Postmaster General at the General Post Office (GPO), Margaret Ashby (centre, forefront) cuts the ribbon to officially open the stamp exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of Barbados’ Independence at the GPO. Looking on are staff at the GPO as well as specially invited guests.
By Patricia Thangaraj
The General Post Office (GPO) is set to release more stamps this year in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Independence of Barbados.
Speaking at the opening ceremony for the stamp exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of Barbados’ Independence at the General Post Office (GPO), Postmaster General, Margaret Ashby said that the two areas of focus for their stamps to be released include citizens. She further pointed out that it would include those who have reached 100 years and those who have passed this age who are still alive, as well as a stamp collection depicting the story of this island’s development from November 30, 1966 to the present time.
“Continuing in our tradition of chronicling the events of the time, I would like to remind you that we launched our ‘Landships in Barbados’ Stamp Issue on August 17, 2016 and our pending releases for the remaining of the year are ‘Centenarians of Barbados’. This will be the first Stamp Issue of its kind produced by the Philatelic Bureau and will feature the images of our Centenarians and Super-Centenarians, as we celebrate our achievement of being identified as the country with the second highest number of Centenarians per capita in the world. Our final release for 2016 is the 50th Anniversary of Independence Stamp issue which will recount our development over the last 50 years,” she explained.
Meanwhile, speaking on the actual exhibition itself, she stated that, “Persons viewing the Stamp Exhibition will get an opportunity to see the development of Barbados over the last 50 years chronicled in various Stamp Issues under the themes: Organisations, Military/Uniformed Organisations, Culture, Historical, United Nations, Heritage, Independence, Pride and Industry, Transportation, Sports, Flora and Fauna, Education, Royalty, Definitive and Christmas.”
The Postmaster General also pointed out that our Stamp Issues celebrate the people, events, and cultural milestones that helped to shape and form the unique Barbadian experience, and tell the story of our shared heritage; one that is immensely rich because of its diversity. These stamp issues provide visual snapshots of the past through themes that are carefully researched. Postage stamps can therefore be described as the custodian of our country’s history, geography, culture and people.
“Persons desirous of experiencing the genuine, natural, historic and cultural resources of this country Barbados, that authentically represent the stories and people of our past and present, can be fulfilled through the stories and visuals provided by postage stamps,” she stated.
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