Ramsey-Moore reports increased revenue from Panorama in 2023

Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore says the pan body has seen a significant increase in revenue from Panorama 2023.

She made the statement at the prize-giving ceremony for the pan winners held at VIP Lounge at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, on Thursday.

Asked to further quantify the increase, Ramsey-Moore said from the reconciliation being done at this time, the body has already seen an increase in revenue of over $1 million.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Randall Mitchell was also present at the event.

He said, "We, of course, want to congratulate Pan Trinbago on celebrating the 60th year of Panorama. We had an amazing Panorama competition this year."

Mitchell said it was a privilege and honour for his ministry to support Pan Trinbago and the steelband movement.

“And I would say to Mrs Ramsey-Moore and Pan Trinbago that our support and the support from corporate TT is tied to the fact that Pan Trinbago has been able to produce audited financial accounts.”

He said the fact that the organisation has been able to hold itself accountable to TT, the movement and taxpayers contributed to its successes.

In 2019, there were several media reports indicating that the body was then unable to produce audited financial statements and one media report said the body was then owing its auditors $640,000.

On Thursday, Ramsey-Moore said the estimated increase in revenue was based on the gate receipts from some of Pan Trinbago's major events held over the Carnival season, such as the Panorama semifinals and the Panorama finals both held at the Savannah.

Ramsey-Moore thanked the pan body and its players for their work over the season, describing the band's participation in glowing terms. Descriptors such as "awesome," "spectacular" and "excellent" were used.

Repeating her statement that there was no season for pan, Ramsey-Moore said that concept was going to be demonstrated for the remainder of the year and going into 2024.

"We have re-engineered Panorama…," she said.

She said players' remittances would be paid to players in one week's time.

When asked if Pan Trinbago would receive greater sponsorship based on its performance, Mitchell said, the audited financial accounts shows that the body was ready to be held accountable.

“What is not said is, previously, and with a lot of these organisations, where there is no accountability. (There was) a lot of negative media coverage and bacchanal and chaos. People don’t want to be associated, whether they be corporate investors, the ministry and the patrons themselves.

“I think through the leadership of Pan Trinbago now, you saw that the North Stand, the Grand Stand and the Greens were sold out for the semifinals. For the finals, the Grand Stand was completely sold out and we had a credible amount of people in the North Stand.”

He said this showed that corporate TT was now coming back in.

Representatives of all bands from junior, small to medium and large including large band winners bp Renegades were on hand to collect their cheques. It was announced that the 13 bands in the large bands finals received nothing less than $500,000.