Republic Bank Supports Rebranded Pan Event Pure “Pandemonium” For Festival

Steel Pan lovers are in for a pan-tastic treat this Crop Over with Republic Bank’s Pandemonium.

The Bank has partnered with the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), providing $85,000 in support of the rebranded, family-friendly, steel pan concert to be held at the National Botanical Gardens on Sunday, July 24th.

At the recent press launch, Managing Director and CEO, Anthony Clerk, explained, “As a member of the corporate community, and a signatory to the principles of responsible banking, we see Pan as a sound investment in the preservation of culture and an investment in an art form that also offers job creation.”

Clerk reminded the audience that the Republic Bank has supported Crop Over and various NCF events for more than twenty years.

“Today, we are here to reiterate our commitment to the success of the Crop Over Festival and to support the efforts of the National Cultural Foundation to ensure its continued development and longevity,” he said.

Adding that their support of Pandemonium is about “ensuring pan lives on”, Clerk stated, “We at Republic Bank look forward to continuing to work with the NCF and we encourage the rest of corporate Barbados to find their niche and lend some support to our national festival as it makes a comeback after its two year hiatus.”

Chief Executive Officer of the NCF, Carol Roberts-Reifer, thanked Clerk for the Bank’s continued support and involvement in the festival.

“You could have so easily said ‘we have changed directions, not going to go with you this year, Grand Kadooment is not our thing’. But the fact that you looked for something in our calendar and made it yours is really worthy of acknowledgment and I thank you,” she said.

Noting that the media often views sponsorship primarily as an “accounting function”, she stressed that it is also important to consider the value of the commitment shown by partners like Republic Bank.

“I urge you to look at the backstory to that, the level of commitment, the level of dedication, the value of relationships both corporate and cultural when we all come together, not for the benefit of the individual entity, not only for the benefit of the festival – all of those things are important – but for the benefit of the country where young people have a say, responsible, vibrant, empowering opportunity to learn to play pan which then brings our culture and our heritage together.