Jizelle Salandy

Jizelle Salandy was the lone recipient of this country’s highest award in the 2009 Independence Day honours, presided over last night by President George Richards. Salandy was awarded the Order of Trinidad and Tobago for distinguished and outstanding national service in the field of boxing. The award was presented posthumously. Salandy died at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital on January 4, after the car she was driving crashed into a concrete pillar near the National Petroleum overpass on Beetham Highway. She was 21 years old. This country’s most successful female boxer, Salandy had eight world titles under her belt, including the World Boxing Council (WBC), the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) titles.

She was the recipient of the country’s second highest award—the Chaconia Medal (Gold) in August 2007. After her death, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Gary Hunt described Salandy as an icon, a great contributor and a motivator. Among the other 20 recipients of national awards this year were Dr Geraldine Connor, ethnomusicologist, Ambassador Dr Cuthbert Joseph and fashion designer Heather Jones. They received the Chaconia Medal (Gold). The Chaconia Medal (Silver) was awarded to medical doctors George Laquis and Ronald Henry, in the field of medicine, Fr Steve West (education), and community worker Gowriedath Hanooman (posthumously) for gallantry.

Recipients of the Humming Bird Medal (Gold) were businessman Narine Gupte Lutchmedial for community service, pannist Len “Boogsie” Sharpe for culture and Dianne Avalone Baptiste, a housewife, for gallantry. In an act of bravery, Baptiste, a 41-year-old Williamsville resident, disarmed a bandit, struck him with a flower pot and kept him in an armlock until the police arrived.

Humming Bird Medal (Silver):
• Bissoon Birsingh for community service (posthumously);
• The Flores family for culture;
• Hugh Joseph Cyrus for gallantry;
• Keith Smith for journalism;
• Gertrude Ann Browne-John for sport; and
• Alvin Corneal for sport.

Public Service Medal of Merit (Gold) is being presented to retired nurse Cynthia Viola Forde.

Public Service Medal (Silver) is being awarded to president of the T&T Registered Nurses Association Valerie Alleyne-Rawlins.

Public Service Medical (Bronze).

The awards were presented at a ceremony at President’s House last night.