Public should have had design input

“The Government did not ask the population to make submissions,” said Neal Alexis, recipient of the Humming Bird Silver medal for community service in 2000.

In an interview at Newsday’s Port-of-Spain office on Wednesday, Alexis complained that his suggestion to replace the Trinity Cross was not even acknowledged. It was submitted two months ago at the headquarters of the National Symbols and Observances Committee, Office of the Prime Minister, Whitehall, and at University of the West Indies, St Augustine, for chairperson of the National Symbols and Observances Committee Bridget Brereton. Alexis’ design incorporates TT’s national instrument and each note on the pan represents the different races in TT. He said the two pan sticks placed diagonally across the pan represent the twin island and “God is in the centre. The pan itself is the nation.”

Alexis said the steel pan represents TT just as the eagle is associated with the US, the Maple Leaf with Canada, and the kangaroo with Australia.

He said if the steel pan was awarded the Nobel Prize “as the latest complete set of musical instruments to be invented in the world, all those negative natives will suddenly have a six bass in their bedrooms. The steel pan was born here and it is ours. It can play from Calypso to the classics.”

Alexis said, “Just as with the National Anthem in 1962, there was a competition open to the public. Pat Castagne won. Marjorie Padmore’s was not selected, but her submission became a national song. This should have been open to the public.”

Contacted for comment, Brereton said the committee proposed the new name, and took into consideration the suggestions from the public and its own deliberations.

Asked if changes would be made based on the feedback received she said, “The committee has done its part in making recommendations. Cabinet has directed it should be published for public comment. It is not for the committee to say if any changes would be made in the recommended design.” Public notices were recently printed in the three daily newspapers inviting public comment on the Order of the Republic.

Last May, Justice Peter Jamadar ruled that the Trinity Cross — the nation’s highest award — was discriminatory against Hindus and Muslims. Jamadar said the court could not declare the award invalid. In June, PM Patrick Manning appointed the committee to review all aspects of the award and make recommendations to Cabinet. It subsequently invited public comment on the matter and submitted a report in July.

The other members of the committee are Prof Selwyn Ryan, Gregory Aboud, Gillian Bishop, Devanand Ramlal, Dr Rolph Balgobin and Sandra Marchack, secretary to the committee.