“Mr. Keith Diaz (President of Pan Trinbago), is and has always been a stranger to the truth”

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - On Friday 18^th May 2018, the same mob that assaulted Attorney Farid Scoon at the Communication Workers Union hall the day before, invaded the head office of Pan Trinbago with placards and shouting at the top of their voices that the duly elected officers must vacate office immediately. This interrupted a staff meeting that was called by the office manager to update them on the present situation in light of all the misinformation that was going around. The meeting although near its end, had to be aborted, as the unruly mob went throughout the office pounding on tables and kicking on doors thereby disrupting the operations of the office staff who felt very intimidated and was unable to continue working until the police arrived. This action also had a very negative effect on the other tenants of the building, thereby bringing the organization into public disrepute and making our neighbors uneasy.

This action, and the threats by members of the mob, is seeking to put the Steel band fraternity sixty years, where some panists could not go in areas or regions outside of their own. Why is this happening in light of the fact that elections for officers is only four to five months away? What are these people afraid of? Most of them are customary losers over the years, and believe that coming through the back door now, will give them some kind of edge. But I know that the membership have already recognized them as people who would sleep with the devil for the trappings of office. They have already shown that they lack integrity and are of low morals. How else could they be in bed today, with the man they have been demonizing for years?

Mr. Keith Diaz, is and has always been a stranger to the truth, and all those who worked with him before can attest to that. His latest is to tell the workers and members that the NCC (National Carnival Commission) is willing to pay all Pan Trinbago's outstanding debts including workers' salaries, prize monies for small, medium and large Steel bands if they would get a letter signed by him and all the Executive members. Let me state categorically, that there is no physical evidence to ascertain such a claim by him. Mr. Diaz has being lying to this Executive for so long, that anything he says must be verified in writing. The members of the central Executive have being writing to the President for an Executive meeting for quite sometime to no avail. He and the Advisor run things, so to hell with the Executive.

In years gone by, our allocation for prize monies for Panorama, was between thirty-six and thirty million dollars, and our large band first prize was one million dollars. In 2018, the allocation from the NCC, was drastically reduced to twenty point five million dollars. We sat as an Executive and decided to cut our cloth to suit the design. This was a unanimous decision. By the next day the President together with the advisor, decided that prize money would remain as last year. His 'one-manism' position is nothing new to us. He said to us, that he and the Executive Chairman of the NCC are from ‘DOCKSFORD,’ and that the Chairman agreed to find extra money to meet any cost overrun. Only for us to find out later, that it was all lies. The President's words cannot be relied upon. Anyone ever wonder why every Executive member is displeased with him? Mr. President, show us the NCC request in writing.

And while you are at it, tell us what became of the over three thousand complimentary tickets you took from the suppliers for Panorama 2018 at a cost of over $1,150,650, 00, and the financial statement for Champs In Steel Plus that you had taken full control of all ticketing and sales. Tell us why Single Pan bands were paid unknown to the Executive. This Executive will be blamed for condoning your nefarious behavior, but we choose to fight from within, unlike most who worked with you in the past and run. Some members are now pretending they don't know the extent of your greed which is responsible for most of the organization financial predicaments. But, it will not continue come hell or high waters.

Please call an executive meeting where we can address our concerns and stop our organization from going down this dangerous road where a particular chairman is advocating violence. If his idea takes root, it will only create a situation that he had never catered for. Everybody have children, family and friends who will not take kindly to acts of violence. Bro. Arnim Smith, a past president, had put his life on the line to bring peace to this organization; please let it prevail for our future generations. Let not your jealous ambitions blind you to the present realities Mr. Chair. Think before you act, or live with the consequences. A word to the wise.

 

Michael L. Joseph
Public Relations Officer
Pan Trinbago Inc. T.C.

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