Trinidad and Tobago is redesigning its national coat of arms for the first time since its establishment in 1962, aiming to eliminate references to European colonization. This decision has been celebrated by many in the Eastern Caribbean.
The current coat of arms features three ships associated with the explorer Christopher Columbus – the Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria. These will be replaced by the steelpan, a popular musical instrument that originated on the island. Prime Minister Keith Rowley initially announced the changes during a party convention for his ruling People’s National Movement (Folkets Nationale Bevægelse), where he received a standing ovation. “It should signal that we are on our way to removing the colonial remnants we have in our constitution,” he stated.
The existing coat of arms also includes hummingbirds, a palm tree, and a scarlet ibis, which is Trinidad’s national bird. This marks the first modification of the symbol since it was designed following Trinidad’s independence from Britain in 1962.
Trinidad and Tobago will soon hold a public hearing to discuss whether certain statues, signs, and monuments with colonial connections should be removed. Rowley has also advocated for discarding the British monarch’s privy council as the highest court of appeal, a legal arrangement that still applies to several Commonwealth countries, including Trinidad and Tobago. The Prime Minister added that he no longer wants Trinidad and Tobago to be “a tenant on the steps of the privy council.” Last year, St. Lucia voted to remove the privy council from their legal system and instead joined the Caribbean Court of Justice in 2023.
Trinidad and Tobago is one of 14 Caribbean countries that have sought reparations from Britain and other colonial powers. The ongoing changes are part of a global movement to remove symbols of colonization, with statues of Columbus being dismantled or toppled across the United States in recent years. Columbus arrived in Trinidad and Tobago in 1498.