I wonder if, as a nation, we truly recognize the tragedy that Despers having to leave its space in Laventille is.

I’m not hearing many voices on the matter, so this makes me assume that it’s neither here nor there with the population at large.

But truly, it should be. There should be a public outcry and outrage at this latest development in our history, because whether we want to acknowledge it or not, history it is.

Most of us know that steelpan was once ostracized in our nation and had the reputation of being a “bad boy ting”. Most of us know that Despers was one of the early “bad john” bands and that it wasn’t unusual for steelband members from any one band to clash with members of another and have big fight, as immortalized in Lord Blakie’s “Steelband Clash”.

Most of us also know that Despers being in Laventille pulled many a less-privileged youth from the lure of the streets and gave them an avenue for expression and a boost to their self-esteem. Most of us also know that Despers grew musical geniuses in our nation like Robbie Greenidge, Beverly Griffith and Clive Bradley.

So if most of us know all this, how come most of us don’t seem to care that we are witnessing a piece of OUR cultural, historical landscape being washed away?

Are we still thinking that what happens in Laventille stays in Laventille?

Do we have to wait to see bands having to move out of Arima, San Juan, Marabella, before we sit up and take heed?

And the even bigger question is, where will they all move to?

Should we all just pack up and call it a day and move to Tobago?

Even if we still think what happens in Laventille stays there and once we could tune in to Despers in Panorama it’s no big deal, even if we think so, we should tune in to the reality that the original bad boys of Laventille now have to make way for the new brand of bad boys in Laventille and that should tell us, that if the pannist in his home town has lost his place of respect and regard among his own, what’s left for the rest of us where these new-brand bad boys are concerned?

What more needs to happen for us to start taking back our country?

We will never take back our country unless we come together as one, united in our belief and commitment to Trinidad (I purposely leave out Tobago, because Tobagonians already know this), rallying for our country, in whatever space we are in.

You see, everybody wants change but nobody wants to join hands to bring it. Every problem affects us all but every problem is left for the individual to deal with. Despers could easily have decided not to even bother to compete for Panorama and forget the fans, and sadly, the fans would have moaned for a time and then found a new band to worship.

But what if the entire steelband fraternity had joined forces with Despers and said: no Panorama unless we get patrolled streets and shuttle service and an armed-force escort to and from the Despers pan theatre in Laventille. Don’t you think that Despers might now still be there blazing on top the hill in full glory?

Equally important, what would be the message to the new-brand bad boys in Laventille?

Simple, the message would be:We are standing up for right, not stepping down for wrong.

Now we have all lived to see the lighthouse in Laventille turn off its light. How many more beacons need to go out before we ask ourselves if we all really want to stay in the dark?