{{short description|National order in the Jamaican honours system}} {{for-multi|the Bahamanian order|Order of Distinction (Bahamas)|Belizean order|Order of Distinction (Belize)|Ottoman order|Order of Distinction (Ottoman Empire)}} {{More citations needed|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=September 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}} {{Infobox order |title = Order of Distinction |image = 150px |caption = Officer's badge of the order |awarded_by = {{JAM}} |type = Order |motto = "Distinction Through Service" |day = |eligibility = Distinguished citizens of Jamaica and other countries |for = Outstanding and important services to Jamaica |status = Currently constituted |head2_title = Chancellor |head2 = Governor-General of Jamaica |grades = Commander (CD)<br>Officer (OD) |date = 1968 |higher = Order of Jamaica |lower = Badge of Honour |image2 =File:Baton Order of Distinction Jamaica.jpg |caption2 =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,<ref>[http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/JAMAICA-S-HONOURS_12203085 JAMAICA'S HONOURS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126190259/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/JAMAICA-S-HONOURS_12203085 |date=26 January 2021 }} ''jamaicaobserver.com''. Retrieved 1 August 2021</ref> 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.<ref name="awards">[http://jis.gov.jm/information/awards/ "National Awards of Jamaica"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220133929/https://jis.gov.jm/information/awards/ |date=20 December 2021 }}, Jamaica Information Service, accessed 12 May 2015.</ref> 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.

==Officers==

===Art=== * Carl Abrahams * Gloria Escoffery * Christopher González

===Theatre=== *Patrick Brown

===Education=== * Heather Little-White<ref>{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Nation hours 108|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/susun-wilkinson-celebrity-clipping-aug-07-2001-443126/|access-date=30 October 2017|newspaper=The Gleaner|date=7 August 2001|location=Kingston, Jamaica|page=55|via=Newspaperarchive.com|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107021659/https://newspaperarchive.com/susun-wilkinson-celebrity-clipping-aug-07-2001-443126/|url-status=live}} {{open access}}</ref>

===Journalism=== * Charles Kinkead * Laura Tanna<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-10-23 |title=Laura Tanna gets national award for literature, culture |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20141023/laura-tanna-gets-national-award-literature-culture |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=jamaica-gleaner.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Law=== * Lloyd Stanbury<ref>{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Howard|date=2017-08-23|title=Keeping the law in music|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/keeping-the-law-in-music_108609|newspaper=Jamaica Observer|location=Jamaica|access-date=2018-08-04|archive-date=10 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110202250/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/keeping-the-law-in-music_108609|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Medical=== *Gwendolyn Spencer<ref>{{cite news|last=Lim|first=Ann-Margaret|date=2004-05-01|title=Remembering Gwendolyn Spencer OD Midwife extraordinaire|url=http://kctimes.org/articles.aspx?articleid=1399&kcedtn=1018|newspaper=The Kingston College Times|location=Jamaica|access-date=2016-07-05|archive-date=1 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201204000/https://kctimes.org/articles.aspx?articleid=1399&kcedtn=1018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Music=== * Owen Gray * Robert "Bobby" Ellis * Ernest Ranglin * David Rodigan * Prince Buster * Alton Ellis * Ken Boothe * Jah Jerry Haynes * Carl Brady * Lloyd Brevett * Lennie Hibbert * Olive Lewin * Burning Spear * Roland Alphonso * Tommy McCook * Lee "Scratch" Perry * Phil Chen * Gregory Isaacs * Derrick Morgan * Rexton Gordon "Shabba Ranks" * Steven Woodham * Sean Paul * Rita Marley * Judy Mowatt * Chris Chin * Yellowman * Wayne Marshall (Wayne Mitchell) * Bounty Killer * King Jammy * Sonia Pottinger * Mighty Diamonds<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20210815/od-mighty-diamonds-longest-group-together-reggae-music-history|title=OD for Mighty Diamonds, the longest group together in reggae music history|date=15 August 2021|newspaper=The Gleaner|access-date=18 April 2022|archive-date=4 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004142609/https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20210815/od-mighty-diamonds-longest-group-together-reggae-music-history|url-status=live}}</ref> * Lord Creator<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2023/07/12/lord-creator-pioneer-calypso-ska-and-rocksteady-obituary/ Lord Creator, pioneer of calypso, ska and rocksteady – obituary]</ref>

===Politics=== * St. William Grant * Gladstone Mills * Arthur Henry Winnington Williams

===Social work=== * Hazel Monteith * Noel Earl Alexander

===Sport=== * Jimmy Adams * Gerry Alexander * Simone Edwards * Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce * Chris Gayle * George Headley * Merlene Ottey * Rovman Powell<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Howard |date=20 October 2025 |title=Yohan Blake, Ricardo Gardner and Rovman Powell conferred with Order of Distinctions |url=https://our.today/yohan-blake-ricardo-gardner-and-rovman-powell-conferred-with-order-of-distinctions/ |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=our.today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rovman Powell Earns OD for Cricketing Exploits – Jamaica Information Service |url=https://jis.gov.jm/features/rovman-powell-earns-od-for-cricketing-exploits/ |access-date=2025-10-21 |language=en-US}}</ref> * Stafanie Taylor * Theodore Whitmore * Arthur Wint * Elaine Thompson-Herah * Shericka Jackson

