HIGHEST HONOURS*
Order of T&T for Dookeran, McLeod
National Award: Winston Dookeran
National Award: Errol McLeod
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran, founder of the Congress of the People (COP), and Labour Minister Errol McLeod are to receive the country's highest award, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT), on today's 53rd anniversary of Independence.
Dookeran and McLeod were the only two citizens named for the ORTT in the annual list of awardees, issued yesterday by the Office of the President and embargoed until midnight last night.
The annual awards ceremony will be held from 6 p.m. today at Queen's Hall, St Ann's, and will be followed by the annual fireworks display at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain and San Fernando Hill.
Dookeran, who was said by relatives yesterday to have been out of the country until late last night, is the incumbent MP for Tunapuna and earlier this year announced his decision to retire from active politics.
McLeod, a former president of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU), also could not be reached for comment yesterday.
