Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, WI: Today, in this age of National Steel Orchestra / National Steel
Symphony, Pan in Schools, the E-pan, the G-Pan, the PHI, the National Youth
Steel Orchestra etc; one is still left to wonder in the land of the birth of the
Steelpan, if we are coming or going.
Could you imagine in today’s world, any man with money taking a woman for
a wife,
living with her for years, and just because she is no longer a Miss TnT
(Trinidad & Tobago) - he could
discard her for another beauty queen just so without any proper settlement, and
she is not protected by the laws of the land?
Even Solomon of the
Bible, having many wives and many concubines, thereby
fathering many daughters, sought to protect them by the introduction of law. It
is said that he had introduced legal marriage so that if a man chooses to put
out or separate from his spouse of many years, it is not automatic. Solomon saw
service rendered as a major factor entitling her to some part of his estate.
Compensation for services rendered.
There is a worrying trend taking place lately within the Steelband fraternity,
where corporate sponsors after many years of good relationship with a Steelband,
would just drop them, walk out and take up relationship with another Steelband -
and life goes on just like pre-Solomon’s time. Something is definitely wrong
with that. To me [Michael L. Joseph] it is unethical and downright disrespectful.
Recently I heard a representative of the family of one blushing bride, - who
could not even marry in white – boasting about a marriage made in heaven that he
was sure would not end in divorce, forgetting that the groom was a divorcee that
had just left one wife and a ‘Steelband’ of children out in the cold. But then
everyone, except the new bride knows that love is blind, deaf and dumb too. Forgetting that what goes around comes around.
In this age of enlightenment and entitlement, this kind of disrespect and
contemptuous treatment for the Panist and his Instrument must not be tolerated
and allowed to continue. Pan Trinbago, like Solomon - the good and concerned
parent - must rise to the occasion and take what ever steps are necessary to
protect its children.
The Public
Relations
department
in cooperation
with
Trinbago has
full
knowledge of
the extent
of the
advertising
benefits a
company gets
from
sponsoring a
Steelband,
especially
around the
Carnival
season. Long
after the
season is
over they
continue to
benefit from
their Logos
on T- Shirts
worn by
members,
friends and
families all
over the
world. And
for this,
their
contribution
to the
Steelband
just does
not add up. You see, the
Steelbands
today are
aware of
their
contribution
as much as
the sponsors
are of
theirs,
hence the
reason for
proper
negotiations
to the
satisfaction
of all
concern.
I know that
these areas
are new and
can be very
challenging
given the
structure of
the
organisation. But today,
if the
status of
Pan Trinbago
as the World
Governing
Body for the
Steelpan
must be
maintained
with any
meaning, it
must start
by
protecting
its
membership
interest at
home
thereby,
giving those
abroad the
confidence
that the organisation
does have the
strength and
capability
to take care
of its own
at home and
abroad.
This must be
a part of
the new
thrust of the
present
executive
under
Comrade Bro.
Keith Diaz. Let us take
a page out
of the books
of FIFA
(International
Federation
of
Association
Football), when
it comes to
transfer of
players from
one
steelband to
another; and
the same
goes for
corporate
sponsorship. As a matter
of fact, the
expert is
right at our
doorsteps. Let us call
on the man
Bro. Jack
Warner as a
patriarchic Trinbagonian,
to lend us
his
expertise to
assist with
making Pan
Trinbago
truly, the
World
Governing
Body for the
Steelpan.
Respectfully
Yours in
Culture,
Michael L.
Joseph
President,
Southern
Marines
Steelband
Foundation
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