Ramsey-Moore takes on Gypsy over Pan City

Pan Trinbago president, Beverly Ramsey-Moore, was in a fighting mood at a media conference at the organisation’s office in Port of Spain on Thursday.

She said Pan Trinbago is a powerful organisation as well as a social force, and must not be taken for granted by anyone, in particular, chairman of the National Carnival Commission (NCC), Winston “Gypsy” Peters.

Ramsey-Moore accused Peters of wanting to have the last say on everything.

There has been major disagreement between Peters and Ramsey-Moore over the Pan City concept that Pan Trinbago wants at the Queen’s Park Savannah for Panorama this year, and the North Park which Peters started last year.

Ramsey-Moore said: “We all know it is no secret that the population of TT rejected Gypsy’s novel idea of a North Park. In the North Stand, over the years, the gate receipts read about $3 million. Last year, we made just over $1million from the North Park which cost more than the North Stand. And the argument put forward strenuously by the chairman, is that the North Stand cost more than the North Park but it did not turn out to be so.”

Earlier this week, Peters said a survey was done and 86 per cent of people who went to the North Park were satisfied with it.

Ramsey-Moore shot back at the revelation: “Some of the few who went in there said yes they were satisfied, but what about the thousands who could not get in the North Park? The name North Park is a curse word to the people of TT. We need Pan City.

“When I recommend that in a meeting, you tell me that Pan Trinbago could say what they want. That is not the way a chairman operates. You need to listen to the people and the special interest groups (SIGs). I am wondering if the chairman has an agenda to destroy the SIGs.”

She said Pan City should resemble the North Stand, as pan is about the people, the connect, the intimacy, the rhythm sections, and about love, togetherness and the vibes.

On Peters being adamant that he is retaining the North Park, Ramsey-Moore said: “We will stand firmly because NCC does not belong to Winston “Gypsy” Peters. NCC belongs to the people of TT. Nobody voted for Winston “Gypsy” Peters, so we are not accountable to him. I will not, as president of Pan Trinbago, take any kind of disrespect and arrogance from the chairman of NCC. He must respect Pan Trinbago.”

Ramsey-Moore said she doesn’t want to be reminded by Peters about the sins of the past executive, because panmen dealt with that by removing the entire slate.

She said her executive was voted in for leadership that can be trusted, on transparency and openness and, as such, she is not going to take any kind of arrogance from Peters.

Pan Trinbago is expected to meet with NCC’s operations manager in an effort to develop the three structures of North Park to be one that creates connectedness in the space. Ramsey-Moore is hoping a decision will be made on Friday about the proposed Pan City.