Back in business: Long line for pre-packaged doubles

Three hundred packs of doubles will be on sale on Wednesday morning at the St Christopher Service Station on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

On Tuesday only half that amount was available and sold out by 7 am after police shut down the sale of the pre-packaged doubles on Monday.

The station was at the centre of online outrage as a result.

But Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith issued an apology a few hours and lifted the ban after the news broke of the police intervention. Griffith said it was a mistake, as the Public Health Ordinance allows the sale of pre-packaged food during the covid19 shutdown.

The station's general manager Andre James said customers were lined up early Tuesday morning waiting for doubles.

James said because the station only got permission to go ahead on Monday afternoon, the supplier, Ronald Pyango, was not able to prepare the usual amount – 300 packages– which he has been producing for the station since last week Monday.

"Making doubles is a process," said James, so the team was only able to supply 150 packages on Tuesday, which sold out by 7 am.

When the police stopped James selling doubles on Monday, they allowed him to continue selling other pre-packaged meals, including sandwiches, fried pies and wraps. James said they were "kind and gracious."

Known as the supplier of the Original Fat Boy Doubles, Pyango said he was grateful for the support, and because of the online interest in the story, the issue was resolved within hours.

After Griffith's apology, he said he was very pleased with the response of the police and the public and was happy to "serve the people again."

He makes and packages the doubles every morning at his Petit Valley home. Each pre-packaged meal contains four doubles, pepper, chadon beni and sweet sauce, all of which he makes. A pack sells for $30.

Pyango also makes aloo pies and fry bake with cheese. He sells in Petit Valley and Diego Martin and also caters for events. He has been making and selling doubles since he finished school in 1986.

The product was launched last week Monday and was an instant hit. Pyango had approached James and his team with the idea a week earlier. He said he came up with the idea when he realised groceries like Massy Stores were selling pre-packaged food.

Pyango has no interest in expanding the business, at least for the time being.

"Right now, it's really on a small scale I do everything," he said, but he added that because of the outpouring of support from the public, he will consider continuing the pre-packaged doubles.

"It was really for the lockdown," he said, but "I will think about it. My customers looking out for me. I can't let them down."

He said things have been "good so far," since he got the go-ahead to proceed.

"Thank God for that," he said enthusiastically. "I wouldn't have make out without this little income here."

Pyango said that on Tuesday when he arrived at 5.30 am to deliver the stock, people were already lined up waiting for doubles.

In an urgent question in the Senate in Tuesday, Wade Mark asked the legal basis for the police initially stopping the sales.

National Security Minister Stuart Young hailed police officers who have the unenviable task of interpreting regulations to protect the population from the covid19 pandemic. "It is not an easy task, with 5,000-7,000 police officers out protecting us the population, to be called upon at any given moment in time to interpret the regulations. This question and the mischief behind it are rejected." He said Commisioner of Police (CoP) Gary Griffith had moved with alacrity to apologise after consulting him. He alleged individuals were inserting naked politics into the fight against covid19. Mark rejected that claim and asked how to avoid a repeat of the St Christopher incident. Young said the CoP daily meets his executive officers but frontline offficers may still make errors. "This was an innocent mistake. There are still persons trrying to find loopholes in the regulations. Restaurants aren't allowed to be open (but) there are certain restaurants that are cooking food, freezing food and trying with delivery service, curbside service, etcetera, so maybe that is what the police officers were after."

With reporting by Sean Douglas

Three hundred packs of doubles will be on sale on Wednesday morning at the St Christopher Service Station on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

On Tuesday only half that amount was available and sold out by 7 am after police shut down the sale of the pre-packaged doubles on Monday.

The station was at the centre of online outrage as a result.

But Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith issued an apology after a few hours and lifted the ban after the news broke of the police intervention. Griffith said it was a mistake, as the Public Health Ordinance allows the sale of pre-packaged food during the covid19 shutdown.

The station’s general manager Andre James said customers were lined up early Tuesday morning waiting for doubles.

James said because the station only got permission to go ahead on Monday afternoon, the supplier, Ronald Pyango, was not able to prepare the usual amount – 300 packages– which he has been producing for the station since last week Monday.

Known as the supplier of the Original Fat Boy Doubles, Pyango said he was grateful for the support, and because of the online interest in the story, the issue was resolved within hours.

After Griffith’s apology, he said he was very pleased with the response of the police and the public and was happy to “serve the people again.”

He makes and packages the doubles every morning at his Petit Valley home. Each pre-packaged meal contains four doubles, pepper, chadon beni and sweet sauce, all of which he makes. A pack sells for $30.

Pyango also makes aloo pies and fry bake with cheese. He sells in Petit Valley and Diego Martin and also caters for events. He has been making and selling doubles since he finished school in 1986.

The product was launched last week Monday and was an instant hit. Pyango had approached James and his team with the idea a week earlier. He said he came up with the idea when he realised groceries like Massy Stores were selling pre-packaged food.

Pyango has no interest in expanding the business, at least for the time being.

“Right now, it’s really on a small scale I do everything,” he said, but he added that because of the outpouring of support from the public, he will consider continuing the pre-packaged doubles.

“It was really for the lockdown,” he said, but “I will think about it. My customers looking out for me. I can’t let them down.”

In an urgent question in the Senate in Tuesday, Wade Mark asked the legal basis for the police initially stopping the sales.

National Security Minister Stuart Young hailed police officers who have the unenviable task of interpreting regulations to protect the population from the covid19 pandemic. “It is not an easy task, with 5,000-7,000 police officers out protecting us the population, to be called upon at any given moment in time to interpret the regulations.

This question and the mischief behind it are rejected.”

He said Commisioner of Police (CoP) Gary Griffith had moved with alacrity to apologise after consulting him. He alleged individuals were inserting naked politics into the fight against covid19.

Mark rejected that claim and asked how to avoid a repeat of the St Christopher incident.

Young said the CoP daily meets his executive officers but frontline offficers may still make errors.

“This was an innocent mistake. There are still persons trying to find loopholes in the regulations. Restaurants aren’t allowed to be open (but) there are certain restaurants that are cooking food, freezing food and trying with delivery service, curbside service etc, so maybe that is what the police officers were after.”

With reporting by Rhianna Mc Kenzie and Sean Douglas