Practise was postponed yesterday at the Desperadoes panyard after one of the workers contracted to move the steelpan rack was shot during gang warfare at Rudolph Link Road in Laventille. Atiba Pantin, of Diego Martin, died while receiving treatment at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. His killing pushed the toll to 17. A report said around 11 am, Pantin, who was hired by a contractor, was moving pan racks along with four other men when gunfire rang out.
Chavez Best, the driver who employed Pantin, was also shot in the upper right side of his body, police said. Investigators said Best remained in stable condition up to late yesterday. Faced with high crime and violence in the Laventille community in 2009, Desperadoes had to flee their panyard’s Auditorium and Theatre Centre to hold practice sessions in Belmont.
Members of National Panorama champion Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra on Duke Street, Port-of-Spain, were also forced to abruptly end Panorama rehearsals when loud explosions were heard in its catchment area last year. In an interview yesterday at the panyard at Queen’s Park East, manager of Desperadoes, Finbar Fletcher, said Pantin was not a member of the band.
For the most, six people were at the panyard, speaking in quiet tones. “He was contracted to move the instrument and like he got caught in the crossfire. Shots were fired while the truck was coming down to bring the pans down to practise at Queen’s Park East. That is all I know that it happened while they were moving it down,” he said. Fletcher said the players no longer practise at the panyard in Laventille.
“We have more racks to bring down because there is only a quarter of them here. The contractor is shaken up and said they will move the rest of the racks tomorrow (this) morning,” he said. Fletcher said hopefully band members could start practising by today or tomorrow or by Wednesday for the latest. “A lot of the players heard and we were supposed to start here (to practise at Queen’s Park East) at 2 pm,” Fletcher said, as he looked at his wristwatch. “Let them stay home and rest,” he added.
When asked if he had any opinion on Pantin’s death or the crime situation, he said he did not “wish to comment at this time.” Fletcher said the band will practise three or four tunes after which the arranger will say which of the compositions will be played at the Panorama competition. “Practise will be affected for the day but not for the rest of the week. We have to continue,” he said.
A post-mortem on Pantin’s body is expected to be done today at the Forensic Science Centre at Federation Park. Homicide officers are continuing investigations.