Ramsey-Moore: Pan more than money and Panorama

MORE recognition must be given to young steelpan players as well as the people who control and manage panyards said Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore on Tuesday night.

She gave messages of hope to several players, many of whom are youths, at the start of Panorama 2019 in the South-Central region. Accompanied by members of the executive, Ramsey-Moore listened to four bands —Rio Claro Koskeros, Edinburgh 500 Steel Ensemble, Pan Angels and New Age Trendsetter — in the preliminary round of the single-pan category.

“The way you performed here tonight is the way you should perform in school. The best place to learn discipline is in the panyard. As long as you are playing pan, you are supposed to be as bright as a bulb because you can use the same principle in terms of how you practice. You practice and practice until you are perfect,” Ramsey-Moore said.

She was speaking to Edinburgh 500 players who performed Blue Fever – a runner-up in the 1986 Road March competition – by Austin “SuperBlue” Lyons formerly known as Blue Boy.

Many players across the country are yet to receive their 2018 remittances from the Government, but Ramsey-Moore promised to share whatever profits are made from the 2019 Panorama season. She said pan is not only about Panorama and the money.

“Your participation in the national festival and playing the national instrument are more important. Your teamwork, the socialisation process, the cohesiveness are even more important.”

Edinburgh 500 was the second band to play before the judges —Dr Audley Timothy, Bernadette Roberts, Brendon Moore and Joslynne Sealey.

Kicking off the competition, Rio Claro Koskeros performed Talking about Pan – a 2019 composition written and sung by Neil “Iwer” George. The band’s leader, Kenny Pascall, believes the band has a “strong chance” of making it to the finals despite having smaller numbers compared to previous years. The unsponsored band had about 25 players, many of whom performed on Tuesday night for the first time.

“We are surviving on the little subvention the government gives. I do not get anything. I do it because I like it. No one pays me, I don’t even get a bottle of water. Thank God for Jesus, since 15 I am in pan and I will be 70 on February 9,” Pascall said.

At Pan Angels’ panyard at Enterprise in Chaguanas, Shakeela Lewis-Pelage led the two-year-old band with the 2018 hit Year for Love by two-time International Soca Monarch winner Aaron “Voice” St Louis.

Manager Peter Ralph said the band is struggling due to lack of money.

“My task is to keep the youths in the community away from crime, away from the guns, the drugs and away from idleness. These are a bunch of talented youths. They are up to par, and with the help of neighbours we get there.”

New Age Trendsetter, under the leadership of Glenford Sobers, played the 1987 classic Kaka Roach sung by Aldwyn “Lord Kitchener” Roberts.