The 2015 National Junior Panorama competition is in dire straights, says Pan Trinbago Youth Arm chairman Rudo Forteau.
In an interview yesterday Forteau said this year’s competition was in jeopardy because monies have not been paid to schools and service providers by the Ministry of Education.
He said: “To date no payments were made by the Ministry of Education, the agency which funds the competition.”
He said approximately $1.4 million was outstanding.
Forteau explained: “Before the event a note has to be sent to Cabinet for approval. That approval was given, that is how the 2014 competition was staged.
“Right now, we are being tossed around between the Education Ministry and the permanent secretary Jennifer Daniel. The other person involved is Bruce Roberts, the project co-ordinator of the ministry’s Multicultural Music Programme Unit, Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain. He is supposed to be the main person acting on behalf of the ministry.”
He said: “The first prize for the non-schools category was paid by National Petroleum Company of T&T (NP) last year.”
Contacted yesterday, Roberts said: “The files were submitted and some of the primary schools were paid.”
Referring the T&T Guardian to the ministry’s communications specialist Alicia Busby, Roberts said: “I cannot say when the other schools will be paid.”
Efforts to contact Daniel and Busby proved futile.
Forteau said: “All we want is some form of reassurance that the ministry will keep its end of the bargain and pay 2014 monies to enable us to proceed with the 2015 competition.
“On behalf of the Pan Trinbago Youth Arm and participants in this competition, it is unfortunate that young people have to go through this kind of thing.
“You don’t see this kind of thing happening with the senior Panorama as they are presented with their prize cheques on the same night of the finals. I really hope that the Ministry of Education will rectify this situation expeditiously.”
The defending champions of the National Junior Panorama competition are St Paul’s Anglican School (primary schools); Providence/QRC (secondary schools); bp Renegades (non secondary bands). (PRB)