The National Awards of Trinidad and Tobago consist of: Holders of the various awards are allowed to use the postnominal letters O.R.T.T. (Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago), T.C. (Trinity Cross), C.M. (Chaconia Medal), H.B.M. (Hummingbird Medal) or M.O.M. (Medal of Merit). These awards were introduced following independence in 1962 to replace the Imperial royal honours available to citizens of the British Empire. They were approved in 1967 and first awarded in 1969. The cabinet accepted the decision made by the national awards designs Selection Committee, which selected the designs submitted by the following persons:

1. Ms Wilhelmina McDowell, who designed the Trinity Cross
2. Mrs A. Jardine, who designed the Chaconia Medal and
3. The designers of Messrs Y. DeLima and Co. Limited, who conceptualised the Hummingbird Medal.
4. Mr Ebenezer Edwards designed the Public Service Medal of Merit Some of the winners who won medals in past years are listed below:

2016 awards

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

Public Service Medal of Merit

Medal For The Development Of Women (Gold)

2015 awards

Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

2014 awards

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

2013 awards

Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

2012 awards

Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

2011 awards

Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

Medal for the Development of Women

2010 awards

Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

2009 awards

Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

2008 awards

Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Chaconia Medal

2007 awards

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

2006 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

Public Service Medal of Merit

2005 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

Public Service Medal of Merit

2004 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

Medal of Merit

2003 Awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal

Hummingbird Medal

Medal of Merit

2002 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

2001 awards

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

2000 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1999 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1998 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1997 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1996 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1995 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

Public Service Medal of Merit (Silver)

1994 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1993 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1992 awards

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1991 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

Chaconia Medal (silver)

1990 awards

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

Hummingbird Medal (Gold)

1989 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

Hummingbird Medal (Silver)

1988 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1987 awards

Public Service Gold Medal of Merit

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

Chaconia Medal (Silver)

1986 awards

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1985 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1984 awards

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1983 awards

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1982 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1981 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1980 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1979 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1978 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1977 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1976 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal

1975 awards

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1974 awards

Public Service Gold Medal of Merit

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1973 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1972 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1971 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

1970 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

Chaconia Medal (Silver)

Chaconia Medal (Bronze)

Hummingbird Medal (Gold)

Hummingbird Medal (Silver)

Hummingbird Medal (Bronze)

Public Service Medal of Merit (Gold)

Public Service Medal of Merit (Silver)

Public Service Medal of Merit (Bronze)

1969 awards

Trinity Cross

Chaconia Medal (Gold)

Chaconia Medal (Silver)

Hummingbird Medal (Gold)

Hummingbird Medal (Silver)

Hummingbird Medal (Bronze)

Public Service Medal of Merit (Gold)

Public Service Medal of Merit (Silver)

Constitutional controversy

On 17 April 2008 the Cabinet agreed that the name of the highest national award should be The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, that the name of the Society to replace the Order of the Trinity should be The Distinguished Society of Trinidad and Tobago, that the highest national award should be re-designed so as to replace the Cross with a Medal and that the Letters Patent should be amended to give effect to those decisions. Subsequently, in Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha of Trinidad and Tobago Inc & Ors v Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago [2009] UKPC 17 (28 April 2009) the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, on appeal from the Court of Appeal of Trinidad and Tobago, held that the creation of the Trinity Cross of the Order of the Trinity breached the constitutional rights of non-Christians to equality and to freedom of conscience and belief. However, the council also made a declaration that the judgment should not have retrospective effect: "nothing in this judgment should be taken to apply to any awards of this high honour that were made under the system that the Letters Patent established before the date of the.. judgment." (per Lord Hope of Craighead at para 42).