The late Rt. Honourable Dr. Eric E. Williams, the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, said in his 1970 Budget Speech:
“It is for us to utilize these assets for the national benefit, so that by the end of the decade we can look back upon an era of unprecedented economic and social development”.
The rest is history. Our natural assets have provided the backbone of our social, economic and cultural development. Specifically, in recent times, a lot of our social development has been supported by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programmes of locally operating and local companies. NGC has been a leader in this development, designing programmes that influence a wide variety of fields, from the Arts to Sport and Youth Development, and also in projects that build solidarity and empowerment in many communities throughout the country.
NGC’s stated policy of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is to “integrate social, environmental and economic concerns into values, culture, decision-making and strategy and to contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the communities in which we operate.” In short, to create shared value for its multiple stakeholders across the nation.
NGC began its national steelband assistance programme in 1992, specifically to support bands that were without sponsors. Over time, with the realisation that the traditional ‘pan round de neck’ bands were receiving very little support from corporate Trinidad and Tobago, NGC concentrated its support on that segment of the fraternity.
Ever since the invention of the steelpan and the start of organized groups coming together to make music, steelband entities have attracted youths, creative individuals and whole communities in support of our local culture. Mindful of this, there was indeed a natural fit for NGC, a national company, to assist in the continued development of our national instrument, the steelpan. It is with this potential that The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) deepened its involvement in the national instrument by making calculated investments, using four community steelbands as models.
In 2012, a more structured approach to steelbands was adopted through full sponsorship of:
- NGC La Brea Nightingales – a large band from La Brea
- NGC Couva Joylanders –
a medium band from Couva
- NGC Steel Xplosion –
a medium band from Carnbee, Tobago
Gonzales Sheikers Steelband a single pan band from Gonzales in POS, was also supported under a designated agreement.
NGC La Brea Nightingales Steel Orchestra
The band has continued to perform creditably in the Panorama Competitions and qualified for the finals of the Steelband Music Festival 2014. The band is featured regularly in Point Fortin Borough Day celebrations, Pan in the Countryside and several other engagements.
The NGC sponsored Music Literacy Programme was well received by the band and has attracted growing interest from the wider community. Over 250 persons have participated in the four years (2013-2016) of its existence.
Also capacity building initiatives have been well received with all members of the band’s management being exposed to training. A new constitution was crafted in 2015. This fosters greater transparency and positions the organization to be a leader in the community. The La Brea Nightingales Steelband has used the funds from the wealth generation investment to purchase computers for a training centre and a flat-bed truck for transportation services. The current economic situation has, however, limited the ability to achieve projected returns in the short-term. However the future remains very bright despite challenges.
NGC Couva Joylanders Steel Orchestra
This band is blessed with arguably one of the best pan theatres in the country having been the recipient of brand new premises provided by NGC in 2012. The pan theatre called NGC Couva Joylanders House of Steel supports a range of activities in the Couva community and fosters NGC’s youth development activities with the NGC-sponsored Couva Police Youth Club.
The NGC Joylanders Band also continues to improve the skills of its members in various percussive instruments through the company sponsored Music Literacy Programme. Fourteen stage side members graduated from the programme in 2015. Another programme, capacity building workshops provide the band with much needed management skills that focus on Process Management and Systems; Facilities Management; Marketing and Social Media; Image Management; Accounting; Event Planning; Etiquette and Protocol; Team Building and Leadership and Communication.
During the carnival season, the NGC Joylanders usually delivers admirable performances at the National Panorama Competition they placed:
- 5th in the medium band category and 1st place in
the People’s Choice Award in the medium category in 2016; and
- 3rd place in the People’s Choice Award in the medium category in 2017.
NGC Steel Xplosion Steel Orchestra
NGC Steel Xplosion’s participation in the National Panorama Competition has been noteworthy. The band placed 3rd in the medium band size category and won the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Pan Champs title in 2015. The 3rd place finish qualified the band to participate in the inaugural International Panorama Competition hosted in Trinidad and Tobago in August 2015 which featured bands from around the globe.
In 2016, the NGC Steel Xplosion placed creditably at the National Panorama Finals and at the THA Pan Champs. Later thatyear, the Bandcompletedanorganizationalstrengthening exercise out of which a constitution and a three-year strategic plan were completed and an executive board elected.
NGC Steel Xplosion has also capitalized on capacity building to improve the skills and abilities of its members. This augurs well in a community that has unique opportunities for tourism. They selected skills training programmes aimed at strengthening internal competencies such as: Fundamentals of Management Principles and Practices; Financial Management and Marketing; The Business of Music and Intellectual property and Facilities Management.
Gonzales Sheikers
The band made up mostly of children and young adults continues to excel in community outreach efforts. A music literacy programme is being initiated along with a Pan Family Day and Emancipation Community Awards hosted annually. During the period 2013 to 2016, 85 persons participated in the Music Literacy Programme.
In response to training received, the band also revised its operations procedures and has utilized the funds provided from its wealth generation venture to supplement the cost of hosting fundraising projects (social events). In 2015, NGC refurbished a pan theatre for the band and this has served to enable further entrepreneurial activities and to provide a“safe space” for the youth. The band has developed an association with the neighbouring Escallier
A.C. Primary School to provide new players and also to keep the youngsters engaged in positive activities, such as a dance programme. There are plans to support the school by providing a music tutor.
A corporate tradition of investment in sustainability
NGC’s extensive involvement with the national instrument and the development of the steelband is consistent with its CSR thrust in promoting national culture. This however, is just one area of strategic intervention in NGC’s social investment programme. Over the years the Company has invested heavily in key areas of sustainability – namely, Arts and Culture, Sport, Education Empowerment and Youth Development and Environmental Preservation.
