No one will receive today the country’s highest honour — the Order of the Republic of T&T (ORTT) — from President Anthony Carmona during today’s National Awards function at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s.
However, eight citizens will be recipients of the second highest award — the Chaconia Gold Medal — for distinguished and outstanding service to the country in celebration of the nation’s 54th Independence anniversary.
They are Grace Angela Talma, William Mc Kenzie, Prof Dave Chadee (posthumous), Ramesh Lutchmedial, Winston Riley, Winston Rudder, Justin Paul and Prof Andrew Jupiter.
These recipients will be awarded for long and meritorious service in the sphere of community service, public service, science and engineering.
The list of national awards was issued in a press release last night by the Office of the President.
The news comes weeks after the family of the late former prime minister Patrick Manning rejected a nomination proposal for the ORTT from the Government on his behalf. This was after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said he would make a recommendation to Cabinet for Manning to be given the honour posthumously.
Both Manning and former prime minister and United National Congress leader Basdeo also turned down the ORTT when it was offered to them by then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last year.
Music arranger/producer/musician Leston Paul will be the lone Chaconia Medal (silver) awardee.
The Humming Bird Medal Gold will be given to six individuals.
Calypsonians Irwin Johnson, known as Scrunter, and Timothy Watkins, who sings under the sobriquet Baron, will collect awards for culture.
Also on this list is Sunday Guardian’s columnist and well known historian/author Angelo Bissessarsingh, the St Margaret’s Boys Anglican School/Youth Steel Orchestra and educator Dr Waffie Mohammed (posthumously).
Six citizens will walk away with the Humming Bird Silver Medal, while forest ranger Keith Campbell, who died fighting a bush fire earlier this year, was awarded the Humming Bird Medal Bronze for gallantry.
Receiving the Public Service Medal of Merit Gold will be six individuals, while Iverne Ebenezer Yearwood will be posthumously awarded the silver medal in that category.
Journalist Angela Martin, who died recently, will also be honoured posthumously for the Development of Women (gold) award.
Last night, engineer Winston Riley said he felt honoured and privileged to be honoured with the country’s second highest award.
“I want to thank the Association of Professional Engineers for nominating me. For them to do that was very pleasing,” Riley said.