Order of Distinction

Order of Distinction
Officer's badge of the order
Awarded by  Jamaica
TypeOrder
Motto"Distinction Through Service"
EligibilityDistinguished citizens of Jamaica and other countries
Awarded forOutstanding and important services to Jamaica
StatusCurrently constituted
ChancellorGovernor-General of Jamaica
GradesCommander (CD)
Officer (OD)
Precedence
Next (higher)Order of Jamaica
Next (lower)Badge of Honour

Ribbon of the order

The Order of Distinction (OD) is a national order in the Jamaican honours system. It is the sixth in order of precedence of the Orders of Societies of Honour,[1] which were instituted by an Act of Parliament (The National Honours and Awards Act) in 1968. The motto of the Order is "Distinction Through Service".

The Order of Distinction is conferred upon citizens of Jamaica who have rendered outstanding and important services to Jamaica, or to distinguished citizens of a country other than Jamaica.[2] The former are made Members of the Order, and the latter are made Honorary Members.

The Order has two ranks: the higher class of Commander, and the lower class of Officer. Commanders take place and precedence immediately after Members and Honorary Members of the Order of Jamaica. A Member or Honorary Member may be promoted from the rank of Officer to that of Commander.

Commanders of the Order of Distinction are entitled to use the post-nominal letters CD in the case of Members, or CD (Hon.) in the case of Honorary Members. Officers of the Order of Distinction are entitled to use the post-nominal letters OD in the case of Members, or OD (Hon.) in the case of Honorary Members.

  1. ^ JAMAICA'S HONOURS Archived 26 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine jamaicaobserver.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021
  2. ^ "National Awards of Jamaica" Archived 20 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Jamaica Information Service, accessed 12 May 2015.