Jamaican honours system

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The Jamaican Honours System has developed as a unique entity since the passage of the National Honours and Awards Act by the Parliament of Jamaica in 1969 (Act No. 21 of 1969). The system is modelled largely on the British honours system. The Governor-General is the Chancellor of each order, membership of which is conferred by the Governor-General upon the advice of the Prime Minister of Jamaica. The sovereign is not, however, the sovereign of these orders, as in the case of the Order of Canada and the Order of Australia. In a sense, therefore, they are somewhat analogous to those distinctions awarded by certain of the Canadian provinces. Most Jamaican honours entitle recipients to attach postnominal abbreviations to their names, and some include prenominal titles.

The honours in this Jamaican system, from highest to lowest in rank:

The Order of National Hero is conferred upon any citizen of Jamaica who has rendered service of the most distinguished nature to Jamaica. Membership in the order entitles the recipient to the pre-nominal style of 'The Right Excellent' and to the post-nominal title 'National Hero of Jamaica'.

The Order of the Nation is the second highest Jamaican order, was instituted in 1973 by Regulations made under the National Honours and Awards Act. It is often awarded to Governors-General and to persons who have held the office of Prime Minister.

The Order of Excellence, introduced in 2003, is the newest addition to the Jamaican honours system. It was created to be bestowed upon foreign heads of state or government. Prior to this, foreign heads or state or government received the Order of Merit [1]

The Order of Merit is the third highest Jamaican order and is meant for any citizen of Jamaica who has achieved eminent international distinction in the fields of science, the arts, literature or any other endeavour. Honorary membership in this order is available to distinguished citizens of other nations.

The Order of Jamaica is the fourth order in precedence in Jamaica. It is awarded to any Jamaican citizen of outstanding distinction. Like the Order of Merit, there is also a class of honorary members for foreign nationals. Membership in this order is considered the equivalent of a British knighthood.

The Order of Distinction is the fifth order in precedence in Jamaica. It was intended to be the equivalent of the British Order of the British Empire. It has two ranks, Commander and Officer. In this order, as well, honorary memberships may be made to foreign nationals either at the rank of Commander or Officer.

The Jamaican Prime Ministers Medal of Appreciation is an award presented by the Prime Minister of Jamaica to those individuals whom he feels are worthy to be recognized for services to Jamaica or to those Jamaicans who have excelled in personal achievements outside of Jamaica.

It is not part of the Jamaican National Honours system. Most recipients will not advance into the Honour System, but a few have been appointed into the Honours system.

HISTORY Jamaica received its independence from Great Britain, changing its status from a Crown Colony to a member of The Commonwealth, on 6 August 1962. In 1983, The Right Honorable Edwards Seaga, Prime Minister of Jamaica, felt that, during the twenty-first “coming of age” anniversary of independence, a special recognition should be given to Jamaican citizens who had made significant contributions to the Nation, but who had not received any of the National Honours. A committee was formed of prominent Jamaicans to select recipients with the following criteria:

Have served their Community and Jamaica with distinction for at least twenty years and who are held in high esteem by their community.
Have not received any of the National Honours.
Recipients to be at least thirty-eight years old at the time of selection.

The Prime Minister determined that 1,000 medals would be presented. Mr. F. A. Douce, the Secretary General of the Orders, Chancery of the Orders of the Societies of Honours, Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston, Jamaica, was commissioned with the design of the Medal.

PRESENTATIONS The first 1,000 presentations were awarded at the Historic Town Square in Spanish Town, Jamaica on Sunday, 18 December, 1983. Prime Minister Seaga personally presented the first 10 medals to the County Custos. The Custodes then presented the Medals to those in their County whom had been selected for the award. The following areas of service were recognized for the awards:

Classifications Number

Custodes 10
Community Service – Agriculture 45
Community Service – Business and Tourism 29
Business and Religion 1
Communication and Culture 116
Community Development 410
Community Service – Education 193
Community Service – Health 129
Community Service – Politics 19
Community Service – Religion 69
Community Service – Sports 17

Since that Sunday, the succeeding Prime Ministers have reserved the privilege of awarding the medal to those Jamaicans who distinguished themselves, usually in the International arena. Recipients who were personally awarded the medal by the Prime Minister included three Champion Boxers, Michael McCallum (3 June 1986), Lloyd Honeyghan (10 November 1985) and Trevor Berbick (10 April 1986). Nine other prominent Jamaican was awarded the medal, including Jamaican born actress Marge Sinclair (12 March 1987).

In 1986, the supply of medals became scarce. It was recommended by the Prime Minister that a new design for the Medal be found to more accuracy reflect the current presentations. Again, Mr. F. A. Douce, the Secretary General of the Orders, was tasked with the design and production of a new Medal.

The first Medal presentation of the new design was given by Jamaican Prime Minister The Right Honorable Michael Norman Manley on April 27, 1989 to Russell Fritz, a Major in The Salvation Army. It was awarded to Fritz for “Social and Welfare Services Particularly the Handicapped and the Aged” to the people of Jamaica. This was the first time that Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley had awarded the Medal. This was also the first time that a non-Jamaican was awarded the Medal, as Russell Fritz is a native Californian. At the time of the Medal presentation, Russell Fritz was assigned by the International Salvation Army to the Caribbean Territorial Headquarters stationed in Kingston, Jamaica. Fritz had also been the Principal of the School for the Blind and Visually Handicapped in Kingston. Fritz had written a number of articles on Jamaica that were published in International Magazines and had also produced three Jamaican Broadcasting Corporation Television series.

DESIGN The medal is round, 2 1/4 inches in diameter, made of nickel and plated with 24-carat gold. It is attached to a ribbon by a small ring, through which larger ring is attached directly to the ribbon. The statutes state that it can be worn either around the neck or on the left breast. However, all medals are presented, for both men and women, with a neck ribbon only.

The obverses for both the first and second design are the same. The field has a Jamaican flag. Encircling the inside rim are the words “The National Flag of Jamaica,” with a small pineapple at the bottom separating the wording.

The reserve of the first design has the Prime Ministers flag in the field with the inscription “Prime Ministers Standard” directly below the flag. Encircling the inside rim are the words “Prime Ministers Medal of Appreciation 1962-6th August-1983.”

The reserve of the second design is close to the first design. It has the Prime Ministers flag in the field with the inscription “Prime Ministers Standard” directly below the flag. Encircling the inside rim are the words “Prime Ministers Medal of Appreciation.” Replacing the 21st anniversary dates is a raised plate at the bottom where the date of issuance is to be stamped.

Statutes for the current Prime Ministers Medal of Appreciation state that a maximum of 12 medals can be presented each year.

v • d • e The Jamaican Honours System

The Order of National Hero • The Order of the Nation • Order of Excellence • The Order of Merit • The Order of Jamaica • The Order of Distinction