A significant cultural conflict has emerged between Couva Joylanders Steel Orchestra and the National Gas Company (NGC) following the state-owned energy corporation’s decision to withdraw corporate sponsorship from youth-focused, sporting, and cultural organizations. The dispute centers on NGC’s substantial reduction in funding allocations for 2025, particularly affecting steelband groups including Couva Joylanders, La Brea Nightingales, and Tobago’s Steel Xplosion.\n\nThe controversy intensified following comments by NGC Chairman Gerald Ramdeen, who asserted that the company is \”not here to be a Ministry of Culture or Sport\” and emphasized that \”NGC is not a charity.\” The Couva Joylanders Orchestra responded directly to these statements through a detailed Facebook post, challenging Ramdeen’s perspective on corporate social responsibility.\n\nThe orchestra presented a compelling counter-argument, stating that corporate sponsorship represents more than mere financial assistance. They emphasized that panyards function as critical community spaces—serving as safe havens, educational environments, and centers for cultivating discipline and creativity. The funding withdrawal, they argued, negatively impacts not only musical groups but also local economies, affecting tailors, transportation providers, food vendors, and artisans who depend on carnival and steelpan activities.\n\nAt a time when steelpan music is gaining international recognition, the orchestra warned that reduced corporate support could hinder cultural momentum and diminish Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism potential. They expressed particular concern about the timing, noting that the cuts coincide with growing global appreciation for the art form.\n\nThe band directly addressed Ramdeen’s comments, stating: \”Respectfully, sir, your framing makes NGC sound detached from the communities it serves. A state enterprise should reflect national priorities, not just shareholder returns.\”\n\nRamdeen defended the corporate decision, referencing $1.6 billion in profits that allegedly concealed $1 billion in losses from previous management. He committed to continuing NGC’s corporate social responsibility initiatives but emphasized doing so \”in a prudent and frugal manner, with decisions guided by the best interests of the company and the country.\”\n\nThe funding termination letters invoked contractual clauses allowing the company to \”terminate for convenience,\” a move that Pan Trinbago president Beverly Ramsey-Moore described as \”a devastating blow\” to the cultural community.\n\nOpposition MP Stuart Young characterized the withdrawal as \”an assault on our culture,\” highlighting the vital role panyards play as safe spaces in communities affected by crime. This controversy echoes similar concerns raised earlier this year when Heritage Petroleum reduced support for San Fernando’s Skiffle Bunch and Siparia Deltones.\n\nThe Joylanders concluded their statement by emphasizing the profound significance of steelpan culture: \”This debate isn’t abstract. It touches directly on the lifeblood of our orchestra and the wider steelpan family… Sponsorship here is about sustaining a legacy, empowering youth, and projecting TT’s identity to the world.\”