All that remains is just a name. And a dirty one, at that.
For President Keith Diaz has delivered Pan Trinbago, by the balls, to the government of Trinidad and Tobago.
 |
| Pan Trinbago President Keith Diaz |
Not only has the President weaseled his way out of a deep hole into which he sunk with the weight of allegations of financial impropriety, but the MOA which will be in effect until 2021 binds the incoming President- and executive of Pan Trinbago making them redundant for the remaining term of this government
It’s the boldest play, yet, in hostile takeover bid which started under the current People’s National Movement (PNM) regime when the interest groups (representing Pan, Mas and Calypso) were absent from NCC Board meetings.
Still there is light in the tunnel for some as the terms of the takeover- as outlined below- are still up in the air pending the NCC's appeal of a court order by Justice Vashist Kokaram, who, in a 73 page judgement overturned a decision by Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly instructing the NCC to manage the gate receipts for Carnival 2017’s pan event.
Kokaram said it was illegal for the NCC to retain the gate receipts as it breached an almost 20-year-old settled policy and practice, set out by a 1997 Cabinet decision, for PanTrinbago to control the receipt of tickets and retain the revenue.
Never mind that.
With the steel band fraternity at its most vulnerable and while the large bands work together to bring some life NCC drove a stake through the heart of Pan Trinbago.
And while the “new model” is aimed at eliminating fraud by any Pan Trinbago executive it paves the way for NCC to benefit from the largesse that could turn things topsy-turvy when the meagre spoils are being shared.
Indeed the backup plan for full government control of Pan Trinbago was to install former Port of Spain Mayor Keiron Valentine ( Manager of both Newtown Playboyz and Hadco Phase Two) as the President as Valentine was reported to be in the process of putting together his slate- and manifesto.
“ A new model will be established for the allocations and disbursements of approved financial assistance funds by the NCC to Pan Trinbago, the quantum and timing of which allocations and disbursements shall be determined by the NCC and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in their sole collective discretion, utilizing two separate disbursement channels, one event-based and the other organization based,” the Terms of Agreement states, setting the tone for the punishment at the altar of political expediency for the next three years.
Still hanging in the balance is the prize money and performance fees for Panorama 2018 which steelbands fear will be drastically reduced as the NCC plays out
 |
| Dr. Nyan Gadsby Dolly and NCC Chairman Colin Lucas |
The NCC, in the future, if the agreement holds, will provide event based finding “in relation to carnival and steel pan events including but not limited to Panorama and other steelpan even approved by the NCC and Pan Trinbago. The NCC will take direct financial and operational control of the events,” ruling out the independence of thought for Pan Trinbago.
And guess what the spoils will be shared 80-20.
“The NCC will contract with Pan Trinbago on an al basis for the provision by Pan Trinbago of services (creative and technical) necessary to implement the NCC's plan for the events in consideration of a management fee equivalent to twenty per cent (20%) of the gate receipts derived therefrom. The remaining 80% of the revenue from gate receipts shall be retained by the NCC and used to offset any incurred expenditure in relation to the events. The balance of the revenue from gate receipts, AFTER the payment of the said management fee and the offsetting of the expenses incurred in relation to the events, shall be paid to Pan Trinbago".
Pan Trinbago will be given a subvention that “ will be determined annually by Cabinet in its sole discretion after receiving representations from the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, NCC and Pan Trinbago.
“Pan Trinbago will provide any and all financial information as requested by the NCC” and “ shall submit a Monthly Financial report to the NCC setting out both its expenditure and its earnings during the subject month,” the MOA says.
And if they fail to comply, all funding shall cease.
About the MOA
“We met with the NCC Chairman, Winston “Gypsy” Peters and he decided that he did not want to get involved in personal affairs and call a meeting with the President as a private person to see how to work things out. "We were to meet again with CEO Colin Lucas who came with this document. "He had two copies and he gave us one.
"We asked for a copy and they said no because it was not complete. So we said it did not make sense talking of the document was not complete. "The following Monday they sent this copy to the Pan Trinbago office and we forwarded this to our lawyer who gave us advice.
"The document is not binding on anything and we were advised not to get involved. Instead, we wanted to get a commitment from NCC to withdraw the appeal where Justice Kokaram ruled that we should get gates etc.
"The Constitution says the Central Executive has to ratify the document.
"The High Court has given us control of Panorama and Gate receipts and the NCC appealed that so they cannot take any action," said Michael “Scobie “Joseph: PRO Pan Trinbago
Bacchanal and Chaos = Diaz and Forteau
President Keith Diaz flew out of Trinidad and Tobago the day after an appearance at a circus under the guise of an Extra Ordinary General Meeting.
The first step towards the election of a new executive that was carded for September 16th was catspraddled when the President failed to get a quorum at a meeting which he called at the Communication Worker’s Union Hall on Thursday evening.
On what was supposed to be nomination day in Trinidad, Saturday, August 25th, Diaz will be at the London Panorama with his return date set for September.
He “gave the warrant to appoint to Andrew Salvador ( Treasurer, who along with Diaz signed the MOA with NCC) to coordinate the business acting as the Chief Executive Officer.
