VINLEC continues sponsorship of Junior Panorama

St Vincent Electricity Services (VINLEC), has donated a cheque in the amount of $40,000 to the Youlou Pan Movement to support the development of youth in music and the arts, and to assist in preparing for the upcoming Junior Pan Fest.

The ceremony, held under the theme ‘The Transforming Power of Steel pan’, took place at the parking lot of VINLEC’s corporate headquarters in Paul’s Avenue on Tuesday June 18, 2024.

In attendance were Dr. Vaughn Lewis, CEO of VINLEC; Ricardo Adams, chairman of the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC); Rodney Small, president of the Youlou Pan Movement; Maxine Browne, Senior Cultural Officer; and Carlos James, Minister of Culture, all of whom delivered brief remarks.

The cheque was presented by Lewis who, in his remarks, emphasised the significance of supporting local cultural events.

“Scientifically, it has been shown that learning music can actually benefit you, especially in the field of mathematics. It draws people of many different cultures together, and it’s a very important tool in diplomacy.”

The VINLEC CEO noted that he also has some experience in playing music.

“…many milestones in my life have been marked by music that have brought me some form of joy and comfort, and I believe that music impacts most of us in a very positive way,” said Lewis, who played pan while at Secondary School and also still plays the keyboards.

Youlou Pan Movement president Small, accepted the donation with gratitude.

“VINLEC, your support will help us carry out a comprehensive marketing and promotional campaign; however, we cannot achieve these goals alone. We depend on the support and collaboration of our community, sponsors, and well wishers to turn this vision into reality. Your contribution will have a significant impact and will help us achieve our goals,” Small said.

“Our event calendar is set, and we have some leading up events to the Junior Panorama competition.”

Small noted that the Junior Panarama competition is scheduled for Sunday, June 30, 2024, and will showcase the talents of some 575 junior pannists from seven community bands, and four school steel bands. The movement’s president proposed initiating a national steel pan competition to ensure representation at local, regional, and international levels.

Rodney Small also mentioned various initiatives aimed at enabling more people to learn and appreciate the art of playing the steel pan.

“Enhanced scholarships in the creative and cultural sectors specifically pan, are crucial for nurturing the talents in the steel pan art form. The steel pan community embodies a spirit of empowerment, personal development, and economic prosperity; it serves as a unifying force with global impact for social progress and sustainable development,” Small said.

The CDC chairman, Adams, spoke of the history and growth of steel pan music. He referenced a song by David Rudder called ‘The Engine Room’ that described how pan has been transformed from something people didn’t want to be associated with to becoming integrated into society.

“…pan was a bad man thing, and you didn’t want to be associated with a pan side. Now, you want to see steel orchestras in the schools. You want the steel pan in the churches. I go to cricket, and you see steel orchestras and pan sides performing at the entrance to the World Cup of cricket, and that is a testimony to the growth of pan and its acceptance socially.”

Adams emphasised the significance of safeguarding and promoting this distinctive cultural art form for the benefit of future generations. His sentiments were echoed by the Minister of Culture, Carlos James and the Senior Cultural Officer, and the minister praised VINLEC for its longstanding partnership with organisations like the CDC and the Youlou Pan Movement.

For over twenty years, VINLEC has been supporting the Youlou Pan Movement’s aim to guide youths away from crime by offering financial assistance and resources to ensure the success of events like Junior Panorama.