Doubles troubles

IS DOUBLES the national dish? Minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat thinks so. And he’s not happy about it.

“Do we need doubles to be the national dish of this country?” Mr Rambharat grumbled on Monday at an event highlighting grow-local initiatives.

The minister said he had no trouble with people having “a bara every so often.” His complaint related to the fact that the ingredients used to make doubles are all – barring condiments – imported.

“Doubles is 100 per cent non-local content,” he said. “Why have we made that the national snack and the national food?”

Mr Rambharat’s assault on one of the country’s most beloved dishes will undoubtedly provoke the ire of doubles fans. It will also dismay those who subscribe to the maxim
de gustibus non disputandum – in matters of taste, there can be no dispute. If people like it, let them eat it.

We feel there is a case to be argued for doubles, based on social and economic factors that the minister has been too hasty to dismiss.

Firstly, the popularity of doubles is tied to the fact that it is easier on the pocket than many other fast-food options. In fact, some would even argue that its growing popularity is a confirmation of collective economic distress.

At the same time, doubles is also one of the rare things that unite rich and poor alike. The preference for doubles knows no bounds: it is eaten by people of all races, all creeds, all education levels.

Mr Rambharat should also understand, more so than many others, that the world is also turning increasingly to vegan options given the environmental impact of meat consumption. In this regard, doubles is a rare thing: an accessible vegan option that people genuinely like.

Doubles vendors are also prime examples of small businesses at work. They employ and support many people.

And there is room for even more nuance. In focusing on ingredients, the minister misses an important point. Doubles is not just a commodity, it is a service: a quick meal for busy people intent on being productive during the course of the day.

In recent times, doubles vendors have had to contend with a drop in income and hazardous conditions while selling to the public. They have increasingly come under attack from criminals.

It is laudable that the minister is willing to swim against the tide. But instead of linking the popularity of doubles to a “twisted” nature, Mr Rambharat could encourage vendors to devise ways to ensure more local content in their recipes.

That content, such as a variation using local ingredients such as cassava flour, is needed – even if doubles purists might balk.

So the minister has a point. He just needs to make his ideas more appetising.