But what transpired at the meeting?
In the first instance, there was so much bad blood that the fractured executive could not even act in a manner it gain the respect of the membership that was present.
In the first instance, there was so much bad blood that the fractured executive could not even act in a manner it gain the respect of the membership that was present.
“There were two factions on stage and they did not get the seating protocol correct,” Gregory Lindsay, Manager of St James based Power Stars and a foremost member of the Concerned Individuals for Pan (CIP).
 |
| Gregory Lindsay (left) with Aquil Arrindel. |
“The Secretary Richard Forteau was sitting where the President was supposed to be and was flanked by the External Relations Officer (ERO) Darren Sheppard.
“Other officers were seated next to Diaz and I asked through the membership that the officers make that change.
“They acquiesced to my request and went back to regular seating order with the Secretary and Treasurer to the left and right of the President.
"But the business of the meeting discussions about the triennial convention and election never got off the ground’ because the quorum could not be determined.
"We asked the Secretary to produce a list of bands that were financial and he said that while there are 224 bands only 110 are financial.
“They could not produce the list when asked for it and he responded by saying “come to the office in the morning to get the list.”
“That started a furore that never ended.
“The 88 bands represented there did not make the quorum- which was 110. But it went on not as an official meeting but as a discussion.
‘Diaz made a number of moves to make that meeting legal with the 88 bands.
Earl Morris of Belmont HiLarks moved a motion- seconded by Marie Toby- (Chairman of the Tobago region) to legalize the meeting, but there were a number of dissenting views.
‘It was agreed that using that approach was ultra vires and that they burnt us in the court already, so a decision was taken to rescind that motion.
"Marie Toby rescinded her secondment of the motion and Morris rescinded too so no motion put forward to accept the 88 bands as the legal quorum.
"Then they decided to postpone for a continuation so that at the next meeting 88 will be a quorum.
" I used the opportunity to clarify a matter in which the ERO Sheppard claimed in a pre-action protocol letter that I slandered him.
" I asked the President whether the ERO collected TT$95,000 for his role as Events Manager and he said that it was true. He also said that Fusion Steel got TT$25,000 from the Greens and TT$15,000 for Junior Panorama.
" Naturally, I asked Sheppard why is he taking me to court to answer allegations that the president validated as truth.
“There was no substantial business. This means that nomination for election of officers slated for Saturday at 4 pm won’t happen because the purpose of the meeting yesterday was to pass the nomination date.
“As for Panorama Fees owed, there was no word and the Memorandum with NCC was never tabled, Instead a copy was circulated among the membership by Diaz’s nemesis, Richard Forteau.
“There was a lot of consternation from delegates, a clear indication that membership would like the executive to go," Lindsay said.
"No Donkey Head"
Candace Andrews Brumant, Captain of 2018 Panorama Champions BP Renegades attended the meeting and gave her position:
| 9 |
‘If I am on the Executive and I have a problem with the way things are going I would resign and step down- would not pull aside and fight.
“Everybody is power hungry.. they are holding on and playing tug of war.
“It is so bad we are fine like chilibibi..or splinters, as they would say.
“I listened to everyone and then I told went on to say that the wrong practice has been happening all these years, we’ve been having meetings without a quorum
Mow its problem..but we have to start doing the right thing somewhere.
Constitutionally the meeting cannot go won without a quorum.
Everybody coming to microphone to say step down.
“The executive has less than a month in office. ..they are on the way out.
If the whole membership so dissatisfied, it is clear they won be voted back.
Who are we going to put there to take it forward? That is the big question.
There’s backbiting on the floor, about who wants to be President before we come together and select the right candidate to take it forward.’
Corporate T&T do not want donkey head after this Executive mash up the whole thing.
This is an opportunity to start over-
Six people want to run for President... out of the six, there are only two good candidates.
People are thinking of self, not the organization.
You cannot be an Education Officer- and you cannot write or be President and you don't know the right protocols.
‘ After I spoke at the meeting people came up to me to shake my hands and say they are supporting me for President.
You don't have to be the President-. I am willing to work with anyone who comes in. If I am not the Captain I will not stop doing work for my band.”
Even the Chairmen of the Regions are standing up and fighting Pan Trinbago but the regions are not better
Northern is one of the worst in all the regions. Everybody is greedy,, I say and I don't powder it up.
“We won the Panorama and I want a million dollars I don't want less than a million.
Single Pan bands were paid the same amount they got in 2017 so they cannot come to tell me I am getting less than a million.
"That is a serious court.
They were not supposed to play anybody before anybody else but we all know that come "election time, single pans will jam for Diaz.
"Worst Pan Trinbago meeting"
“I sat down for two and half hours for them to decide what makes a quorum, then a motion was moved and withdrawn. I had things to do and I got up and left.
It was the worst Pan Trinbago meeting I ever attended.
Nothing about Panorama fees.
What is going on with the election?
Nothing on the agenda was discussed.
Somebody is pissing on my back and calling it rain.
I am too young for this.
Marcus Ash, Secretary Eastern Region of Pan Trinbago.
Marcus Ash, Secretary Eastern Region of Pan Trinbago.
