Mitchell: Coat of arms represents nation's soul

TOURISM, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell says a coat of arms "represents the soul of a country."

He made this comment when he opened debate on the National Emblems of Trinidad and Tobago (Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The bill allowed for the replacement of illustrations representing ships led by Italian explorer Christopher Columbus with the national instrument, the steelpan.

The House of Representatives passed the bill on January 11.

Mitchell repeated the genesis of the bill was a response by government to the "decades-long clarion calls of our citizens clamouring for the removal of painful colonial vestiges of our past.”

He reminded senators that last August, the Prime Minister announced government's intention to bring legislation to Parliament to amend the coat of arms to replace the ships with the steelpan.

Mitchell said the legislation, once passed and proclaimed into law, allows for the current coat of arms to be used until January 1, 2026. He added this would give government ministries and other agencies sufficient time to transition to the new one, in instances where it is a physical fixture.

On documents such as ID cards and drivers permits which bear the current coat of arms and are renewed over periods of time, Mitchell said, "These can be dealt with by the Minister of National Security by prescribing a further date by order by which the former coat of arms would be valid and legal on these documents."

He said that could be done to minimise any wasted cost or disruption to citizens "having to immediately go to these offices to return and update these documents."

Mitchell said a similar approach could be taken to maintaining the former coat of arms on birth certificates for a certain period.

Digital images of the current coat of arms, he continued, can be changed almost immediately once the legislation is proclaimed.

"Placing the steelpan on our coat of arms can only be seen as a powerful way to honour Trinidad and Tobago's identity and history."

He said the pan is an indigenous invention and "the only percussive acoustic musical instrument invented and developed in the 20th century."

While government has more pressing matters at hand, Mitchell said, "It does not mean that government must not get on with other matters under its remit and responsibility."

He added he could not accept an argument that every single musical instrument which was brought into TT over the years could be placed on the coat of arms to replace Columbus's ships.

Mitchell repeated it is an undisputed fact the steelpan was invented and developed in TT.