The Centenary of Scouting (1907-2007) stamps released on July 9 to mark the founding of the scouting movement worldwide consists of four postage stamps and a souvenir sheet.
Although 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.
Denominations
The stamps are issued in the following denominations: $5, $10, $30, $50, $70 and $100. 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 flags from a variety of countries and interlocked scouts' hands. Additionally, first-day covers are available for $265, and a special souvenir sheet first-day cover will also be offered at a price of $300.
The stamps are sold at all post offices and the philatelic items may be purchased at the following post offices: Central Sorting Office, Liguanea, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and at the Norman Manley International Airport.
Philatelic Term: OMNIBUS
The Centenary of Scouting stamps shown are part of an omnibus series with a universal release date. In philately, an 'omnibus' series is a set ofstamps done by many nations to highlight the same event. The first omnibus issue was done by Portugal and its colonies in 1898 to commemorate the quarter century of Vasco da Gama's exposure of another sea route to India.
Postal tips
Many customers ask questions related to their mail and so, we from time to time publish tips to help simplify your mailing needs.
Q: What are the maximum measurements allowed for a package?
A: Packages must be limited to:
Length: 3 feet 6 inches or 106.5cm
Breadth: 2 feet 6 inches or 76.5cm
Weight: 22lb or 10kg.
Q: I was sending buns to my relatives (overseas) and the post office customer service rep refused to accept my package. Why?
A: You were planning to send the buns with only an address label on the cellophane wrapper. Buns, cakes and similar food products are attractive to rats and must, therefore, be carefully packed in rat-proof containers. Our suggestion is to place these items in tins such as the 'sweet biscuit' tins.
Q: I was told that my package was not prepared properly, as it needed to have a plain wrapper. I don't see the need for this as the (company's) box was sturdy.
A: If an empty carton that had goods in it is used for mailing, then all product labelling and branding need to be obliterated or covered. When using such a box, the parcel must be wrapped with thick, plain wrapping paper which is not easily torn. Soft paper, when torn, is likely to result in the loss of valuable information such as the addressee's name and address and this will prevent delivery.
Q: Any tips for sending fragile articles?
A: Fragile articles require special preparation for mailing. Customers must use strong containers and the item should be surrounded by soft material such as torn and crumpled newspaper, bubble wrap, foam or similar insulation to protect them from rough, physical contact or impact during transmission. The filling of all empty space in the package prevents shaking or movement during conveyance.
The words 'FRAGILE' and 'HANDLE WITH CARE' should be clearly written on the front, top and back in capitals, using big, bold lettering. Example: if you plan to send reading glasses, place them in a hard 'glasses case', not a soft pouch. Ensure that the case cannot be accidentally opened by wrapping elastic bands around it.
Q: I plan to visit Jamaica soon and mail back lots of that excellent (Jamaican brand) coffee instead of carrying that load in my suitcase.
A: We are proud of the fact that the world recognises the superiority of Jamaican coffee, but there is a restriction on the quantity of coffee that can be sent in mail. Only one pound (approximately 500 grams) may be mailed in any single package. If you plan to send more than that, you will need approval from the Coffee Industry Board (www.ciboj.org), an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture.
