Mounting discontent within Pan Trinbago

The causes for their discontent are many, but a Carnival season fraught with allegations of financial misconduct appears to be the main cause.

The first group, calling itself the Concerned Individuals for Pan (CIP), has published several letters on the whensteeltalks.

ning.com website to members of Pan Trinbago.

One such letter, written by former Pan Trinbago education officer Aquil De Caires, reads “We are representatives from member bands within Pan Trinbago who have lost confidence in the executives of Pan Trinbago.” The CIP distributed to its Pan Trinbago members a 26-pointlong list of charges which allegedly led to the group’s loss of confidence.

At the top of the list are points which dominated headlines during this year’s Carnival season – the government’s decision to have the National Carnival Commission take control of Panorama gate receipts after allegations of financial misconduct against Pan Trinbago and its president, Keith Diaz arose; and Pan Trinbago’s $34 million debt.

The CIP has been circulating a petition to demand that the central executive call a meeting to have their concerns addressed, but de Caires said they are around 50 signatures short of the compulsory 122.

However, even without the signatures, De Caires said Pan Trinbago is bound by its constitution to have a general meeting before the end of the year.

There, the CIP and other disillusioned groups will have an opportunity to demand answers to their concerns.

The second group which has expressed their loss of confidence in the executive is the Tobago Region of Pan Trinbago.

Newsday obtained a letter dated May 8 sent from the Tobago regional group to Pan Trinbago’s secretary.

The letter highlighted resolutions voted for by 15 members of the group on April 27 this year.

According to the letter, there were no abstentions or any against the resolutions.

The group said Pan Trinbago’s central executive did not pay Tobago’s monthly office rent which led to them having to find a new location.

For this, along with the allegations of financial misconduct, Tobago expressed its “disgust and no confidence” in the executive.

“Be it resolved that this Central Executive shall cease to hold office with immediate effect in order to restore confidence and trust in the organisation by Government, private sector and the general public,” the letter read.

Newsday reached out to Diaz for comment on the apparent mounting discontent within the organisation.

Diaz said, “We deal with member bands.

I do not know who these ‘Concerned Individuals for Pan’ you are talking about. We have a constitution.” Diaz ended the conversation before Newsday could ask further questions.

Meanwhile, Pan Trinbago’s website published two resolutions passed by its South-Central Region on May 10 in which it distanced itself “from all activities of the Concerned Individuals for Pan, its statements and its agents as well as all other groups or individuals seeking to destabilise the organisation.” When reached for answers on what prompted these resolutions to be passed, South-Central Region president David Balbosa said he did not wish to comment on the matter.

After the allegations of financial misconduct were levied against Pan Trinbago and Diaz in the months leading up to Carnival, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, announced in a February 26 press conference government’s intention to launch a forensic audit into the organisation.

Newsday asked Gadsby-Dolly via text-message on Monday whether the audit was launched, which company was selected to perform the audit, and when the government expected it to be completed.

Gadsby-Dolly answered, “We aim to have a report by or before September.

The process for this to be accomplished is proceeding according to plan. The details you request will soon be available.”