Last modified: 2008-08-02 by dov gutterman
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![[Flag of Trinidad and Tobago]](../images/t/tt.gif)
image by Željko Heimer, 6 April 2003
Official Name: Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago
Capital: Port-of-Spain
Location: Caribbean
Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy
Flag adopted: 1962
ISO Code: TT
see also:
The red is said to represent the vitality of the land and
people, the warmth and energy of the sun, and courage and
friendliness. The white is said to represent the sea, the purity
of national aspirations, and the equality of all men, and the
black represents strength, unity and purpose, and the natural
resources. (from [smi75b]).
Red stands for 'people's genersity and sunlight', white for
'equality and sea' and black for 'tenacity and vocation for
unity'. (from a 1994 translation of [tal82]).
From <www.gov.tt>:
"The national flag was designed by the Independence
Committee and selected to be used as the National Flag in 1962.
Its colours are Red, White and Black. Red is the colour most
expressive of our country, it represents the vitality of the land
and its people, it is the warmth and energy of the sun, the
courage and friendliness of the people. White is the sea by which
these lands are bound; the cradle of our heritage; the purity of
our aspirations and the equality of all men under the sun. The
Black represents for us the dedication of the people joined
together by one strong bond. It is the colour of strength, of
unity, of purpose and of the wealth of the land. The colours
chosen represent the elements Earth, Water and Fire which
encompass all our past, present and future and inspire us as one
united, vital, free and dedicated people."
Erki Kurikoff, 13 Febuary 2002
Articles IV(4), V and VI all say that the National Flag should
be raised in the morning a lowered at night (the actual times
vary). But all Articles refer to official rather than private
display.
Christopher Southworth, 4 April 2003
From 'The National Flag of the Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago', undated but must be from after 1978 (when Trinidad
became a republic), and the specifications it contains are
identical to those issued by 'The Ministry of Home Affairs' on 31
August 1962:
'Chapter I - The official description of the Flag reads as
follows: "On a red field, a Bend Dexter Sable bordered
Silver; that is to say, there is on the Red Field a diagonal from
left to right in Black bordered with White. The width of
the Black and White bands joined side by side at the upper dexter
corner of the Flag is one-fifth of the full length of the Flag,
and the width of each White band is one-sixth of the width of the
Black and White bands together. The width of Black is
therefore four-sixths of the total width of the White and
Black". The Black and White diagonals must always point to
the peak of the staff. "The dimensions of the National Flag
shall be in the proportions of five to three (5:3). For
flags carried at sea the dimensions shall be two to one
(2:1)"'
Christopher Southworth, 29 March 2003
According to Album 2000 [pay00]
- National Flag on land (-SW/--- 3:5) - Red flag with a black
falling diagonal fimbriated white. Bith Album 2000 and [smi82c] mark usage as (-SW/---);
does it mean that there are some prohibitions regarding the use
of this flag by private citizens on land?
Željko Heimer, 6 April 2003
The regulations say only this:
"ARTICLE III - SPECIAL DAYS FOR FLYING THE NATIONAL FLAG -
The dates of special significance for this country on which the
National Flag may be flown freely by all citizens are as
follows:
- 1. Independence Day - 31 August.
- 2. Republic Day - 24 September.
- 3. Remembrance Day - 2nd Sunday in November.
- 4. Any other date that may be prescribed from time to time.
The above gives the dates upon which the National Flag may be
flown freely by all citizens, but there seems to be nothing in
the remaining 24 Articles to explain what happens on other
days? The mystery remains.
Christopher Southworth, 6 April 2003
image by Željko Heimer, 6 April 2003
The regulations require that the width of the white and black
stripes together is 1/5 of the length, with white and black
stripes being 1-4-1. It is nowhere specifically explained, but
the diagonal stripe is set so that it makes edges only along the
top and bottom and not along hoist and fly, that it touches with
one point only.
Željko Heimer, 6 April 2003
I have read that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service have
its own flag: the national flag with a superimposed six-pointed
star.
Douglas Cramer , 18 September 1999
The police flag shows on a blue field a white hexagram, and
below that in a white banderol blue-black letters (text unknown)
Jaume Olle' (Translated by Jarig Bakker) , 9
October 1999
image by Randy Young, 22 April 2001
The Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago has on a blue flag a
crest in yellow contours: lion-torso, in the right paw holding a
globe, on top of which a simple crown.
