Jamaica’s national honours and awards revered and enviable

ON OCTOBER 16, 150 people will be bestowed with Jamaica’s national awards and honours, of course, of different classes and categories. They were established by the National Honours and Awards Act by the Parliament of Jamaica in July 1969 (Act No. 21 of 1969). The system was modelled largely on the British honours system.

Over the years, there have been controversies surrounding the bestowment on certain persons. For, these awards are much revered and desirable, and, as such, their bestowment should not be flippant and politicised, given out of sheer sentiment. The high regard in which these awards are held is sometimes symbolised by the fact that the letters representing them are the only ones some of the recipients append to their names, despite having many others.

This year, heading the list of honourees is Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, already a recipient of a CD (Commander of the Order of Distinction). He is one of eight individuals to be conferred with the Order of Jamaica (OJ), and is being awarded for invaluable contribution to the field of tourism, promoting human resource sustainability, and climate resilience.

The OJ, ‘A covenant of the people’, may be conferred upon any Jamaican citizen by outstanding distinction or upon any distinguished citizen of a country other than Jamaica (honorary member). A member of the order is called ‘Honourable’.

Thirty people will be conferred with the Order of Distinction, in the rank of Commander, CD; 38, the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer, OD; two, the Badge of Honour for Gallantry, BH(G); 35, the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service BH(M); and 36, the Badge of Honour for Long and Faithful Service BH(L).

The Order of National Hero (ONH), “For he built a city that hath foundations”, is the highest honour to be bestowed upon any person born in Jamaica or a naturalised citizen who has given service of a most distinguished nature to the country. The member of the order is called ‘Right Excellent’.

The first person to be accorded the status was Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940), in 1969. He is regarded by many as the greatest Jamaican who has ever lived. Some of the honorees have shed blood and sweat for various causes, and have contributed significantly in one way or the other to the evolution of Jamaica’s history, heritage, and culture. In National Heroes Park at National Heroes Circle in Kingston are monuments erected in honour of our six national heroes and one national heroine, Queen Nanny of the Maroons.

Order of the Nation

The Order of the Nation (ON), ‘One nation under God’, may be given to any governor general or prime minister of Jamaica, not being a person already given the ONH. The conferee and his/her spouse are designated the title, ‘The Most Honourable’. The Order of Excellence (OE), for ‘Excellence through service’, is ranked equally, in the order of precedent, with the ON, and may be conferred upon any foreign or former foreign head of state or head of government. Such a member is styled ‘The Most Honourable’.

The Order of Merit (OM), for “He that does truth comes into the light”, may be bestowed upon any citizen of Jamaica or any other citizen (honorary) who has achieved significant international distinction in any field. It is not bestowed upon more than two people in any one year or upon any person if the number of living members, excepting honorary members, would by reason of such conferment, be increased to more than 15. The member of the order is styled ‘Honourable’.

The Order of Distinction (OD), for ‘Distinction through service’, has two ranks: Commander (CD) and Officer (OD). It may be conferred upon any citizen of Jamaica who rendered outstanding and important services and upon any distinguished citizen (an honorary member) of any other country.

The Badge of Honour may be awarded to civilian residents of Jamaica and to foreign nationals who are employed in Jamaica’s diplomatic consular missions overseas in gallantry, meritorious service, and long and faithful service. The Medal of Honour for Gallantry may be awarded to members of the uniformed services who have performed acts of gallantry or heroism, or have shown great courage in circumstances of extreme danger. The Medal of Honour for Meritorious Service may be awarded to members of the uniformed services who have performed distinguished service or have displayed distinguished conduct or service.

For many years, there have been heated debates over who should be our next national hero/heroine. There is even a man walking around the country to remind the powers that be that Takyi/Tacky, the leader of the 1760 Rebellion in St Mary, should be added to the pantheon. This week, he was reported as saying that he had failed in his effort. He might not have failed in the truest sense of the word, but he has to understand that our highest national honour is held in high esteem, not to be bestowed on a whim.