Only Jamaicans can be conferred with national honours

National Honours can be conferred on non-Jamaicans

The Jamaican honours and awards system makes room for not only Jamaicans to be conferred with national honours but also distinguished foreign heads of government or former heads of government.

A special award is reserved for those individuals known as the Order of Excellence. It is to be noted that no Jamaican can receive the Order of Excellence.

This honour is ranked equally in the order of precedence with honour of Order of the Nation which is the second highest honour that can be given.

Awards can also be conferred on foreign nationals who are employed in Jamaica's Diplomatic and Consular Missions overseas.

The order of National Hero is the most senior order and can be conferred upon any person who was born in Jamaica or is, or at the time of his or her death was, a citizen of Jamaica and rendered to Jamaica service of a most distinguished nature.

There is a committee which gives advice to the Prime Minister on who can become National Heroes.

According to Section 5 subsection 3 of the National Honours and Awards Act:

“It shall be the duty of the Advisory Committee, with a view to the proper carrying out of the provisions of this Act relating to the Order of National Hero-

(a) to make such investigations as it thinks fit to determine persons, living or dead, upon whom may be conferred the honour of National Hero; and

(b) to report to the Prime Minister the result of those investigations.”

Contrary to popular belief, an individual does not have to be dead before honour of National Hero can be conferred on him or her.

Section 6 Subsection 4 of the National Honours and Awards Act clearly states that:

“The honour of National Hero may be conferred upon a person posthumously or during his lifetime.”

Currently, there are seven National Heroes listed in the second Schedule of the act. They are:

Paul Bogle

George William Gordon

Marcus Garvey

Norman Washington Manley

William Alexander Bustamante

Nanny of the Maroons

Sam Sharpe

The Order of the Nation, the second highest honour, is reserved to be conferred on Governors-General and Prime Ministers. In addition, the spouses of persons so conferred are entitled to be styled “the Most Honourable”, however this is not the case for individuals with the National Hero status where only the holder of the honour is entitled to be styled “Right Excellent”.

The individual who has been conferred with the Order of National Hero cannot also hold the honour of Order of the Nation.

The awards ranking also includes the Order of Merit which is third in the order of precedence and can only be conferred on no more than two persons per year.

It may be conferred upon any citizen of Jamaica or distinguished citizen of a country other than Jamaica (an honorary member) who has achieved eminent international distinction in the field of science, the arts, literature or any other endeavour.

Next on the list is the Order of Jamaica (OJ), which is ranked fourth in the order of precedence and may be conferred upon any Jamaican citizen of outstanding distinction or upon any distinguished citizen of a country other than Jamaica (honorary member).

Members of the Order are styled "Honourable" and are entitled to place the letters “OJ” after their name.

The final honour on the list is the Order of Distinction and this is divided into two classes. There is the Order of Distinction Commander Class which is the CD and the Order of Distinction Officer Class better known as the OD.

The Honours and Awards system also offers Badges of Honour as well as Medals of Honour.

Badges and Medals are conferred for Gallantry, Meritorious Service and Long and Faithful.

By regulation approved by The Governor-General in July 1996, holders of the Badges of Honour are entitled to place the following letters after their names:

• Badge of Honour for Gallantry – BH(G)
• Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service – BH(M)
• Badge of Honour for Long and Faithful Service – BH(L)

The Badge of Honour may be awarded to civilian residents of Jamaica and to foreign nationals who are employed in Jamaica's Diplomatic and Consular Missions overseas in the following three categories:

• Gallantry - awarded to persons who have performed acts of gallantry or acts of heroism or who have shown great courage in circumstances of extreme danger;
• Meritorious Service - awarded to persons who have rendered loyal and meritorious service beneficial to Jamaica;
• Long and Faithful Service - awarded to persons who have rendered long and valuable service worthy of special recognition.

The Medal of Honour may be awarded to officers and other members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF), Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) for Gallantry, Meritorious Service, General Service (JDF only), Long Service and Good Conduct, and Efficient Service (for the National Reserve of the JDF and ISCF only).

There is also a Medal of Honour for Efficient Service.

The National Honours and Awards Act, promulgated on the 18th of July 1969, made it possible for the nation to recognize those who, by their service and contribution, have had a meaningful and significant impact on national life.

National Honours and Awards are administered by the Chancery of the Orders of the Societies of Honour in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Formal recognition of service to Jamaica and its citizens may be given by the conferment of the Honour of one of the Orders of the six Societies of Honour established under the provisions of the National Honours and Awards Act. Nominations are currently being accepted for individuals to be given national honours and awards. The nominations close on March 31, 2024.

Recipients are announced on Independence Day which is the 6^th day of August each year and they receive their medals and insignias on National Heroes Day, a public holiday which is observed on the third Monday in October.