Report on review of national honours to be re-examined
ELEVEN YEARS after it was first tabled in Parliament, Culture Minister Olivia Grange says the report on the Review of the System of National Honours and Awards will be revisited.
“I have requested a copy of the report, which I will discuss with the chairman of the National Honours Committee and the prime minister,” Grange said in an interview with The Gleaner last Friday.
This comes after a member of this year’s selection committee suggested to The Gleaner that the process ought to be reviewed.
In October 2007, the Bruce Golding-led Cabinet appointed a committee headed by Professor Rex Nettleford to undertake the review of the system of honours and awards. Other members of the committee were Dr Oswald Harding, Professor Barry Chevannes, Professor Verene Shepherd, Jean Barnes, Madge Barrett, Seragh Lakasingh, Merrick Needham, Easton Lee and Hugh Nash.
The committee was asked to make recommendations as to the changes that may be necessary to preserve and enhance the value of national awards, while ensuring that appropriate recognition is given to those who render outstanding service to the nation.
Among the recommendations were that individuals should not be honoured or awarded based on the discretion of those making the recommendations. It was, therefore, proposed that the system of national honours and awards be transparent and that there be set standards for selecting awardees.
The committee also recommended that a limited number of individuals be admitted to the Order of Merit.
The introduction of a new honour – the Order of Jamaican Heritage – was also recommended.
A sessional select committee had deliberated on the recommendations in the report in 2008.