Cabinet to decide Order of TT

This was announced by the committee chaired by historian Prof Bridget Brereton at a news conference yesterday at the Old Fire Station near the National Library in Port-of-Spain.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning set up the committee after telling Parliament in June 2006 that the Trinity Cross would pass into history, after Justice Peter Jamadhar’s High Court ruling in May 2006 in a Maha Sabha/Islamic Relief Centre case that it was a Christian symbol that was discriminatory against non-Christians.

Brereton told Newsday the committee had collated all the replies to its draft design and said its final design had slightly varied its original proposal.

“In terms of the design element, the major decision was to replace the cross shape of the current Trinity Cross for a circular shape and many design elements which reflect our thinking on the different national symbols we have brought together in what we think is an attractive, aesthetic kind of design...Our understanding is this matter is now before Cabinet and we expect that a public announcement will be made very soon.”

She could not say if Cabinet’s nod would come in time for the national awards of Independence Day on August 31.

“A public announcement would be made, a statement to Parliament would be made and most likely the necessary steps should be made so as to make it possible for the new awards to be made, if that is the decision, in time for Independence Day, August 31. I’m only reporting what we’ve been told because we don’t have access to Cabinet records, but it is our expectation that a public announcement will be made probably in Parliament fairly soon.”

Also, she said the committee wants anyone holding any national award to be known as a member of the Distinguished Society of Trinidad and Tobago, rather than the current Order of the Trinity.

While someone who holds the Chaconia medal at present writes after his, or her, name the initials CMT meaning “Chaconia Medal, Order of the Trinity”, this would soon become CMTT meaning “Chaconia Medal, Distinguished Society of Trinidad and Tobago”.

Further, holders of the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago being proposed as the nation’s highest award, would be entitled to put the initials ORTT after their names.

Earlier in the news conference, when a reporter asked if the new award would itself be revised if anyone objects to it, Brereton said no.

“There has to be a decision and there has to be closure.

“It’s just like with the original Trinity Cross which was established in 1969. There may have been objections, in fact there were objections at the time. So the answer is no, we won’t go back. I must say that I don’t anticipate widespread objections, partly because most people do understand that once the courts had made that ruling there was really no option in a State that respects the rule of law but to discontinue the Trinity Cross. The question was what could or should replace it. Also I think people had ample notice that this was the way we were going. Our original recommendations were published in the newspaper and those people interested did respond.”

Sources yesterday questioned the likelihood of anyone receiving the nation’s top award this year, saying it was uncertain whether all the arrangements to legislatively approve the award and administer it, and to even order the medal to be produced in a foreign mint, could be done in time for August 31.

Meanwhile, attorney Anand Ramlogan said he was still maintaining the Maha Sabha’s appeal against the fact Justice Jamadhar had said he did not have the power to legally strike down the Trinity Cross. Ramlogan argued that Jamadhar erred when saying the Trinity Cross was law (pre- dating the TT Constitution) but said it was merely the result of executive action and so could now be easily amended. He said the Privy Council’s upcoming ruling could obviate the need for legislation to replace the Trinity Cross.