‘Obamamania’ grips TT

“We only have five T-shirts left,” said Lisa Kheden, a manager at Mystic Hemp, a clothes store on Aripaita Avenue, Woodbrook. The black T-shirts, priced at $220 each, feature images of Obama in white with the slogan, “Obama: the New Black.”

“People keep calling asking for more but we don’t have anymore in stock. We have two extra small ladies T-shirts left and three for men.”

But while some stores had a few items left, others had completely sold out their Obama merchandise before midday yesterday.

“All sold out since last week,” said Michael “Mike” McLeod. His T-shirts were priced at $175, which had been on sale in Mike’s Boutique at New City Mall, Independence Square.

“We didn’t know how sales were going to go. A lot of people were looking for T-shirts since last week. I sold out and so did another person upstairs.”

Across at Fresh Styles, another clothing store in New City Mall, all Obama T-shirts had sold out.

But the presence of the Democratic presidential candidate was still felt as an Obama poster, bearing the candidate’s official website, was proudly displayed on a wall next to the cash- register.

So popular is the American candidate among locals that ‘Obama’ merchandise has turned up for sale in the most unlikely of places. For example, several ‘Obama’ badges were found on sale at The Collection, a Christian gift shop in Town Centre Mall, Frederick Street.

The badges, with the US Presidential favourite’s face, were on display in between inspirational cards and images of the Virgin Mary and the Sacred Heart. Asked why she was selling the Obama merchandise in her store, proprietor Carmen Ford said, “the people are on a high over him (Obama).” She said a friend of hers had asked her to sell the badges, priced at $15, in the store. One customer, who gave his name as David John, said he was purchasing two badges for his sister, Grace.

“She’s a big fan of Obama. Everybody is a fan right now,” John said. At the Drag Mall on Frederick Street, stall-keeper Roselyn Joseph, 54, said she would like to see Obama win.

She said sales of $100 Obama tee-shirts, one of which compared him to the late black American civil rights politician Martin Luther King, were steady. “Trinis are interested in him. I would be glad if he could win.”

On the streets of Port-of-Spain, some citizens wore the tee-shirts purchased since last week.

“I am backing Obama because for me this is history. This is history in the making. Why not support history?” said Aishaja Alexander, 26, as she wore a blue Obama tee-shirt outside of Rituals in the Aboutique Mall, Frederick Street.

“I supported him from the beginning, when he started in the primaries,” said local Feria Bally, 67, a housewife as she stood on Independence Square in a black Obama T-shirt. “It (the race) is interesting, to me this is history. Obama is strong. He can take anything.”