You cannot do everything Pan Trinbago

THE EDITOR: I want to publicly praise Culture Minister Pennelope Beckles and her Junior Minister Eddie Hart for bringing Pan Trinbago and the Pan In Schools co-ordinating council together and saving the National Youth Steelpan Music Festival from chaos.

I have participated in events run by both bodies and I must say that there is need for both. There is no dispute that Pan Trinbago is the governing body. But Pan Trinbago must realise it cannot do everything. FIFA is the world body for football but FIFA doesn’t run every football tournament in the world. Nor does the International Olympic Committee run every athletic meet. FIFA doesn’t sell balls and boots, yet Pan Trinbago want to sell pans, stands, run all the events and more. Listen Pan Trinbago, your horizons have to be broadened. Steelpan music is now an industry and all the players have to be brought in. It is no longer just about steelbands.

You have makers of ancillary items, jewelery, clocks, sticks, stands, chromers, music producers, tuners, administrators, agents, arrangers, plus the myriad of foreigners who are getting on the bandwagon and exploiting our instrument and music. If, as you claim, you are the world body for Pan, then you must incorporate all and act like a world body. Now teachers will not go against teachers. The PSCC is run by teachers. Teachers are the best people to formulate a curriculum for pan, implement and maintain it. They are in the school and generally have the respect of the youths, so are better placed to lead them. Give them your blessings and autonomy within the Pan Trinbago organisation and let them run Pan In Schools and the Youth Festival.

The PSCC has proven to be more efficient than Pan Trinbago. Bands that didn’t make the final of the Youth Panorama last February haven’t received appearance fees as yet. Last Festival as soon as the group or soloist competitions were finished, the PSCC paid appearance fees and other prize monies. This never happened under Pan Trinbago. This year, and I believe it is because of the involvement of Pan Trinbago that grants have not ever been released yet, so none of the participants have received any payments. Pan Trinbago needs a more proactive approach rather than a confrontational one.

SHERMAN FYFE
Tunapuna