Chester Sambrano
The Ministry of National Security is advising all state and non-state agencies and all Trinidad and Tobago diplomatic missions abroad, that the National Flag of Trinidad and Tobago is to be flown at half-mast for today only, the day of the Official Funeral of the Right Honourable Justice Michael de la Bastide, TC, former chief justice of Trinidad and Tobago and first president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
In a statement, the Ministry said the National Flag should be flown at half-mast or half-staff by lowering the flag by its own depth, from its normal position at the peak of the staff when the nation is in mourning.
It explained that to get to half-mast, the flag is first hoisted to the
top of the staff for an instant and then lowered to the half-mast position. Before lowering the flag down for the day, the flag is again raised to the top of the staff.
It added that other flags on the same stand of poles should also be at half-mast or should not be flown at all when the National Flag is at half-mast.
Flags of foreign nations should not be flown at half-mast unless their country is also observing a period of mourning.