Four stamps were yesterday launched by the Guyana Post Office Corporation in honour of the upcoming Carifesta X celebrations.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds officially unveiled the stamps at the ceremony which was held in the foyer of the GPO building.

The initiative was a fulfilment of a request made by the Carifesta Secretariat to the Guyana Post Office Corpora-tion to release special commemorative stamps for Carifesta X. According to Dr. Frank Anthony, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, when the Guyana Post Office Corporation was approached they responded positively and he expressed gratitude for this.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds (right) and Bishop Juan Edghill were on hand yesterday when these four stamps were officially released as part of the Carifesta X celebrations. (Jules Gibson photo)

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bishop Juan Edghill expressed hope that “the release of these stamps would revive an interest in philately”. He said that the stamps should be seen as a valuable collector’s item.
The stamps were also unveiled yesterday in Linden, New Amsterdam, Anna Regina and Parika in addition to other destinations worldwide. The stamps are valued at $20, $55, $80 and $160 and carry the map of Guyana and the official Carifesta X logo.

The GPO also revealed that other souvenir items had been created especially for the Carifesta celebrations. These include frames, bags, first day covers, albums/folders and post cards which carry the images of the new stamps.

A Philatelic Exhibition is expected to be part of this year’s celebration. It will be housed at the post office at Lamaha and Carmichael streets starting from Monday, August 25. A special commemorative stamp featuring British Guianese-born Sir James Douglas, who is recognised as the `Father of British Columbia’, will be released.