A change in the national awards

THE EDITOR: This lull between the tragedy of Carnival and the upcoming Easter weekend may the best time to comment on something which has occupied my mind for some time.

The national awards.

The nation’s highest award has one standard and so should the other awards be. This is not the Olympics or any such event where standards are clearly defined. To put it bluntly, there should be no gold, silver or bronze attached to any award.

Someone either deserves one or not, period. To go into justifying which of the three designations should be awarded is, as my old school mate loves to say, heart-rending.

The full extent of someone’s contribution to his field of endeavour can’t be fully known especially when that person covers a field that is wide and varied.

I know making that move might raise more than a few eyebrows but I am sure anyone who deserves an award will receive one. At least I hope so.

TEDDY PINHEIRO, cultural archivist