Pursuant to the announcement made by Minister of National Security Major General (Ret’d) the Honorable Edmund Dillon today, the Ministry of National Security is advising all state and non-state agencies and all Trinidad and Tobago diplomatic missions abroad that the National Flag of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is to be flown at half-mast from Monday 15 January, 2018 to Wednesday 17 January, 2018. This is in observance of the passing of former President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Professor George Maxwell Richards TC, CMT, PhD who passed away on 08 January, 2018.
The national flag should be flown at half-mast tomorrow, Monday 15 January, 2018 and Tuesday 16 January, 2018 as the body of the late former President will lie in State on these days.
The Ministry also reminds that the national flag should be flown at half-mast on the day of the funeral, Wednesday 17 January, 2018.
The National Flag should be flown at half-mast or half-staff lowering the flag by its own depth from its normal position at the peak of the staff when the nation is in mourning.
At half-mast, the flag is first hoisted to the top of the staff for an instant, and then lowered to the half-mast position. Before lowering the flag down for the day the flag is again raised to the top of the staff. Other flags on the same stand of poles should also be at half-mast or should not be flown at all when the National Flag is at half-mast. Flags of foreign nations should not be flown at half mast, unless their country is also observing mourning.