Medal of Merit

Nominator's Personal Information:

Name (correct name); date of birth; phone number; whether nominee is a citizen or permanent resident of Trinidad and Tobago; if nominee is not a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, country of citizenship; whether nominee has dual citizenship and in which country.
Email address; occupation; home address; business address; whether nominee is the holder of a national award and which award in Gold, Silver, or Bronze; year given; sphere of activity for which award was given.
Sphere of activity for which award is being recommended in the current year; number of years involved in sphere of activity; recommended award; whether the nominee was nominated by you in a previous year and in which year.
Note that “sphere of activity” refers to the type of activity in which the nominee has made an outstanding contribution in the Public Service in areas such as National Security, Education, Social Services, Public Administration.
Soft copy of resumé to upload

Nominator’s Personal Information:

Whether the nomination is being made by an individual or organization.
If nomination is being made by an individual: nominator’s name, email address, home address, occupation.
If nomination is being made by an organization: organization’s name, representative’s name, email address, business address, occupation.

Accolades Received:

Recognition for contributions made, which may have been received as awards, medals or certificates will be accepted as accolades. You will need the name of the organization that issued the award/medal/certificate, the name of the award/medal/certificate (reason for the recognition), and the year in which it was given.
Academic certificates should not be included as accolades. The nominee’s academic achievements such as degrees, diplomas and other such certificates will be more appropriately highlighted within the nominee’s resumé. The nominee’s appointments to boards, committees, associations, governmental and non-governmental organizations should also be included in the resumé.

Testimonials (Letters of Support):

Names and email addresses of recommenders: such persons should be relatively senior and well-known in the profession.
The nominator should provide recommenders with the associated award description and criteria to assist them in framing their letters.
Testimonials for nominees for the Medal of Merit should be from persons who are familiar with the nominee’s service in the Public Service, Protective Services, Defence Force and Statutory Bodies.

Essays:

The nominator is required to write three (3) essays of 800 words each in the boxes provided within the online form. Taking the award criteria into account, make sure you provide clear and specific responses regarding the nomination.

The guidelines below are recommended for a strong submission in support of your nominee:

Read the criteria carefully for the category in which you are submitting your nominee: the nominee must clearly meet the requirements identified for the category of award for which he/she is being recommended. Prepare the nomination to ensure that the nominee meets all of the appropriate award criteria.
Make the most of your 2400 words (800 words per essay): be as specific and detailed as you can in formulating your answers.
The primary focus should be on efforts within Trinidad and Tobago. Regional and/or international involvements will be considered but cannot substitute for national involvement. Note the criteria for the various award categories.
Describe how the nominee has made a difference in Trinidad and Tobago. Cite specific examples of the nominee’s impact on Trinidad and Tobago. State evidence of dedication, innovation, creativity and vision. Include how the nominee inspires and motivates others to act charitably. Identify ongoing activities.
Research and state what your nominee is doing in groups: collaborate with others to determine the extent of your nominee’s involvement in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other volunteer activities.
Paint a story about your nominee in your essays: generate enthusiasm for the person.
Prepare your nomination as though the Committee does not know the nominee.

In the first essay, you will provide information on the significant achievements of the nominee in the sphere of activity in which the recommendation is being made. State the ways in which the nominee’s contribution was national in scope and impinged on national development.

For the second essay, you need to identify how the nominee’s achievements/contributions stand out from others in the sphere of activity for which the award is being recommended.

In the third essay, you are required to highlight the extent to which the nominee has been influential in the sphere of activity.

This award recognizes employees who have served within the Public Service and/or other public sector organizations, including the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.

Your answers to the three (3) essays should include:

Commitment to Trinidad and Tobago:

How the nominee promoted equity in Trinidad and Tobago.
Instances in which the nominee was able to achieve substantial savings for government.
Opportunities that became available to others in the profession as a result of the nominee’s involvement/contributions.
Examples of how the nominee encouraged young people to pursue careers in the Public Service.

Leadership:

Changes that the nominee made within any public organization(s) in which he/she served that would have resulted in improvement in the service to external and internal clients, and in achieving the goals of the organization.
Policies, projects or programmes that the nominee led and which were completed/implemented.
How the nominee was able to achieve change. Did the nominee have to undertake any risks?
How the nominee is viewed by employees within the organizations in which he/she is/was employed. You can also provide names and email addresses of persons so that the information can be verified, if necessary.