Trinity Cross

Trinity Cross
Trinity Cross in gold
Awarded by  Trinidad and Tobago
Type	Three class distinguished service decoration
Eligibility	Nationals and Non-Nationals
Awarded for	distinguished and outstanding service to Trinidad and Tobago. Also awarded for gallantry in the face of the enemy, or for gallant conduct.
Status	no longer awarded
Post-nominals	TC
Statistics
Established	1969
Last awarded	2002
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (since 2008)
Next (lower)	Chaconia Medal
Ribbon bar of the award

The Trinity Cross (abbreviated T.C.) was the highest of the National Awards of Trinidad and Tobago, between the years 1969– 2008. It was awarded for: "distinguished and outstanding service to Trinidad and Tobago. It was awarded for gallantry in the face of the enemy, or for gallant conduct." Either nationals or non-nationals can be awarded the honour, but no more than five may be awarded in any year. The President was awarded the Trinity Cross in an ex officio capacity. The award was first presented in 1969 and was subsequently replaced by The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (abbreviated O.R.T.T.) in the year 2008.

The name of the award has been criticised as being discriminatory against non-Christians (since it used the Christian symbol of the cross).

Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams in 1972 prevailed upon a reluctant Dr. Wahid Ali, then President of the Senate, and a Muslim, to wear the Trinity Cross; he agreed to accept it only after the Prime Minister promised to change the name of the award in the future. In 1973, then Roman Catholic Archbishop Anthony Pantin declined to go on record in favour of renaming the award, but allowed that he lacked "any strong feelings one way or the other."

In 1995 the Dharmacharya (spiritual head of the Hindu organization, Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha) Pandit Krishna Maharaj, refused to accept the Trinity Cross from Prime Minister Patrick Manning, for his social work on the grounds that it did not represent a true national award involving all religious denominations of Trinidad and Tobago.

In 1997, a cabinet appointed committee was appointed to look at the issue of the Trinity Cross. The committee was chaired by the then Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Michael de la Bastide; recommendations included encouragement of public consultation on the matter, and the suggestion that "The Order of Trinidad & Tobago" should be considered as "the Trinity Cross...was perceived as a Christian symbol" in this multi-religious society.