National Awards postponed

THE NATIONAL Awards ceremony for this year has been postponed indefinitely.

The Office of the President (OTP) in a release on Tuesday said it has not yet received the list of those selected to receive awards this year and this compromised its ability to host the awards to the usual standard on September 24, Republic Day.

The OTP said it was aware that the National Awards Committee had extended its deadline for nominations from April 30 to May 29.

It also cited the impact of covid19 on the postponement.

"Covid19 has heavily influenced our decision, as it will necessarily shrink the guest list to (a)negligible number; most importantly the awardees will be denied the opportunity to invite their personal guests and those on the table of precedence cannot be invited. The usual pomp and circumstance that attends the occasion will be absent and other highlights of the ceremony, the commemorative photographs as well as the cocktail reception, would have to be abandoned."

OTP said the normal venue, the National Academy for the Performing Arts, is also subject to the restrictions imposed by the covid19 regulations in respect of numbers both on and off the stage "and therefore even our slate of entertainers is adversely affected."

So, it concluded, "The OTP is constrained to defer the National Awards Ceremony 2020 until it can be acceptably and properly presented. It is our hope that it will be before the end of the year."