President’s House still preparing for National Awards

The Office of the President is preparing for the National Awards ceremony as usual.

The annua ceremony is scheduled to be held on Republic Day, September 24. Previously, it was held on Independence Day, but former president Anthony Carmona changed it to Republic Day under his tenure.

Newsday spoke with Cheryl Lala, communications adviser to President Paula-Mae Weekes, who said preparations were under way for the event, with all physical distancing measures in place.

“The Office of the President has been proceeding as if the awards are on. We have been making arrangements, doing up invitations as we normally do. So far, as we know, we are prepared to hold the awards if we receive word from the committee that the awards are on.”

If so, the awards will be held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, which has its own covid19 safety protocols.

Lala said the Office of the President was not in charge of the National Awards, but only hosts the ceremony.

The awards are actually managed by a committee in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

A communications official from the OPM could not confirm whether or not the awards would happen in September.