Order of Merit (Jamaica)

Order of Merit
Awarded by  Jamaica
Eligibility	Citizens of Jamaica and foreigners
Awarded for	Eminent international distinction in the field of science, the arts, literature or any other endeavour
Status	Currently awarded
Motto	"He that does truth comes into the light"
Post-nominals	OM
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of Excellence
Next (lower)	Order of Jamaica
Ribbon of the order

The Order of Merit is part of the Jamaican honours system, and it is the fourth-highest honour awarded by the nation of Jamaica. The Order of Merit is conferred upon Jamaicans or distinguished citizens of other countries who have achieved eminent international distinction in the field of science, the arts, literature or any other endeavour.^[1] The award can be held by no more than 15 living persons.^[2] It is not given to more than two people in any one year.^[1]

Members and Honorary Members of the order are entitled to wear the insignia of the order as a decoration and to be styled "The Honourable". In addition, they can append the post-nominal letters OM to their names, or OM (Hon.) in the case of Honorary Members. The order's motto is "He that does the truth comes into the light."

The Order of Merit was originally one that was awarded to foreign heads of state, but this function was taken over by the Order of Excellence in 2003.^[3]

Recipients

^[4]

Living

• Fidel Castro^[5]
• Professor Anthony Abraham Chen (2008)^[6]
• Jimmy Cliff (October 20, 2003)^[7]
• Dr. Albert Belville Lockhart, co-inventor of Canasol^[8][9]
• Sir Meredith Alister McIntyre^[10]
• Professor Mervyn Morris^[11]
• Sir Shridath Ramphal^[10]
• Professor Edward Robinson (2008)^[6]
• Sir Derek Walcott^[10]
• Professor Manley Elisha West, co-inventor of Canasol^[8][12]
• Sir Willard White (2000)^[13]

Deceased

• Louise Bennett-Coverley (2001)^[14]
• The Reverend William Knibb^[10]
• Dr. Thomas Lecky^[10]
• The Most Honourable Edna Manley (1980)^[15]
• The Most Honourable Michael Manley^[10]
• Bob Marley (February 1981)^[16]
• Herb McKenley (2004)^[17]
• Professor Rex Nettleford^[18]
• Mary Seacole (1990, posthumously)^[19]
• Sir Philip Manderson Sherlock (1989)^[20]
• Professor M. G. Smith (1972)^[21]
• Professor Carl Stone (1993)^[22]
• Peter Tosh (2012, posthumously)^[23]
• Dr. Cicely Williams^[10]

References

General

• Order of Merit, Office of the Prime Minister.

Inline

1. "National Awards of Jamaica", Jamaica Information Service, accessed May 12, 2015.
2. "Jamaica hails heroes today", The Jamaica Observer, October 21, 2002.
3. Chancery of the Societies of Honour - Ensuring that Jamaicans are Rewarded for Excellence Jamaican Information Service, retrieved January 8, 2007
4. Order of Merit (OM)", Government of Jamaica (Office of the Prime Minister), 2008. Archived December 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
5. Order of Merit, Office of the Prime Minister.
6. Manning, Gareth. "Glory for ordinary heroes", The Jamaica Gleaner, October 21, 2008.
7. "Jimmy Cliff, OM - Singer receives Ja's third highest honour; Baugh, Harding, Hendrickson, Miller get OJ", The Jamaica Observer, August 7, 2003.
8. Brady, Pete. "http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/59.html", Cannabis Culture magazine, January 16, 2000.
9. M E West and J Homi. "Cannabis as a medicine." Br. J. Anaesth. (1996) 76(1): 167 doi:10.1093/bja/76.1.167-a
10. "Order of Merit (OM)", Government of Jamaica (Office of the Prime Minister), 2008.
11. "103 for national awards", The Jamaica Gleaner, August 6, 2009 Archived June 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
12. M E West and J Homi. "Cannabis as a medicine." Br. J. Anaesth. (1996) 76(1): 167 doi:10.1093/bja/76.1.167-a
13. "White heads list with OM", The Jamaica Observer, August 7, 2000. Archived June 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
14. "Jamaican folklorist Miss Lou dies at 86", CBC News, July 27, 2006. Archived June 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
15. Scott-Williams, Tamara. "The courthouse burned, but the art lives", The Jamaica Observer, March 4, 2007. Archived March 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
16. David Vlado Moskowitz (2007). Bob Marley: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 132. ISBN 978-0275989354. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
17. Davidson, Taneisha. "Honour to whom honour is due.", The Jamaica Observer, October 17, 2004. Archived November 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
18. Taylor, Dr. Orville. "Dutty tuff!, The Jamaica Gleaner, July 30, 2006.
19. Mary Seacole, National Library of Jamaica, retrieved February 5, 2012.
20. "Sir Philip Manderson Sherlock (1902-2000)", The National Library of Jamaica.
21. "Michael G. Smith, 71, Anthropology Teacher", The New York Times, January 7, 1993.
22. "Ailing Pollster's Contributions Are Recognized", The Miami Herald, February 25, 1993.
23. Bonitto, Brian (2012) "Tosh gets OM", Jamaica Observer, 7 August 2012, retrieved 7 August 2012.