A total of 120 Barbadians, including 60 members of the uniformed services and 60 civilians, will receive a new national honour to mark the diamond anniversary of Independence, it was announced in the Senate on Wednesday.

Leader of Government Business Senator Lisa Cummins introduced the Barbados Diamond Anniversary Honour Bill to commemorate both the Independence jubilee and the fifth anniversary of the Republic, while recognising citizens who have made significant contributions.

The initiative followed previous commemorative honours – the Barbados Centennial Honour in 2000, which recognised 100 Barbadians, and the Barbados Jubilee Honour in 2016 to mark the 50th anniversary of Independence.