Pan Trinbago head pays tribute to late Patrick Arnold

Former Pan Trinbago president Patrick Arnold, 84, has died. The pan body announced his passing on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

He was president for 12 years, from 1996-2009.

The Tobago-born Arnold was also the founder and manager of Our Boys Steel Orchestra.

Sitting president Beverley Ramsey-Moore said he had dementia and was at the Peace of Mind Nursing Home in Signal Hill, Tobago at the time of his death. The organisation was assisting with the cost of his care.

Pan Trinbago, along with his family, intends to celebrate his life in a dynamic and fantastic way, Ramsey-Moore said.

News of his passing was a sad day for the pan community, but it also celebrated his many achievements and developments of the movement, she said.

“He was one of those leaders who made a tremendous impact on the organisation in terms of its movement forward. Under his term, we saw a paradigm shift in terms of organisation and management.”

Arnold will be remembered for initiating discussions on raising prize money to $1 million, panyard judging, players’ remittances, leadership training and empowerment.

“Patrick Arnold gave his life to the development of the pan not only here in Trinidad and Tobago but the world.”

He helped develop the National Youth Steel Orchestra and liaised with Northern Illinois University to have pannists like Keron Valentine and other young musicians admitted to the university.

Arnold also developed the organisation’s strategic plan, she said. In 2013, Arnold gave her the documents outlining the plan, and this was why she was so passionate about fighting her way in to take up from where he left off, she said.

“Today, Pan Trinbago will do everything – working together with his family – to ensure that he has a fitting send-off. Celebrate his life in a really dynamic and fantastic way,” she said.

Not only did he contribute to pan but also to the social development of TT as a National Carnival Commission chairman and a People’s National Movement senator.

Ramsey-Moore said she was happy to have been able to see him before his death.

The organisation expressed condolences to his family, including his sisters and children, she said.