NCC can’t get involved

Winston 'Gypsy' Peters
Winston 'Gypsy' Peters

National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters has said the NCC cannot get involved in Pan Trinbago's internal affairs.

He said: “It is unfortunate, but that is how it is right now, we just have to sit and wait it out.”

On Pan Trinbago staff not being paid, as well as salaries and outstanding debts to bands and players, Peters said: “The NCC can’t release any funds, because we don’t know who to pay and what are we paying for. We cannot do anything about that, because it seems like nobody is in charge right now.”

He added: “That is no fault of the minister, the government or the NCC. Until Pan Trinbago can iron out their problems, we can’t do anything at this time.”

Meanwhile a media release issued yesterday and signed by secretary Richard Forteau, apologising to attorneyFareed Scoon for the "assault on his person as he carried out the duties of his profession, on behalf of the central executive of Pan Trinbago, by serving documents from the High Court of Justice on Keith Diaz (president) at a meeting held at the Communication Workers Union Hall on Thursday May 17, purportedly to amend the constitution of Pan Trinbago."

Diaz said: “I was on the pavement on Henry Street when Scoon told me if I don’t comply I will be locked up. But I told him I am not accepting that (document).”

Diaz said he was carrying out the wishes of the majority of the membership when he called the special convention last week to amend Pan Trinbago’s constitution, so that there can be early elections as suggested by Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh.

On Forteau’s saying in his media release that the issue arose after Diaz, as president, completely disregarded the responsibility of the secretary as outlined in the constitution of the association and took it upon himself to invite the membership to the meeting, Diaz told Newsday he had instructed Forteau to send the invitations, but Forteau refused. Hence Diaz decided to do it himself.

Quoting from the constitution, Diaz said: “The president shall be the recognised agent of the association for the purposes of executing all official documents which may be required to be executed by or on behalf of the association and of corresponding and answering all correspondence sent to the association.

He said it stipulated the president was was the final authority on all releases or public pronouncements, while the secretary was to perform duties delegated to him by the president and/or the central executive committee and was directly answerable to the president.

Diaz added, “Forteau will have to answer many more questions when the time comes. He has assumed the leadership role and the role of everyone. The secretary, president, CEO. I was in office today and he never came to me about any release. That is the total disrespect he has for the office of the president and CEO.”

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