==Commanders==

=== Biotechnology ===

* M. H. Ahmad

===Art=== *Gene Pearson *Trevor Rhone

=== Journalism === * Ian Boyne<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/national-honours-awards-conferred|title=National Honours & Awards Conferred|website=rjrnewsonline.com|access-date=2018-01-14|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022223026/http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/national-honours-awards-conferred|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Broadcasting === * Newton James<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://jis.gov.jm/thousands-attend-honours-and-awards-ceremony-at-kings-house/ |website=Jamaican Information Service |access-date=16 October 2006 |title=Thousands Attend Honours and Awards Ceremony at King's House – Jamaica Information Service |archive-date=28 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128041634/https://jis.gov.jm/thousands-attend-honours-and-awards-ceremony-at-kings-house/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Communication, media, education and culture=== * Fae Ellington<ref>{{cite web |title=Fae Ellington awarded Order of Distinction |url=https://jis.gov.jm/pod/fae-ellington-awarded-order-of-distinction/ |website=Jamaican Information Service |access-date=4 May 2020 |archive-date=25 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025050549/https://jis.gov.jm/pod/fae-ellington-awarded-order-of-distinction/ |url-status=live }}</ref> *Daphne Elaine [https://gleaner.newspaperarchive.com/kingston-gleaner/1997-08-04/page-15/ Innerarity]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kingston Gleaner Newspaper Archives {{!}} Aug 04, 1997, p. 15|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/kingston-gleaner-aug-04-1997-p-15/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=newspaperarchive.com|date=4 August 1997|language=en|archive-date=21 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421113205/https://newspaperarchive.com/kingston-gleaner-aug-04-1997-p-15/|url-status=live}}</ref> * Cynthia Reyes * Madge Sinclair

=== Tourism and the Hotel Industry ===

*Adam Stewart<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.travelweek.ca/news/people-stewart-awarded-order-distinction-contribution-jamaica-tourism/ | title=&#91;PEOPLE&#93; Stewart awarded Order of Distinction for contribution to Jamaica tourism | date=19 October 2016 }}</ref>

=== Economics ===

*George Beckford<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 11, 2023 |title=Faculty of Social Sciences Stalwarts (FSS), The University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica |url=https://www.mona.uwi.edu/socsci/fss-stalwarts |access-date=February 11, 2023 |website=The Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica}}</ref> *Brian Wynter<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 11, 2023 |title=Faculty of Social Sciences Stalwarts (FSS), The University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica |url=https://www.mona.uwi.edu/socsci/fss-stalwarts |access-date=February 11, 2023 |website=The Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica}}</ref>

=== Law === *Shirley Miller<ref>{{cite news|title=National Honours Presented|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/susun-wilkinson-celebrity-clipping-oct-17-1978-437730/|access-date=26 October 2017|newspaper=The Gleaner|date=17 October 1978|location=Kingston, Jamaica|page=11|via=Newspaperarchive.com|archive-date=26 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026214037/https://newspaperarchive.com/susun-wilkinson-celebrity-clipping-oct-17-1978-437730/|url-status=live}} {{open access}}</ref> *Paula Llewellyn

===Music=== * Coxsone Dodd * Millie Small * Bob Andy * Sonny Bradshaw * Dennis Brown * Tommy Cowan * Marcia Griffiths * John Holt * Byron Lee * Duke Reid * Shaggy * Lloyd Hall * Delroy Wilson * Monty Alexander * Barry Moncrieffe * Phyllis Dillon * Shabba Ranks

===Politics=== * Patrick Allen * R. James deRoux * Neville Eden Gallimore * Douglas Saunders * Ransford Smith * Clifford Everald Warmington * Audley Shaw * Fenton Ferguson

===Sport=== * Alia Atkinson<ref>Berg, Aimee (November 20, 2018). [https://www.fina.org/news/1908979/alia-atkinson-jamaicas-tour-de-force "Alia Atkinson: Jamaica's Tour de Force"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719034028/https://www.fina.org/news/1908979/alia-atkinson-jamaicas-tour-de-force |date=19 July 2021 }}. ''FINA''. Retrieved July 20, 2021.</ref> * Usain Bolt * Veronica Campbell-Brown * Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce * Deon Hemmings-McCatty * Shericka Jackson * Asafa Powell * Donald Quarrie * Molly Rhone * Khadija Shaw * Yohan Blake<ref name=":4">{{cite web |author=Mundle, Tanesha |date=October 20, 2020 |title=National Honour for Prolific Reggae Girl – Khadija Shaw |url=https://jis.gov.jm/features/national-honour-for-prolific-reggae-girl-khadija-shaw/ |access-date=10 November 2022 |website=jis.gov.jm |publisher=Jamaica Information Service}}</ref> * Elaine Thompson-Herah

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002215320/http://opm.gov.jm/media-awards/awards/ National Awards of Jamaica] (archived 2 October 2014) *[http://opm.gov.jm/awards/order-of-distinction/ Order of Distinction] – Office of the Prime Minister. *[http://www.jamaicadentalassociation.org/citation-dr-gladstone-mcdowell/ Jamaican Dental Association]

{{JamaicanHonours}}

Category:Recipients of the Order of Distinction Distinction, Order of