Youths urged to regard pan as business

“Government has a way to send the youths in pan on tour almost immediately as apart of an outreach programme. We have everything in place for the groups to go to the international market within quick time.” These were the words of the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Eric Williams as he addressed the gathering at the launch of the NP Ultra Sound Youth Steel Orchestra at the NP compound in Sealots, yesterday. Williams also said that playing pan should not just be considered a hobby or something taken for granted but instead players should look at it as a business and an enterprise.

He noted that computer companies such as Dell, Compac and IBM are now giving free computers to schools so that the students who grow accustom to the model would buy the product they know later on in their life. He said in the same way pan should be made available in all schools, so that students could use it and later on, they would be the ones to invest in it. He thanked Natstar and NP for getting involved in promoting pan, saying that the other oil companies such as Shell, ESSO and bpTT have all gotten involved in this kind of promotion as well.

Williams was happy to learn that Natstar is now providing the raw materials for Trinidad and Tobago Instruments Limited (TTIL) for the pan tuners of the Laventille-based company. Among the persons of the head table was CEO of NP Gerald Acosta who encouraged the youths to continue to excel in the art of playing pan. Chairman of NP Lawford Dupres told the gathering that the money he made from playing pan sent him to university. He noted that his brother who lived in Bermuda also made a living from playing pan. Junior Howell of NP also encouraged the youths to show more discipline in their approach to the instrument.