Calypso icon David Rudder receives Order of Caribbean Community

Senator the Honourable Dr Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs presents the Order of the Caribbean  Community medal to David Rudder. Photo: Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs

Calypso icon David Rudder was conferred with the Order of the Caribbean Community, considered the highest award in the region.
The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs said in a statement that Rudder received the Order at a ceremony at the Diplomatic Centre in Port of Spain on Wednesday (August 10), following a decision taken by CARICOM Heads of Government at the 43rd CARICOM Heads of Government Conference held in Paramaribo, Suriname in July 2022.
The Ministry said Rudder had been unavailable to attend that event and so the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, together with the CARICOM Secretariat, conferred the award at a special function on Wednesday.
Allison Drayton, Assistant Secretary General of Human and Social Development of the Caribbean Community praised Rudder for raising the spirits of the region. She noted that everyone felt Trini to the Bone as a result of his music.
In a pre-recorded address, Surinamese president and Chair of the Caribbean Community Chandrikapersad Santokhi thanked Rudder for his sterling contribution to calypso and to the region.
Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne presented  Rudder with the award and delivered from the podium a detailed Citation that praised his stellar contribution as a "cultural icon to the social fabric of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean as a whole".
The Minister lauded the wide span and longevity of  Rudder’s work, and included specific reflections on the profound impact of  Rudder’s seminal work in 1986 when his album “The Hammer” broke into the consciousness of Trinidad and Tobago and the world.
Dr Browne’s presentation also highlighted that the clarion call of  Rudder to Rally Round the West Indies remains cemented as an emotional anthem for West Indies cricket to this day.
In accepting the award, Rudder sincerely thanked the Caribbean Community and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for the honour and admonished young people to continue to learn and never to give up.
Background on the Order of the Caribbean Community
Initiated in 1987 during the Eighth (8th) Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, the Order of the Caribbean Community is conferred upon nationals of the Caribbean whose contributions to the development of the region are considered to be outstanding.
At the 43rd Conference of the Heads of Government held in Paramaribo, Suriname, three other awardees were conferred the Order of the Caribbean Community, namely, Irwin LaRocque, former Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community; Sir Vivian Richards, cricketer; and Dame Billie Miller, former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Barbados.
The Order of the Caribbean Community represents the highest award in the region and is bestowed with great pride and joy. The award can only be held by 15 living awardees at any time. Prior to 2022, the OCC had not been conferred in 10 years.
Privileges and Entitlements:

• The Members of the Order of the Caribbean Community enjoy the following privileges and entitlements, amongst others:
• The award confers the styling The Honourable upon the recipient and Post-nominals OCC.
• Members of the Order are accorded the privilege of free movement among Member States of the Community and are issued with a travel document which is assigned similar status to a diplomatic passport.
• The right to reside in and be gainfully employed in any Member State, as well as the right to acquire and dispose of property, as would citizens of Member States. 

(Source: The Loop, August 11, 2022)