Over 100 persons to be conferred with national honours and awards

Dancehall entertainer Sean Paul is among more than 100 Jamaicans conferred with national honours and awards.

The recipients will be formally recognised at a ceremony on National Heroes Day, October 21.

Sean Paul, whose given name is Sean Henriques, has been conferred with the Order of  Distinction in the rank of Commander for his contribution to the global popularity and promotion of  reggae music.

National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang is also the recipient of  the Order of  Distinction in the rank of Commander for public service in the area of  politics.

Other recipients include Dr D.K. Duncan and Dr Aundre Franklin for service to the Electoral Commission of  Jamaica, Christopher Dehring for contribution to banking and finance, telecommunications and sports marketing and CEO of the National Environment and Planning Agency Peter Knight for his contribution to the health sector and environmental planning.

Julius Garvey, son of  Jamaica's first national hero, Marcus Garvey, has been appointed to the Order of  Jamaica for his contribution to universal civil activism and promotion of  entrepreneurship as well as the legacy of  Garveyism and pan-Africanism.

Rita Marley has also been appointed to the Order of  Jamaica for her contribution to the popularisation of  Jamaican music and by extension, Brand Jamaica on the world stage and for humanitarian work through the Rita Marley Foundation.

Other recipients of  this honour are Mike Henry, for 40 years of  public service, political representation and public policy development, and Robert Pickersgill, for public service and political representation

And Tamar Blake, who raised an alarm when a woman tried to register a baby snatched from the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in January, has been bestowed with the Badge of  Honour for Gallantry.

The newborn was stolen from the hospital on January 9.

Twenty-eight-year-old Peta-Gay Ffrench, who was caught when she attempted to register the child as her own at the Registrar General's Department, last month pleaded guilty to child stealing.