Former First Lady among 4 to get T&T highest honour

President Max Richards will hand out 48 national awards Wednesday evening to citizens of Trinidad and Tobago who have served the country with distinction.

The Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago - the nation's highest award - will go to four people:

• Retired judge, Philip Louis Ulric Cross
• Former first lady Zalayhar Hassanali
• Businesswomen Helen Bhagwansingh
• Businessman Anthony Norman Sabga

Three individuals will receive the newest national award - the Gold Medal for the Development of Women. They are:

• Hazel Angela Brown, coordinator at the Network for NGO’s
• Social activists Diana Mary Mahabir-Wyatt
• Social activists Brenda Gopeesingh

Some of the people receiving the Chaconia Medal (Gold) are:

• Businessman Robert Theophillus Yorke
• Attorney Stephanie Daly
• Pastor Winston Cuffie
• Pan arranger Louis Patrick Arnold
• Hardath Maharaj

The Chaconia Medal (Silver) will go to Attorney Desmond Allum, S.C. posthumously. Calypsonian Denyse Plummer and Fr Clyde Harvey will receive the Humming Bird Medal (Gold)

The two groups, the Malick Tassa Drummers and the Dow Village Ramleela and Cultural Organisation Inc. will be honoured for their cultural contribution with the Humming Bird Medal (Silver).

Retired police officer Margaret Sampson-Browne and retired Major General Edmund Ernest Dillon are receiving the the Public Service Medal of Merit (Gold). And retired police officer Sheila Prince and police officer Derrick Sharbodie wiil get the the Public Service Medal of Merit.