Over $2m for unsponsored bands

UNSPONSORED steelbands received over $2 million from the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts last week. The bands collected their cheques at the ministry’s St Ann’s office.

In prior news reports, steelbands were said to be feeling the pinch owing to lack of funding and sponsorship. A January 29 Newsday article reported that Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, said 115 unsponsored steelbands would receive cheques amounting to $1.3 million to assist with their Panorama preparations.

On Friday last, the ministry distributed over $2 million to 167 bands from the four regions (east, north, south/central and Tobago) to assist in their preparations for their various Panaroma competitions.

A media release said this represented an increase “in both the number of bands and allocation; there were 115 unsponsored bands with an allocation of $1,342,500 in funding from the Government in 2018.” The ministry gave a breakdown of cheques by region as well as conventional bands versus single-pan bands:

Eastern Region

Conventional...35 bands...$525,000

Single Pan...22 bands...$165,000

Northern Region

Conventional...27 bands...$405,000.00

Single Pan...28 bands...$210,000

South/Central Region

Conventional...28 bands...$420,000

Single Pan...10 bands...$75,000

Tobago Region

Conventional...11 bands...$165,000

Single Pan...6 bands...$45,000

Total...167 bands...$2,010,000