK.
I hope special attention paid to the flaws in PanTrinbago constitution which is the cause for the situation we now have.
The people in power should NOT have the right to tell the opposition who to have as candidates.
Two votes per band is stupid, you have big, medium, small and pan round the neck, the bigger band should have more votes. T he people in power should be able to use PT funds to do anything pertaining to their re-election.
Cecil, did you mean to say, The people in power should NOT be able to use PT funds to do anything pertaining to their re-election. Curious???
You got it Andre, thanks for the correction.
time to strike no pan player goes to panorama tell the leager/captain/manager we not leraning any panorama music only road song we learning so the band not going panorama it's up to pan players to save themselves from these people. The Leaders of bands as they are all the same when one gets down to the heart of the matter they put player against player to be in total control so to get this crap stright we as pan players need to strike on the main competition as here it hits them where they hurt most thier pockets even if it takes 100years of no panorama to get rid of the crap,,as one does not need the Leader of a Band to deal with Pan peopl biz. one needs a person who know about Biz. not Pan one who have ideas for the whole body of panplayers and the bands they play in, not as it's now where the leader of a band is the President of the org. for pan this person will only look after his band and forget the rest, with someone who is biz. minded all bands will be looked after
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