THE EDITOR: Two recent headlines in daily papers attracted my immediate attention.

The first headline, 'Govt looking at proclaiming steelpan a national instrument,' inferred that the Government has acknowledged the fact that pan has not, to date, been officially proclaimed, via parliamentary procedure, as Trinidad and Tobago's national musical instrument.

It came from the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Camille Robinson-Regis at the handing over ceremony of the new panyard to the Morvant-based TT Music Stars Steel Orchestra.

The second headline, 'House sits September 9,' in a later paper, reported that the House of Representatives, via Legal Notice 168, will be prorogued at midnight on September 9 and that the start of the new Parliament sitting is carded for September 12. Based on the newspaper report, there appears to be no discussion carded for the proclamation of pan as our national musical instrument in either sitting.

Be that as it may, what is important is that after decades of non-recognition as an officially proclaimed national treasure, let alone as our national musical instrument, the Government is showing interest in so doing.

Had it been recognised for what it truly is, I am sure I would not have experienced, on local television some years ago, the national anthem being played on a hand-held tablet that imitated the sound of pan in a panyard in east Trinidad on Independence Day. The pan instruments were neatly stacked in the background.

I expect that sooner - much sooner - rather than later pan will be officially proclaimed as our national musical instrument in much the same way that we recognise the pannists who have mastered the instrument.

Happy 60th Independence Day!

HENRY HARPER

Petit Valley

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