Pan Trinbago did not agree to 50% cut

Now that the Carnival 2017 celebrations are behind us, some mischievous people at the National Carnival Commission (NCC) are trying to engage executive officers of Pan Trinbago in a new set of bacchanal and confusion, when it comes to the payment of the $1,000 pannist remittance for Panorama 2017.

The NCC is saying to Pan Trinbago that two of it’s executive officers met with them on or between January 27-30 and agreed to a cut of the pannist remittance by 50 percent. This is as blatant a lie as ever. But, given our experiences with them over the past five to six months, nothing is surprising coming of that camp.

However, Pan Trinbago would like to make it pellucidly clear that no officer was ever given such a mandate, and would not have exercised such power. The last discussion the parties had on that issue, the NCC was informed by the acting president of Pan Trinbago that coming out of a general membership meeting at City Hall, Port-of-Spain, some days prior, the pannist remittance remains the same.

The NCC chairman’s reply was that he would go to the Prime Minister for another $10 million investment into the Carnival that should take care of the shortfall.

When next the 50 percent cut was mentioned by the NCC, they were reminded of our proposal.

Pan Trinbago is anxiously awaiting the receipt of the agreed management fees for the Panorama events to which they were charged, and successfully produced, and the constitutionally due ten percent from each participating steelband, as agreed to be deducted and delivered to us by the NCC.

May we continue to propel and control the commanding heights of our indigenous art form, in the midst of that rarer atmosphere where our opinions do not collide.

Michael L Joseph PRO, Pan Trinbago