Gov’t takes over steelband body
The Keith Mitchell-led New National Party (NNP) government has apparently taken over the running of the Grenada Steelband Association (GSA) following months of bickering between two warring factions.
THE NEW TODAY has obtained correspondence in which the Ministry of Culture headed by Senator Norland Cox is making move to put in place an Interim Committee to take charge of the body in which Jason Skeete was the last elected President of the association.
Sources told this newspaper that the move could be questionable as the association is a totally independent body outside the ambit of government.
However, government is known to give an annual subvention to the steelbands to facilitate their participation in the annual Spicemas festival in August.
In recent months, there has been a stand-off between Skeete and a number of the so-called steelbands and some of the persons involved in what is regarded as the big bands on the island like Commancheros and Republic Bank Angel Harps.
The bigger bands had brought a motion of No-confidence against Skeete which was deemed to be illegal based on the GSA constitution.
Last week Minister Cox brokered a meeting between the two warring factions in which Skeete walked out following a personal attack launched on him by a member of the so-called Big Bands.
Correspondence has now surfaced showing the move being made by the Ministry of Culture to temporary take charge of the affairs of GSA.
