PM defends phased introduction of new coat of arms

The Prime Minister is defending the phased introduction of the new coat of arms, which would see Christopher Columbus's three ships replaced by the steelpan, as he slammed a newspaper editorial for comparing that decision to a $34 million LifeSport scandal.

In a post to his Facebook page, Dr Rowley described the comparison made in the Sunday Express editorial as ridiculous.

"It is clear that, as usual, some local media and narrators have difficulty isolating, highlighting and criticising blatant corruption and other shortcomings of the UNC without seeming to want to always attach the PNM to these unsavoury practices on every occasion.

"Today I stand by the government’s leadership and reject any similarity or equivalence between pushing on to a complete 'independence' and this court-confirmation of UNC mismanagement and corruption."

In its editorial, the newspaper focused on the 2014 LifeSport fiasco but brought the coat-of-arms change into the discussion to make a point about government officials spending taxpayer money without accountability and consequence.

In the discourse, it criticised Rowley's decision to alter the emblem without being able to give an exact cost to the public purse other than saying it wouldn't cost "hundreds of millions of dollars."

"Good policy decisions always require a cost-benefit analysis," the editorial said.

Although he did not give an exact cost in his Facebook post, Rowley reiterated it would not be at an exorbitant expense because it would be phased in.

"This PNM Government makes a decision which specifically points out that existing supplies will be used up and the new emblem will be phased in continuously as new supplies are procured therefore there is to be a period where both the old and the new will exist until the new prevails.

"This is a responsible, seamless, low-cost approach by a forward-thinking government which protects and advances the national interest, yet there is this patent attempt to equate this meaningful decision with people and policies that were actually UNC government actions deliberately designed to steal public money."

Rowley first announced the change at a special PNM party convention at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) on August 18 and said the new emblem would be phased in over six months.

“That should signal that we are on our way to removing the colonial vestiges that we have in our country.”

This was not the first time Rowley had to defend the decision which left the populace divided. Since the announcement, there have been those who agree, those who disagree and those who agree but believe more could be done.

Last week the Tassa Association of Trinidad and Tobago  claimed its instrument was more "local" than the steelpan, which has origins in imported steel drums. While acknowledging the significance of pan to TT's culture, historian Dr Jerome Teelucksingh also suggested the tassa join it on the new coat of arms to represent the Indo-Trinidadian presence.

The steelpan was invented in TT almost a century ago and, over the last two years, has finally begun being solidified as the country's national instrument. In 2023 the UN declared August 11 as World Steelpan Day. Although considered the national instrument, it wasn't until July its designation was officially recognised on the lawbooks.