Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Pan Trinbago T.C. Inc. pays tribute to Mr. Bertram Kelman, Mr. Liam Teague and Mrs. Maureen Manchouck, recipients of National Awards on the occasion of Trinidad & Tobago’s Fiftieth Anniversary of Independence.
Messrs. Kelman received the Humming Bird Medal, Gold and Teague, the Humming Bird Medal, Silver, for loyal and devoted service in the sphere of Culture, while Mrs. Manchouck was awarded the Public Service medal of Merit, Gold, for outstanding and meritorious service in Education.
Hailed as “the Paganini of the Steelpan”, Liam Teague (pictured right) is an Associate Professor and Co-director of the Steelband at Northern Illinois University, the same institute where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees. A composer, arranger, conductor, Teague is the recipient of many awards including championships for his ability on the steelpan, violin and piano.
The “unknown” man behind the sound of bands, having tuned for every known and progressive steelband in Trinidad & Tobago, i.e. Solo Harmonites, Renegades, Phase II Pan Groove, Southern Marines and Silver Stars, Bertram “Birch” Kelman (pictured at left) has devoted decades of his life to the steelband movement. Himself a renowned panist, inventor and member of the National Steelband which performed at Expo ’67 in Montreal, Canada, “Birch” is simply one of the finest steelpan tuners ever.
Maureen Manchouck, President of National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), spent all her professional life promoting science and technology in the Caribbean. Her career path illuminates the varied and ground-breaking work available to those with a passion and aptitude for science. At present, Mrs. Manchouck is the Chair of the Board of Trinidad & Tobago Pan Instruments Ltd, a subsidiary of Pan Trinbago and currently Chairman of the Steelfestt 2012 Committee.
Pan Trinbago joins with the rest of the country in extending
sincerest congratulations to the above-mentioned members of the
extended Pan family on their achievement.
From the News Desk of Pan Trinbago
Angela A. Fox - Media/Communications