Mark criticises coat of arms redesign process
Written by Mya Quamie on January 22, 2025
OPPOSITION Senator Wade Mark questioned the process by which the new design for the coat of arms was commissioned during a sitting of the Senate on January 21 as it debated the National Emblems of Trinidad and Tobago (Regulation) (Amendment) Bill.
While Mark said he was not opposed to a redesign of the coat of arms, he called the process “flawed.”
He noted Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Randall Mitchell did not appoint a national emblems committee to advise on the redesigning of the coat of arms. He said that placed the government in breach of the law as the National Emblems of TT (regulation) Act said the committee should act in an advisory role in the designing of national emblems.
“Why would a government choose to take this initiative but not bring it to the appropriate body to contemplate, to analyse, to engage and to consult with the population before it was finally issued?”
Mark also questioned the way the announcement of the change to the coat of arms was made.
The Prime Minister made the announcement at a special PNM party convention held at the National Academy of the Performing Arts (NAPA) on August 18.
“The Prime Minister of our nation made this dramatic announcement at a partisan event,” Mark noted.
“This is the coat of arms, and it belongs to all of the citizens of our nation. But here it is we are going to redesign it and how do we know about this? The Prime Minister, at the end of a conference of the PNM, announced to the nation that he’s going to get rid of the three ships of Columbus.
“Isn’t that a partisan approach?
“If we are going to make any changes to the coat of arms it must have national approval, it must have national involvement. Not an emperor from on high announcing it to the nation.”
Mark also took note of the criticism the design received saying the backlash could have been avoided if the process had been more collaborative.
“Had there been more involvement and collaboration, we would have had a better product today.”
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