By Sue-Ann Wayow
SOCA artiste Austin Lyons (Superblue) and Moderator of the Presbyterian Church Reverend Joy Abdul-Mohan are some of the recipients of the 2021 National Awards.
The list of awardees was announced today (Wednesday) when they received their awards at a ceremony at the President’s House.
No one received the nation’s highest award, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for 2021.
The awards ceremony was usually held in September to mark the celebration of Republic Day. This was so under former President Anthony Carmona. Before this, the awards were was held on Independence Day every August 31.
The awards were postponed for the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2020 ceremony was held on Monday and the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago awarded for Distinguished and Outstanding Service to the country was given to Dr Wayne Frederick for his invaluable contribution to medicine and education. He was the only recipient of the nation’s highest award.
There were 36 recipients for the 2020 awards and 27 for 2021.
Following is a list of the recipients of the Chaconia Medal (gold) awarded for long and meritorious service tending to promote the national welfare or strengthen the community spirit:
Sharon Christopher for her contribution to business, banking and finance
Christopher, a former senior banking executive with extensive experience in the financial services industry has served on numerous boards in various sectors locally, regionally and internationally. She has been honoured as a “Woman Who Makes a Difference” by the International Women’s Forum, and as an Eminent Jurist by the Caribbean Court of Justice Academy for Law.
Peer Educator Beverly King for community work and service to persons living with HIV
King has been influential in the lives of children living with HIV. She has served the national community of persons infected and affected by HIV and AIDS for over 20 years. King started ComTALK, her own non-governmental organization, more than 15 years ago to provide psychosocial support and counselling to its members who have been diagnosed with HIV and AIDS.
Dale Mc Leod for his contribution to business
McLeod is the first Caribbean national to have served on the Million Dollar Round Table, Top of the Table Advisory Board. He is also the first and sole person in the Caribbean to have qualified 21 times for the Top of the Table. On the charitable side, he supports many charities privately and is an Ambassador for United Way Trinidad and Tobago.
Economist Jerry Hospedales for his contribution to economics
Hospedales has contributed to the economic development of Trinidad and Tobago through his work at the Central Bank and Ministry of Finance for the past 50 years. He has worked with all consecutive Governments since the Colonial Secretariat in the 1960’s. He has been influential in the development of public policy that impacts the generation of Government revenue, the management of public expenditure, and the strategic management and oversight of state enterprises.
Professor Emeritus Winston Mellowes for education
Professor Mellowes has been a lecturer, scientist, local preacher, president and chairman. He has contributed many publications and presentations in the field of engineering in which he has focused on promoting and marketing his work both nationally and internationally for the University of the West Indies. He has also provided leadership in various facets of national life.
Recipient of the Chaconia Medal (silver):
Mc Donald Greene for business
Greene has contributed to Tobago’s business life through ownership of Caroline’s Tyre Shop and Service Centre, and Caroline Investments. He has served as a Director on the Boards of the Small Business Development Company Limited, Tobago Regional Health Authority, and Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation.
Recipients of the Humming Bird Medal, (gold) awarded for loyal and devoted service:
Attorney Deborah Jean-Baptiste-Samuel for youth development
Jean-Baptiste-Samuel has been involved in theatre and the performing arts for over two decades. She is the founder and leader of the Oratory Foundation, an institution dedicated to training in the oral arts, drama, public speaking, and poetry in performance. She trains children and teenagers to be fluent in oral expression, dramatic monologues, poetry writing and performance, public speaking, choral speaking, debating, and other forms of the spoken word.
Calypsonian Austin Lyons (Superblue) for his contribution to music and culture
Lyons, known as Superblue, has been consistent in his profession, winning 10 Road March titles, and seven Soca Monarch titles, in his contribution to the cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago over the last 41 years. He is viewed by his fellow artistes as a trailblazer and has been a benchmark due to his successes.
Bhawani Persad for community service in the blind and visually impaired/disabled community
Persad is a foundation member of the Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of Disabled Peoples’ International, and Persons Associated with Visual Impairment. He is currently an executive member of the Caribbean Council for the Blind. He was part of the advocacy for visually impaired persons to vote independently and contributed to the National Policy for Persons with Disability.
Musician Michael Boothman for contributing to culture
Boothman is hailed as one of the fathers of smooth jazz in the Caribbean. He has represented Trinidadian and Tobagonian musicianship at the highest levels, sharing the stage with renowned musicians and performers such as Stevie Wonder, George Benson, Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, and others. He has also been one of the first Trinbagonian musicians to be signed with a multinational recording label (RCA).
John Ernest Ferreira for culture and the arts
Ferreira is the inventor/innovator of the Double Second and Double Tenor steel pan instruments. He is the founder of the steelbands, Boys from Iwo Jima, and Dixieland. He has played a significant role in showcasing Trinidad and Tobago’s culture on the international stage through the steelpan.
Maulana Mushtaq Ahmed Sulaimani for community service (posthumously)
Maulana Sulaimani has studied Islamic Studies from the Aleemiyah Institute in Pakistan. After graduating, he was invited to Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, in 1977, to take up the post of Imam and Islamic Missionary, where he served for six years. After his service in Zimbabwe, he served as an Imam and Missionary and Advisor to the Islamic Society of Seychelles for four (4) years. In 1988, he was offered a post by the ASJA in Trinidad and Tobago as an Imam and Islamic Missionary for the Jama Masjid, Port of Spain, where he spent one year, and in 1990, he served as the Imam and Islamic Missionary at the San Fernando Jama Masjid.
