Pan talks break down

Closed door discussions with Pan Trinbago and the United Pan Players Movement broke down yesterday.

The meeting was held in the wake of last Wednesday’s protest by pan players outside the head office of the organisation on Park Street, Port-of-Spain, demanding the immediate resignation of the body’s executive.

Yesterday’s meeting, which took place at City Hall, Port-of-Spain, was intended to reach agreement on the way forward for Pan Trinbago but after four hours it broke up without agreement.

Pan Trinbago president Richard Forteau, and leaders of the UPPM Dane Gulston and Gregory Lindsay attended the meeting.

Among the major proposals of the plan of action was the need to approve a motion for the entire Pan Trinbago executive, under Forteau to resign with immediate effect and a 90-day interim executive be sworn in.

The interim executive was to include the four regional chairmen of Pan Trinbago and three other members— former city mayor Keron Valentine, Keith Byer and Michael Marcano. The plan also required NCC accountant, Nigel Williams, to be responsible for finance in the interim committee.

But yesterday’s discussions broke down and calls were made by some present for the Prime Minister to intervene in the impasse between the disgruntled pan players and the central executive of the organisation.

Gulston, Lindsay and others have been demanding the resignation of the entire Pan Trinbago central executive because of a lack of transparency and disrespect for members.

Last Saturday Assistant Secretary, Cindy Rosemin resigned claiming there was a lack of transparency in the financial affairs of the steelband body.

She was the second executive member to quit in the past months ads former Vice President Byron Serrette resigned over the same issue.

Today’s emergency meeting is expected to be heated.