Tobago Business Chamber: Remove ‘awful’ cocrico from coat of arms
Written by Stephon Nicholas on January 21, 2025
TOBAGO Business Chamber chairman Martin George has expressed grave disappointment with the updated version of the coat of arms, which was passed recently in the House of Representatives.
In a video released to the media on January 20, George said he had no issue with the steelpan replacing the three ships used by explorer Christopher Columbus, however, he felt the cocrico, one of the two national birds, should have also been removed.
George said if changes are being made, then all necessary amendments should happen now.
“There is absolutely no need to keep this destructive pest on our coat of arms. There is no redeeming feature to this creature,” he said.
“We of the Tobago Business Chamber wish to express our great disappointment that our Prime Minister, who is from Tobago, did not see it fit to also make an important change to the coat of arms. Since we are doing changes to the coat of arms we might have well do so now.
“This awful, and I make no apologies for saying so, unacceptable bird called the cocrico that graces our coat of arms, and which is designated as the bird of Tobago. It is an awful creature. It’s destructive, it’s loud, it’s raucous, it’s noisy, it serves no useful purpose, and yet it is a protected bird.”
He suggested the hummingbird take the place of the cocrico.
“Why didn’t Dr Rowley use this opportunity as a Tobagonian to do a service to Tobagonians to remove this bird and put something proper there instead – even if it’s the hummingbird.”
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