TTPost launches stamps featuring local cuisine

To commemorate World Food Day 2021, the TT Postal Corporation (TTPost) has launched a collection of tens stamps featuring local cuisine.

The dishes featured on the stamps include Sunday lunch, crab and dumpling, doubles, cow heel soup, black pudding, roast corn, salt fish and provision, shark and bake, chicken roti and chicken pelau.

Created in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, the stamps were unveiled on Saturday during World Food Day celebrations at the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco) Farmers Market in Chaguanas.

Speaking at the event, TTPost chairman Hakeem Ahmad said the stamps were yet another effort by the TTPost to contribute towards the documentation and promotion of TT’s culture.

Ahmad explained, “Trinidad and Tobago is endowed with my exquisite culinary delights, some of which we are happy to feature on this stamp issue.

“By nurturing and promoting philately (study of stamps), and stamp collecting, TTPost can partner with the national community to record and deliver our rich heritage in the international community.

“Since stamps are pictorial ambassadors of the country on a tiny canvas, the thinking this year was to depict local foods.”

During the event, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat praised the stamps.

“The stamps really celebrate a few things…one is the colour and flare of Trinidad and Tobago’s cuisine and two, the rich heritage of things,” said Rambharat.

But with doubles being featured on one of the stamps, Rambharat also referenced his controversial 2020 doubles remarks.

Speaking at the Point Fortin Borough Corporation's grow box distribution at the Fanny Village Recreational Ground on November 30, 2020, Rambharat said doubles is "100 per cent imported content" and questioned it being referred to as a "national dish."

“I got blows last year when I spoke about a particular thing that everybody likes including me.

“It is on one of the stamps and all I was saying is that I like it but I don’t like it for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said Rambharat.

TTPost general manager of sales and marketing Carl Ramdeo noted that the stamps were the second collaboration between TTPost and the ministry.

The first collaboration was in 2018 for a collection of stamps to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Port of Spain.

Commending the collaborations, Ramdeo said, “It is important to note that when public organisations collaborate as we are doing today, for this launch, the public is well served and endless.

“The authentic stamp booklet (launched today) will find its way to the retail network of 13 shops, 20 franchises and over 99 stamp retailers across TT.”