by Linda Straker
- National Celebrations Committee announced call for nominations with 5 January 2024 deadline
- Several citizens awarded for outstanding parish contributions
- 50th Independence anniversary activities ended without Government honouring any outstanding citizen with national award
The National Organising Committee for the 50th Independence anniversary has wrapped up activities without Government honouring any outstanding citizen as guided by the 2007 National Honours and Awards Act. This legislation provides for awarding outstanding citizens during Independence Day celebrations.
Following the 2024 Independence Day activity without the Prime Minister announcing outstanding citizens awards, an assurance was given that outstanding citizens will be awarded later in the year as part of the 1-year celebration. The activities were launched on 31 October 2023 on the Carenage and concluded on 2 November with an extravaganza at La Sagesse, St David.
During the parish celebrations, several citizens were awarded for outstanding contributions in their parish, but none was a national award. It is understood that the committee has submitted names to the Prime Minister as instructed in the legislation, but there has been no announcement as to when the 50th-anniversary awardees will be publicly named and honoured.
Identifying the flaw
In a news conference in late December 2023, Jacqueline Alexis of the National Celebrations Committee announced a call for nominations with a deadline of 5 January 2024. She recommended that short citations be included as part of the justification for the nominees. It is not known how many nominees were received.
However, it was later recognised that the 2007 legislation was being breached, as anyone being honoured on Independence Day must be done following the provisions of the 2007 law, which outlines the procedures and criteria for awarding citizens during Independence celebrations.
The legislation states: “Subject to the provisions of this Act, each year on Independence Day, the 7th day of February, or at such other times as may be expedient, the Governor-General may confer awards on persons, living or dead who have rendered distinguished and meritorious service to Grenada or who are otherwise deemed worthy of such awards.”
The legislation further mandates that an advisory committee shall be established to consider nominations of persons together with recommendations and supporting material for an award of the Order of Grenada. That committee was published in the 19 January 2024 Government Gazette. Chaired by Dominic Jeremiah, other members Margaret Neckles, Dr Julie Dubois, Commissioner of Police Don McKenzie, Cecelia Ann-John and Deborah St Bernard.
Section 9 of the legislation states the committee shall:
(a) in accordance with section 10, consider nominations of persons together with recommendations and supporting material received by the Committee for an award of the Order of Grenada
(b) make such investigations as it thinks fit to determine persons living or dead, upon whom may be conferred the award of the Order of Grenada
(c) compile separate lists in respect of each grade of awards
(d) forward to the Prime Minister the lists compiled under paragraph (c) with the recommendations respecting each award
(e) undertake such other duties in relation to the Act as may be assigned by the Governor-General
How the awardee must be publicised
Section 10 of the legislation states that any person may submit to the Committee for its consideration and recommendation a nomination of a person for an award of the Order. Upon receipt of a nomination, the Committee shall consider such nomination, conduct such investigations as it may deem necessary and submit its recommendation to the Prime Minister.
“The Prime Minister shall review the recommendations submitted to him or her by the Committee and may make such recommendations to the Governor-General for the conferment of awards as he or she may deem necessary,” the legislation instructs. The recommendations made to the Governor-General shall be announced publicly and shall be published in the Government Gazette.
An award granted by the Governor-General shall be granted by Proclamation, sealed with the Seal of the Order and shall have effect from the date of the Seal unless another effective date is specified in the Proclamation.
The different national awards
The Order means:
- The Companion of the Order of Grenada
- The Order of Grenada Gold Award for Excellence
- The Spice Isle Award
- The Camerhogne Award
- The Medal of Honour
- The Most Distinguished Order of the Nation
The Order of Grenada Gold Award for Excellence
- The Order of Grenada Gold Award for Excellence may be awarded to any person who has rendered excellent exemplary and outstanding service to Grenada tending to promote unity whether domestically in Grenada or as between Grenada and any other country
- The Order of Grenada Gold Award for Excellence may be awarded only in Gold
- The Order of Grenada Gold Award for Excellence may be awarded only to one citizen of Grenada in any year
The Spice Isle Award
- The Spice Isle Award may be awarded to any person who has rendered truly emulative service to Grenada in any field of human endeavour or for other humane action
- The Spice Isle Award may be awarded only in Silver
- The Spice Isle Award may be awarded to a maximum of 2 citizens of Grenada in any year
The Camerhogne Award
- The Camerhogne Award may be awarded to any person who has rendered meritorious service to Grenada; in furtherance of national prestige or for gallantry
- The Camerhogne Award may be awarded only in Silver
- The Camerhogne Award may be awarded to a maximum of 2 citizens of Grenada in any year
The Medal of Honour
- The Medal of Honour may be awarded to any person for meritorious and productive service to Grenada in any field of human endeavour including but not limited to agriculture, business, sports and protection of the environment
- The Medal of Honour may be awarded only in Bronze
- The Medal of Honour may be awarded to a maximum of 3 citizens of Grenada in any year
The Most Distinguished Order of the Nation
- The Most Distinguished Order of the Nation may be awarded to a person who has rendered distinguished and outstanding service to Grenada
- The Most Distinguished Order of the Nation may be awarded posthumously but the name of a deceased recipient must not appear in the current list of members at the time of the award notwithstanding his or her membership of the Order
- Every 2 years after commencement of this Act, the Leader of the Opposition may submit to the Committee for its consideration and recommendation a person for an award of the Most Distinguished Order of the Nation
