Stamps Stuck In The Mail
Posted: Friday, February 13, 2004
By Terry Joseph
NEARLY all aspects of the launch of a special commemorative postage stamp issued to honour selected calypso pioneers went well Tuesday evening at the House of Angostura, except that the actual stamps were still stuck in the mail.
It was an audibly embarrassed TTPost managing director, Chris Abley, who told us during the vote of thanks that the stamps were not yet with us, promising to have them mailed to invitees the minute they were delivered by – we may presume - the postal service.
Hailed by calypsonians present, the gesture is a collaborative effort of TTPost and the National Carnival Commission (NCC), expressly to mark the year in which the festival is being dedicated to calypso pioneers.
On hand to witness the launch were living legends The Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose and Warlord Blakie, each of whom performed trademark pieces, Sparrow doing Phillip, My Dear, Rose with Fire, Fire and Blakie delivering Steelband Clash – all to the delight of the small but appreciative audience which included US Ambassador Roy Austin and Canadian High Commissioner, Simon Wade.
Jointly chaired by communications managers from TTPost (Sharon Lee Assang) and her counterpart from the Public Utilities Ministry, Peter Campbell, the unduly long ceremony also featured speeches by Delamo, standing in for Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) president Michael "Protector" Legerton, NCC chairman Kenny de Silva, TTPost chairman Patt Christopher, Eddie Hart, Minister of State in the Culture Ministry (standing in for Senator Joan Yuille- Williams), Sparrow, Blakie, Rose and Public Utilities Minister Pennelope Beckles.
Common to their presentations were expressions of appreciation for the work put in by calypso pioneers in general and in particular, the group being honoured on five stamps and a miniature souvenir sheet: Nap Hepburn, Lord Brynner, Sparrow, Grandmaster Kitchener, Roaring Lion, Rose, the Mystic Prowler and Lord Pretender; five of whom have passed on.
The design of the stamps, which was unveiled by Beckles and de Silva, represented the following denominations: $1, $2.50, $3.75, $4.50 and $5.25, with the souvenir sheet priced at $10.
Sparrow had earlier asked that the stamp bearing his image be the cheapest so more people could see it but that was not to be.
"I am thankful to be alive to see myself on a stamp," Sparrow said in his turn at the podium. "I am hoping it would be a cheap one so everyone can see it but I have to say that several other people could also have been honoured in this way. I would just like to mention two, Lord Melody and Spoiler but, I guess, their time will come."
Christopher spoke of TTPost's involvement in social development, remarking upon earlier initiatives, including commemorative stamps for World Aids Day and a Christmas time issue honouring the work of artist Jean Michel Cazabon.
Earlier that day, the company had distributed some 100,000 prepaid postage envelopes to community-based organizations.
Hart saw the issue as "indelible recognition of calypsonians of yester year", saying also that if we ignored cultural heroes we did so at our peril.
Beckles noted it was the first issue of stamps to commemorate calypso's trail-blazers and, coming as it did (well, as it will) in the heart of the Carnival season, endorsed the art's fundamental concept of raising voices to express differing points of view.
Courtesy the Trinidad Express
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