Name Change for National Heroes Day Awards

Awards presented to Caymanians as part of the National Heroes Day ceremony will now be officially known as the national recognition awards. The name change, approved by the Cabinet, aims to distinguish award recipients from those individuals bestowed with the title of national hero.

Held annually in January, the National Heroes Day ceremony is designed to recognise individuals and groups for outstanding contribution to nation building. In preparation for the 2026 staging, the national recognition awards committee convened its first meeting earlier this month to discuss the upcoming theme which will be ‘Physical Infrastructure’.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the event, Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage, Honourable Isaac Rankine stated, “National Heroes Day is an opportunity to reflect on our country’s progress and honour the incredible contributions of our people. The holiday recognises and honours our 14 national heroes and celebrates the achievements of people who have made significant contributions to the development of our physical environment.” He added, “I am looking forward to celebrating the trailblazers who have built some of Cayman’s most impactful and historic infrastructures.”

Premier Honourable André Ebanks shared similar sentiments, noting, “The theme will allow us to honour the visionaries whose contributions have created the foundation of modern Cayman Islands. I would like to express my appreciation to the committee members who will guide the selection process. Their dedication will ensure that we identify and recognise those individuals whose work in responsibly developing our physical infrastructure has made a lasting impact on our community. I encourage all residents to participate in the upcoming nomination process and help us honour these deserving contributors to our country’s strong infrastructure.”

The national recognition awards committee was selected by Cabinet and consists of one representative from each district and the sister islands as well as a cross-section of government departments and agencies. District members include Archie Whittaker, Carl Brown, Marie Martin, Denny Carson Ebanks, Shirley Lolita Bodden and Kendal Connor. Other representatives are from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Department of Public Works, Utility Regulation and Competition Office of the Cayman Islands, Cabinet Office, Department of Communications and the Cayman Islands National Archive.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage, which is leading the selection process, announced that the criteria and nomination process will be published in the coming weeks. The public is encouraged to nominate individuals and groups for consideration for the awards.