The National Awards of Trinidad and Tobago consist of:

Holders of the various awards are allowed to use the postnominal letters O.R.T.T. (Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago), T.C. (Trinity Cross), C.M. (Chaconia Medal), H.B.M. (Hummingbird Medal) or M.O.M. (Medal of Merit).[1]

These awards were introduced following independence in 1962 to replace the Imperial royal honours available to citizens of the British Empire. They were approved in 1967 and first awarded in 1969.[2]

The cabinet accepted the decision made by the national awards designs Selection Committee, which selected the designs submitted by the following persons:

1. Ms Wilhelmina McDowell, who designed the Trinity Cross

2. Mrs A. Jardine, who designed the Chaconia Medal and

3. The designers of Messrs Y. DeLima and Co. Limited, who conceptualised the Hummingbird Medal.

4. Mr Ebenezer Edwards designed the Public Service Medal of Merit

Some of the winners who won medals in past years are listed below:[3][4]

2016 awards

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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Public Service Medal of Merit

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Medal For The Development Of Women (Gold)

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2015 awards

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Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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2014 awards

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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2013 awards

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Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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2012 awards

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Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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2011 awards

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Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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Medal for the Development of Women

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2010 awards

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Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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2009 awards

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Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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2008 awards

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Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

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Chaconia Medal

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2007 awards

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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2006 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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Public Service Medal of Merit

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2005 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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Public Service Medal of Merit

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2004 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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Medal of Merit

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2003 Awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal

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Hummingbird Medal

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Medal of Merit

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2002 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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2001 awards

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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2000 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1999 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1998 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1997 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1996 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1995 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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Public Service Medal of Merit (Silver)

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1994 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1993 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1992 awards

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1991 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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Chaconia Medal (silver)

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1990 awards

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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Hummingbird Medal (Gold)

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1989 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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Hummingbird Medal (Silver)

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1988 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1987 awards

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Public Service Gold Medal of Merit

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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Chaconia Medal (Silver)

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1986 awards

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1985 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1984 awards

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1983 awards

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1982 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1981 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1980 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1979 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1978 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1977 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1976 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal

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1975 awards

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1974 awards

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Public Service Gold Medal of Merit

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1973 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1972 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1971 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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1970 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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Chaconia Medal (Silver)

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Chaconia Medal (Bronze)

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Hummingbird Medal (Gold)

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Hummingbird Medal (Silver)

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Hummingbird Medal (Bronze)

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Public Service Medal of Merit (Gold)

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Public Service Medal of Merit (Silver)

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Public Service Medal of Merit (Bronze)

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1969 awards

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Trinity Cross

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Chaconia Medal (Gold)

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Chaconia Medal (Silver)

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Hummingbird Medal (Gold)

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Hummingbird Medal (Silver)

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Hummingbird Medal (Bronze)

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Public Service Medal of Merit (Gold)

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Public Service Medal of Merit (Silver)

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Constitutional controversy

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On 17 April 2008 the Cabinet agreed that the name of the highest national award should be The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, that the name of the Society to replace the Order of the Trinity should be The Distinguished Society of Trinidad and Tobago, that the highest national award should be re-designed so as to replace the Cross with a Medal and that the Letters Patent should be amended to give effect to those decisions.

Subsequently, in Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha of Trinidad and Tobago Inc & Ors v Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago [2009] UKPC 17 (28 April 2009) the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, on appeal from the Court of Appeal of Trinidad and Tobago, held that the creation of the Trinity Cross of the Order of the Trinity breached the constitutional rights of non-Christians to equality and to freedom of conscience and belief. However, the council also made a declaration that the judgment should not have retrospective effect: "nothing in this judgment should be taken to apply to any awards of this high honour that were made under the system that the Letters Patent established before the date of the.. judgment." (per Lord Hope of Craighead at para 42).

References

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  1. ^ "Trinidad and Tobago Government News - National Awards". News.gov.tt. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  2. ^ Press releases from the Office of the Prime Minister, Trinidad and Tobago, Public Relations Division. Press release No. 374 dated 4 July 1969.
  3. ^ National Awards Database, The Office of the President, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  4. ^ "40 Years of National Awards 1969–2009. Government Information Services Ltd.
  5. ^ "Top honour for Chambers", Trinidad and Tobago Guardian,31 August 2012.
  6. ^ "National Awards 2011". Trinidad and Tobago Government News. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Althea McNish"
  8. ^ (Gold)Pemberton, Rita; McCollin, Debbie; Matthews, Gelien; Toussaint, Michael (2018). Historical dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-1-5381-1145-1. OCLC 1012682700.
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