Our precious pan nurseries

By the time you read this, our country would have already experienced one of the most beautiful, high-quality, and popular events on the seasonal calendar.

Both editions of Junior Panorama excelled when considering the music presented - the Ministry of Education’s National Schools Panorama Finals at Skinner Park, and the Pan Trinbago Junior Panorama contests comprising Under-19 and Under-21 bands at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

Unlike the QPS version, I was out of the country and had to follow Monday’s event online. As was the case on Sunday in Port of Spain, I looked not only for musical skill, but also for the degree to which hard work, diligence, and joy were evident.

These are qualities not unique to the steelpan but are par for the course whenever steelbands assemble to show audiences what they have.

People who remain sceptical about the value of the instrument as a national asset should try to attend at least one steelband event - the Schools/Junior Panorama in particular. It should be a requirement for everyone in decision-making positions when it comes to pan.

Isabella Camacho played bass with Legacy of the Saints in the Under-19 category

Minister of Education, Dr Michael Dowlath, appeared to recognise such value at the draw for positions last Friday, when he raised the issue of music education, including the teaching of pan music, in the holistic development of children. This is important.

But he could have gone further in acknowledging the unique qualities of the instrument, its indigenous antecedents, and the model of social organisation in which it thrives.

Currently on the table is a promise to engage in post-Panorama consultations to ensure that this year’s mishap involving the choice of venue for the Junior Panorama Finals does not recur.

This confusion led to anger and dismay in some quarters, quiet resignation in others, and the sad disappointment of many children.

It might be that two separate events, with support from both the MOE and Pan Trinbago, can occur in the future. There is nothing wrong with a schedule involving both venues. But the best of the secondary schools, whatever the respective monikers, should be given the chance to contest and compare, at whichever venue.

For example, the Pan Trinbago Small Bands Final was hosted, without fuss, at Skinner Park and comprised bands from both islands — north, south, east, and west.

I did not hear a single word about Skinner Park being “too far”. In any case, too far from where? What I did hear, when it came to the secondary school bands, was that notice of the venue reached schools too late, and that there were serious issues associated with logistics and cost. I have no reason to believe the complaints were trivial or designed to jeopardise the MOE event.

It eventually fell to Pan Trinbago to fill what would have been a terrible breach when the organisation was approached to do something about the prospect of numerous bands not having a performance space. At that point, the Under-19 contest was born.

Hopefully, both parties will recognise the resultant problem of school-based bands not being exposed to competition at the highest level, involving the best the school steelband landscape has to offer.

So, if competition 2027 talks are convened promptly and in good faith, it should not matter what is eventually determined as the best arrangement for the students, and for pan.

Among the influential factors would be Pan Trinbago’s undoubted organisational capacity, its pioneering, tried-and-tested template for such events, and the influence of a government ministry in making numerous things happen through access to state resources.

From the feedback, the ministry could have done with some Pan Trinbago assistance on Monday.

In the end, two critically important issues are at stake. The first, and more important, is the interest of the thousands of young people directly and indirectly associated with pan and the competition.

Invaders Youth won in the Under-21 group

The second has to do with supporting the development and growth of the steelpan as a key national resource.

The contests play a role in erasing several mistaken notions about the quality of our young people, of all backgrounds, and what they bring to the table. It is also now widely agreed that, no, young people are not moving away from pan.

As a pan lover and Panorama regular for most of my life, I hereby confess that Junior Panorama is my favourite and most emotionally stirring event when it comes to this wonderful instrument and all that comes with it.

Let’s please get this right. There are pan nurseries to be attended to and managed.