Recipients of the Humming Bird Medal (silver):
Calysonian Allan Fortune (Brother Mudada) for contribution to music and culture
Fortune, also known as Brother Mudada, has proven to be one of the best social commentators in the propagation of the calypso artform in Trinidad and Tobago and Internationally. He shares his talent and spare time in mentoring youth of the community of Laventille where he grew up and still resides.
Franz Lambkin (Delamo) for music and culture
Lambkin, also known as Delamo, is a calypso composer and singer, who has excelled in the category of social commentary. In 1994, he won the South Trinidad Calypso Monarch, Young Kings, National Calypso Monarch, and Caribbean King of Kings titles – a feat that is unmatched to this day. He does many performances for charity and has mentored young calypsonians.
Calysonian Johnson King (Johnny King) for music and culture
King, also known as Johnny King, is among a few performing artistes with an appropriate song for almost any occasion. His compositions, “Nature’s Plan,” “Appreciation” and others, have been used in literature classes in schools, and have been featured in a dance/theatre production by the Greater London Council’s Black Experience Arts Program, commissioned by the Race Equality Unit in London.
Sister Annetta Alexander for education
Sister Alexander has also been making a significant impact nationally in the field of education for 54 years and serving the girl guiding community for 18 years and has also cofounded the Trinidad and Tobago Reading Association. She interacted with brownies, junior, senior and ranger guides, inculcating the values of the sisterhood of guides.
Calysonian Morel Peters (King Luta) for contribution to music and culture
Peters, also known as King Luta, gives numerous lectures in judging calypsoes, and the various nuances in composing and performing. By imparting his experience and knowledge to young and senior artistes, Peters contributes to the preservation of the calypso artform in all its facets.
Lennox Toussaint for culture
Toussaint, through his efforts in the development of masquerade, especially in the area of traditional Carnival (ole mas), he has been able to revive a major portion of the nation’s Carnival artform, which would have been lost to an entire generation. His devotion to this aspect of Carnival; is a labour of love toward the survival of ole mas as cultural expression.
Soccer coach Lincoln Phillips for sport
Phillips has been celebrated as the first black soccer coach in U.S. history. He has made it his life’s work to train and mentor generations of soccer players, not just from Trinidad and Tobago, but also from his adopted homeland and beyond. Phillips has continued to be resolute in his mission to use soccer as an instrument of education.
Recipient of the Humming Bird Medal (bronze):
Fire Officer Stephen Marcano for gallantry (posthumously)
Marcano was a member the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service for 11 years. He put the lives of others first when he ventured into the waters of Mayaro, to assist relatives who got into difficulties while bathing. In his act of selflessness, in an effort to save the lives of others, he paid the ultimate price with his life. He truly embodied the motto of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, “In the service of the people.”
Recipients of the Public Service Medal of Merit, (gold), awarded for outstanding and meritorious service:
Gillian Mcintyre for contribution to public service
Mcintyre has been a public officer and an effective leader, committed to the implementation of sound public management standards and practices in large measure to the liberalization of the telecommunications sector, the creation of modern jobs in the Civil Service, the introduction of the Government communications backbone, and the first information and communications technology strategy for Trinidad and Tobago. Even in her retirement, she has continued to contribute to various sectors, including the Economic Recovery Plan for the country and the Health Sector.
Vishnu Dhanpaul for public service
Dhanpaul implemented the Government’s economic and strategic action plan and was a trusted adviser to the Minister of Finance in strategy and policy development geared toward national development. He had the respect and confidence of successive Governments during his tenure in the Public Service and built a name as influencer in the private and public sectors.
Captain Kent Moore for public service (posthumously)
Captain Moore was the first Commanding Officer and Group Captain of the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard, having established the organization. He has been the first and only person to date to have served as appointed Commanding Officer for three separate Formations in the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, having served as the Commanding Officer of the Air Guard, Coast Guard and Reserves. He led the planning and implementation of the Specialised Youth Service Programmes, which comprised MILAT, MYPART and the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Recipient of the Public Service Medal of Merit (silver):
Alick Anthony Charles for his contribution to the public and community service
Charles has been a mentor to many youths in the Pleasantville area, he has organised community events, geared toward uniting those who were socially and economically displaced. He works with the councillor, Member of Parliament, and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to bring order to the community of Pleasantville.
Recipients of the Medal for the Development of Women (gold) awarded for outstanding contribution to the development of women’s rights and issues:
Moderator of the Presbyterian Church Reverend Joy Abdul-Mohan for her contribution to religion, social work and activism
Reverend Abdul-Mohan is an activist and fighter for women’s issues, including gender-based violence, abuse of women, and the education of young girls. She is one of the most sought-after persons by the media for her opinions on social issues, gender issues, religion, education, and the family.
Senior Legal Adviser Gaietry Pargass for women and children rights
Pargass has been a committed stalwart activist and professional women’s rights advocate. She is the founding member of two feminist organizations in Trinidad and Tobago: Concerned Women for Progress founded in 1980, and The Feminist Group founded in1983. She has worked for over 30 years on legislation related to human rights, and women’s and children’s rights.
Recipient of the Medal for the Development of Women (silver) went to Sherna Alexander Benjamin for being an advocate for women and children, and the prevention of interpersonal violence at the family, community, and broader societal levels. She collaborates with non-governmental organizations to reduce and prevent violence, build the mental health and wellness, education and leadership of women and girls and minority groups.