Jaume Olle' (Translated by Jarig Bakker) , 9
October 1999
I work for an international financial networking
company. One of the banks that we service is Royal Bank of
Trinidad & Tobago, whose code on our network is ROYT.
However, we also service a Royal Bank of Canada (ROYC) and Royal
Bank of Scotland (ROYS). I became curious as to connection
between these banks, if any, and began investigating. It
turns out that all three banks are members of Royal Bank
Financial Group. On the group's website, I found a copy of
the institution's logo, which is exactly as the one described for
the Royal Bank of Trinidad & Tobago. This is actually
the flag of Royal Bank Financial Group, and would therefore be
flown at all branches of the above-mentioned banks.
Randy Young, 22 April 2001
The Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Limited is a
subsidary of RBTT Financial Group, a holding company fully owned
in Trinidad and Tobago. Many years ago, The Royal Bank of
Trinidad and Tobago was bought out from the The Royal Bank of
Canada by local interest. With the recent acquisition of
several banks in the region, a holding company was formed - RBTT
Financial Group. The flag for the group is the white RBTT
on a blue oval outlined by white and blue lines, centered on a
white field. The logo is available on the group's home page
(<www.rbtt.com>).
The correct flag for the Royal Bank, would be a yellow 'Roystar'
(also available on the group's home page) centered on a blue
field.
Emrol Gould, 28 May 2001
.gif)
image from <news.carib-link.net>
'Dorling-Kindersley Pocket Book' says the coat of arms
represents the three ships of Colombus who landed in Trinidad in
1498. The top of the shield depicts two hummingbirds. The
supporters are two local birds, a scarlet ibis and a cocrico,
respectively. The shield stands on waves breaking against the
rocky coasts of the islands.
Ivan Sache, 11 January 2001
From <www.gov.tt>:
"The Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago was designed by a
committee formed in 1962 to prepare the country for independence.
The Coat of Arms was selected and formally agreed to be used as
the Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago in 1962. The Birds
represented on the Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago are the
Scarlet Ibis, the Cocrico (native to Tobago) and the Hummingbird.
The three ships represent the Trinity and the three ships of
Columbus. The three Peaks were principal motifs of Trinidad's
early British Colonial Seals and Flag-Badges. They commemorated
both Columbus' decision to name Trinidad after the Blessed
Trinity and the three Peaks of the Southern mountain range,
called the 'Three Sisters" on the horizon. The fruited
Coconut Palm dates back to the great seals of British Colonial
Tobago in the days when the Island was a separate administrative
unit. Motto - Together we aspire, Together we achieve"
-speaks for itself and promotes harmony and diversity for
national achievement."
Erki Kurikoff, 13 Febuary 2002
image by Eugene Ipavec, 15 August 2006
Fin Flash
image by Željko Heimer, 6 April 2003
According to Album 2000 [pay00]
- Aircraft Marking - Pattern exactly like the national flag (on
land). However, [cos98] do not
mention any marking of the sort, only the fin flash.
Fin Flash Marking - Red-white-black vertical stripes, red toward
the front.
Željko Heimer, 6 April 2003
Both wrong. Aeroflight
report about the marking of the Air Division of the Trinidad and
Tobago Defence Force (formed 1966): "The main marking
[winged emblem - see here]
is displayed intwo positions on the fuselage sides of aircraft.
The fuselage flash [red-white-black] is displayed diagonally over
the fuselage."
Those stripes could be on the rudder, in the back part of the
fusalage, in the front part or over the cabin. See <www.airliners.net/343436>
, <www.airliners.net/494812>
, <www.ttdf.mil.tt>
and <www.scramble.nl>.
Dov Gutterman, 26 June 2004
The local government bodies consist of nine Regional
Corporations and five municipalities in Trinidad and the Tobago
House of Assembly in Tobago. The five
towns with municipality status are the Boroughs of Arima, Chaguanas and Point
Fortin and the Cities of Port of Spain and San Fernando. The
nine Regional Corporations are the Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo, Diego
Martin, Penal-Debe, Princes Town, Rio
Claro-Mayaro, San Juan-Laventille, Sangre Grande, Siparia and the
Tunapuna-Piarco Regional Corporations.
Source: <en.wikipedia.org>.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 1 April 2006
