Daly Bread: Growth and re-growth of genius; invest in pan, PM!

The crowds are as large as ever, the competition as keen and the bond of the band and followers as strong. We already therefore have some confirmation that participation in pan music has not been significantly suppressed by crime. That is a relief.

However, the joyful surge of emotion does not override the fear of hold-up and a beating while going to and from pan events. The relief of a safe return home does not cancel the obligation of the government to do something constructive about public safety.

But how can the Government find within itself the inspiration to lead effectively when it believes that every negative aspect of life is our fault?

That question again arose out of the Prime Minister’s latest denigration. He told the annual Energy Conference that the slow approval process for energy projects is attributable to a “cultural lackadaisical approach” and to the “slothfulness” of regulators.

On behalf of our constantly insulted nation, I raise a few questions. Who encourages the diminution of initiative by socio-economic subsidies and support that have no vision other than buying votes?

Both major political parties are guilty. Change only in the form of exchange of two uninspiring choices is the proverbial road to nowhere.

Turning secondly to the particular context of the alleged slothfulness, which was the stimulus for the latest insult, whose duty is it to redesign the process for regulatory approvals in the oil and gas industry?

What prevents a government from doing something about the need for “33 approvals across eight different agencies”?

Thirdly, when the fact of peaceful interaction of throngs of citizens through pan music is so huge, why do our governments not hasten to make the investment in the steelband movement for the purposes described in my column last Sunday?

I had yet another demonstration of the inspiration of pan music and the bond between band and followers as well as the positive effect of enlightened sponsorship on a community when I visited the panyard of Supernovas in Lopinot, last Tuesday. In this case, the sponsor is First Citizen’s Bank.

The previous week, while two close friends resident outside of Port-of-Spain were spending an evening “in town”, I took them on a rounds that included the yards of three major large bands.

How that rounds then prompted the visit to Supernovas may bring a smile to readers’ faces and perhaps encourage venturing out into the brilliant world of pan where there is growth and regrowth of musical genius.

I could plainly see the interest of my friends being captured during the initial rounds of three panyards. What happened next is that a younger member of their circle had a business connection with Supernovas and when that was mentioned it stimulated my friends to say that they would like to go to Supernovas’ yard.

They did all the organizing to go as a group and at relatively short notice I had the opportunity to be included in the group.

While we were in the yard, a representative of Supernovas, unaware of the connection, proudly pointed out certain infrastructure the yard, which was the work of the person in our group with the business relationship with the band.

In an exchange of messages after the visit, my friends confirmed that I now had them “hooked”.  They have already made their own arrangements for another visit to a panyard in Port-of-Spain next week.

Supernovas represent the musical genius of the Samaroo family of which Jit Samaroo was the leader and most famous member. The end of the road to the panyard runs adjacent to Jit’s grave.

The Samaroo pan heritage is similar to that of Adrianna Achaiba, of whom I wrote last week. Adrianna’s pan performance at the State funeral of former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday underlined that pan can play music from every part of the globe, suitable for solemn as well as joyful occasions.

There is no slothfulness in the panyards to inhibit investment and enlightened sponsorship. One hundred million dollars is to be thrown at the Defence Force for some vague purpose.

Can the pan community have those funds to sow and reap a peace dividend through the panyards?

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Martin Daly

Martin G Daly SC is a prominent attorney-at-law. He is a former Independent Senator and past president of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago.
He is chairman of the Pat Bishop Foundation and a steelpan music enthusiast.