The Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty is call­ing on cit­i­zens to re­spect this coun­try’s Na­tion­al Em­blems, urg­ing them to “cher­ish and re­spect our sym­bols of na­tion­hood.”

The min­istry said that it has not­ed an in­crease in the in­ap­pro­pri­ate use and mod­i­fi­ca­tion of the Na­tion­al Em­blems.

In a state­ment is­sued yes­ter­day, it ex­plained that the Na­tion­al Em­blems of Trinidad and To­ba­go are the Coat of Arms, the Na­tion­al Flag and the Na­tion­al Flower (the Dou­ble Cha­co­nia).

The Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty said, “mem­bers of the pub­lic are re­mind­ed that the Na­tion­al Em­blems, which re­flect the his­to­ry, val­ues, cul­ture and vi­sion of our na­tion, are sa­cred and are to be ac­cord­ed due re­spect.”

It al­so said guide­lines on the us­age of the Na­tion­al Em­blems can be ac­cessed by read­ing the Na­tion­al Em­blems of Trinidad and To­ba­go (Reg­u­la­tion) Chap­ter 19:04 of the Laws of Trinidad and To­ba­go and the Na­tion­al Iden­ti­ty Guide­lines of Trinidad and To­ba­go.

It is not clear ex­act­ly what in­ci­dent prompt­ed the min­istry to is­sue the state­ment.