The Petition
To the Prime Minister & Government of Trinidad & Tobago. -
without prejudice -
We, the Steelpan Community of the
world are calling on you to reverse your position taken against Pan
Trinbago, and the Pan Community of Trinidad & Tobago, for the 2011
Panorama competition. Your election promises included an offer of $2 million
TT to the winning band, however most recently your cabinet then voted to
remove $200. TT from the $1000.TT performance fee currently paid to all Pan players for the
preliminary round of Panorama. The math is
very simple for the world Pan Community to see: You offered $2 million, but then took away $200 from 10,000 pan players - which is
equivalent to ( $ 200 X 10,000 ) = $2 million. The Pan was already getting $1million...so you really offered
$1million. You are offering $1million with one hand, and taking away $2 million with the
other hand; therefore the math shows that in reality, you are taking away $1 million
from the Pan Community in 2011. We are simply calling on your
government to reverse this policy of taking away the $200 from the
people who need it the most; and restore the full $1000 TT to the people who play in the Preliminary
round of Panorama -- the hard working, mostly youths and mostly female,
pan players of Trinidad & Tobago. Remember the Government in the 60's diverted our young men from
violence into music by putting more into the Steelband and arts,
creating all that is now paying dividends for T&T. We find it
strange
that now as our youth and country is devolving into another round of
violence, this Government responds by adding to the distress of youth who are
remaining on the positive. Instead, we should be expanding the
potential of Steelband and the creative arts, and supporting youth to innovate and
expand into new ideas for Steelband to offer to the world. The following signatures are from
nationals in the diaspora, along with the rest of the world who have adopted
the Steelpan, and also the local Pan Community of Trinidad & Tobago.We thank you for your attention and time, and we request and trust you will do the right
thing and correct this situation.