Scouting Postage Stamps Released Today

To mark the centenary of the foundation of the Scouting movement worldwide, and to commemorate this event, the Jamaican postal service released four postage stamps and a Souvenir Sheet at a ceremony held on Monday July 9, 2007, at the Scouting Association’s headquarters.

Souvenir Sheet with $50 and $100 Scout stamps	$70 Scout stamp	$10 Scout stamp	$5 Scout stamp

The Guest Speaker at the Jamaican launch ceremony, Canon the Hon Weeville Gordon, Custos of St Kingston, represented the Governor General, whose dual role is that of the Chief Scout of Jamaica. In his comments, the Custos stated that the Scouting traditions of discipline and other tenets augur well for the society, as they allow for the moulding of young minds to become good citizens.

Rev Barrrington Soares, Chief Commissioner of Scouts, in presenting an overview of the history of Scouting and its attributes, insisted that more Scout Leaders will be needed. He stated that based on plans to encourage membership, additional Scout Leaders will have to be recruited for the development of the Jamaican Scouting movement and appealed for adult volunteers. The Scouting executive noted that the Jamaica Scouting Association’s centenary is slated for 2010, and thus a set of commemorative stamps is being planned to highlight that event to distinguish it from the worldwide movement’s milestone.

Dr Jean Dixon, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, brought greetings on behalf of the Minister of State, Senator Kern Spencer. Deputy Postmaster General, Glennamoe McNabb, acknowledged the organisations that made an impact on the project and urged everyone to purchase these stamps. Mr Ohene Blake, a Director from the Ministry of Education’s National Youth in Education Project, brought ‘glad tidings’ with the announcement that the Ministry of Education is planning to increase the allocations to all uniformed youth organisations. Chairing the function was John Leiba, the Jamaica Scouting Association’s Executive Chairman.

The stamps are issued in the following denominations: $5.00, $10.00, $30.00, $50.00, $70.00 and $100.00. One exceptional design element is that the $50 and $100 stamps form part of the Souvenir Sheet which has as its background, a montage of an array of flags from a variety of countries and interlocked Scouts’ hands depicting the many races and countries involved in Scouting across the globe. Additionally, First Day Covers are available for $265.00, and a special Souvenir Sheet First Day Cover will also be offered at a price of $300.00.

The stamps are now being sold at all post offices and the philatelic items may be purchased at the Philatelic sales outlets at these post offices: Central Sorting Office, Liguanea, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and at the Norman Manley International Airport.

The Scout Movement, which has perhaps twenty million Scouts in about 115 countries worldwide, was founded in 1907 by Lord Robert Baden-Powell. Scouting came to Jamaica in 1910, with the first troop being started in Brown’s Town, St Ann, by the Rev J W Graham. The Jamaican movement gained momentum, with the first troop to be formed in Kingston being started by Harry Mills in 1922.

The Centenary of Scouting (1907 - 2007) stamps were released as part of an omnibus series with a universal release date. In philately, an ‘omnibus’ series is a set of stamps done across many nations to highlight the same event. Philatelists (stamp enthusiasts) tend to seek to collect as many as possible of the variety of stamps issued by those nations involved in that release.

Globally, Scouts proudly wear the World Badge, use the Scout Motto (in their own language), make the Scout Promise, and try to keep or obey the Law. Anywhere in the world another Scout will recognise the Scout Sign, the Scout Salute and Scout Handshake.

Overseas collectors should make remittances by International United States of America and Canadian Money Orders or Euro currency and should include the cost of return postage by air.