Recipients express surprise, gratitude

Dr Rampersad Parasram, who is among 40 persons recognised in this year’s list of national award recipients worked in the public health sector and served as Ag Chief Medical Officer in the Health Ministry.

Contacted for comment, he said, “In my years in service I gave it my best short. I did not do it for recognition or reward. I felt it was my responsibility. I got paid to do a job and I gave it my best short. It’s good after all these years someone recognises it”.

Designer Claudia Pegus said she saw her recognition as a recipient of the Chaconia Medal (Silver) as a win for the fashion industry as much as herself. Speaking to Newsday yesterday, she said, it was a nice gesture to be honoured by her country for her contribution.

“Of course this is a win for the industry and not just for myself. Any recognition received by anyone in the industry, by extension, gives recognition to the rest. In a way, it is a win for everyone,” she said. Pegus heads Claudia Pegus Designs Limited which is described as an exclusive niche market design/production company. Hummingbird Silver medal recipient former inmate Wayne Chance of Vision on a Mission (VOM) yesterday said he was very grateful and “much appreciative” in having received this award.

Chance said he was the first person to come out of prison and receive a national award, not only in Trinidad but in the Caribbean. He described tonight’s honour as a sign that TT has matured. “For me to be nominated and then chosen for the award proves that society has matured over the years by coming together and supporting me, despite the fact that I came out of prison. This brings with it a self of importance and I thank everyone the Government, the board of directors at the VOM, my wife and the residents of VOM,” Chance said.

Chance said he believed he would not be the first and only inmate to receive a national award and urged prisoners to follow the right path when they come out of prison and encouraged the ones who are already out of prison to “set a good and Godly example”.

Chaconia Gold medal recipient Ronald Harford yesterday expressed hope that his achievement will be inspiration to others to dedicate themselves to TT. “I am overcome by the honour and I hope it will be an inspiration for others to commit themselves to the task at hand and to work for the betterment of Trinidad and Tobago and its people,” Harford said.

Penal/Debe chairman corporation Premchan Sookoo, 63, who would be collecting the public service gold medal of merit for his service in his community in Ramai Trace, Debe and other areas as a councillor, said that he was surprised. “I really was not expecting this. My motive is and has always been to serve to the people,” Sookoo said.

Attorney Roopnarine Rambachan expressed his gratitude saying that after 51 years as an attorney in the Siparia district, he was happy to be recognised.

Vice president of the St John’s Trace Ramleela Committee, Rodney Ramjit said that he and members were honoured to be receiving the Humming Bird silver medal for culture as this year the group would also be celebrating its 100th anniversary.