Two members of the Pan Trinbago central executive have resigned with immediate effect, citing an absence of transparency and integrity as reasons for their departure. The two are Beverley Ramsey-Moore, the former assistant secretary and Keith Simpson a former trustee. Ramsey-Moore said she would reveal all when she hosts a news conference at Silver Stars Panyard, Tragarete Road, Port of Spain, tomorrow.
In an immediate response, president of Pan Trinbago, Keith Diaz, warned that people must be careful what they said because litigation could follow. He said a special meeting had been carded for 10 am on Sunday at Scherzando Panyard, Evans Street, Curepe, "where we will reveal all that we have to reveal."
By letter, dated July 4 and addressed to Diaz, Ramsey-Moore said for the past two years she had continuously expressed concerns on the matter of transparency and integrity in dealings under the name of Pan Trinbago Inc. She said she had expended not only personal sacrifice but an enormous amount of effort to ensure the business of the organisation was one which she could defend.
However, she explained, in spite of her contribution, the executive had been operating with a lack of trust. Simpson, in his resignation, also wrote about rumblings and dissatisfaction of the general membership over the present executive. In an interview yesterday evening, Ramsey-Moore said decisions had been taken and projects embarked upon without central executive approval.
One such project, she identified as Pan Trinbago Inc's new subsidiary, The Africa Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan Development Company Ltd, which was scheduled to be launched yesterday evening at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain. Ramsey-Moore said the central executive gave no approval for the setting up of such a company.
She also questioned the payment of a consultant fee of $420,728.30 for managing the "Greens" for Panorama 2012. Diaz denied this allegation. He said: "That is not factual. I don't want to go tongue-to-tongue in the media to fight Pan Trinbago's battles. I cannot reveal certain things in the public. "I have to report to the membership of Pan Trinbago that is why I called a special meeting for Sunday and I will bring all information then."
Ramsey-Moore also said she did not want to resign but felt she was hitting her head against a wall. "After a statutory meeting on July 3, I thought it was best for me to remove myself from the executive because I did not want to take responsibility for anything I would not have known about," she added.
