MACE AND GOBLETS HERE FOR CHOGM

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II is expected to arrive in Trinidad and Tobago to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which commences on November 27th, 2009. However, arriving ahead of her, are some majestic symbols of the Commonwealth, in the form of the Mace and Goblets.

The 18 carat gold Commonwealth Mace was a gift to Her Majesty the Queen from the Royal Anniversary Trust in her role as Head of the Commonwealth, on the 40th Anniversary of her accession to the throne. The Royal Coat of Arms and the Commonwealth Symbol are prominently placed at the top of the Mace. The middle portion is adorned with enamelled flags of each of the Commonwealth nations.

An established protocol has been developed governing the use of the Mace, in consultation with Buckingham Palace and other appropriate bodies. It is used in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen or an immediate member of the Royal Family representing the Head of the Commonwealth at CHOGM and at special Commonwealth occasions.

It’s also used at the annual multi-faith observance on Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey and at the Commonwealth Day evening reception hosted by the Secretary-General.

The Mace and accompanying Goblets will be displayed during the opening ceremony of CHOGM 2009 at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) but much will have to be in place before that happens.

It is essential for the Government hosting CHOGM and the Commonwealth Secretariat to collaborate closely in making the necessary security arrangements for the transfer of the Mace and Goblets.

The host Government must ensure that the Mace and Goblets are suitably insured for the period they will be the responsibility of the host nation. They are presently safely secured in the vault of the Central Bank in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

It has become the practice for the Mace and three Goblets to be put on public display at a secure sight. This tradition is set to continue in Trinidad and Tobago with the open viewing being held from November 23 to 25 at the Special Money Museum, Central Bank, Port of Spain.