Al-Rawi: Govt seeking solution to Hatters break-ins

San Fernando West MP Faris Al-Rawi has said he will find a solution for members of the Hatters Steel Orchestra, who have been hit by vandals and thieves for the past several months.

The band has lost almost $400,000 in pans, musical equipment and tools.

The latest attack happened on or before last Tuesday, when Hatters PRO Whitfield Weekes told Newsday that the toolroom at the band's Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando, panyard had been broken into. He said a welding plan, chop saw, a big grinder and power drill, circular saw and other tools, all valued at around $50,000 were stolen on that occasion.

Chairman Wayne Poliah said a report was made to the police, who visited the panyard on Tuesday and again on Wednesday morning to take fingerprints.

Before that, the panyard had suffered multiple break-ins, with thieves stealing more than an estimated $300,000 worth of pans, other musical instruments and even a gate intended to be installed at the entrance.

Weekes said the compound had been exposed since work started on the San Fernando Waterfront Development project. He said the original structure the band had occupied for the past 44 years stood in the way of the project and was due to be demolished and rebuilt a short distance away.

In the interim, he said, Udecott promised to relocate the band to the nearby Ministry of Works and Transport building, but that promise had not materialised.

Poliah said the attacks, coupled with difficulties brought on by covid19 and the relocation, had severely impeded the band’s progress. While other bands have been practising, he said Hatters had no physical space to do the same.

Even then, Poliah admitted that he understood the challenges involved in relocating his steel orchestra, as there were already people living at the site intended for the band's new home.

“I know that is going to be a drawn-out process. Our position is, while all of that is happening, and we have no intention of standing in the way of progress and development, we need to be relocated temporarily."

But he said the Hatters still needed to be able to function as a steelband should.

"Look at for the Carnival season there were many steelband concerts. We were not in a position to participate in any of those things because we do not have a place to practixe."

Poliah said said some members had even resorted to leaving the band, the last south band to have won the National Panorama competition in 1975.

"Members are starting to scatter. From last Saturday (March 6) we have now started music theory online classes, but we can’t perform with just online classes. In addition to storage we need to have a place for practice, because the band has to continue.

“We have now found ourselves in a position where we are one year behind other bands. Our progress would have been retarded by one year.”

The band's executive was expected to meet with Udecott last Thursday to address its issues.

Speaking to Newsday on Sunday, Al-Rawi said,"We are basically solution-shopping everything from proposed location to security. It's a moving target right now."

He said after several meetings with the band, the government was now searching for alternatives.

"Unfortunately, I can't put 24-hour security there. We have equipment on the spot and there are about 800 people living opposite them who 'see nothing.'

"Its a tough position."