Monday 18th, 2009:   St. George’s University has awarded Past Governor General Sir Paul Scoon, with its highest honour - the Order of the Mace.

The Order of the Mace Award of St. George’s University was conceptualized and instituted as part of the university’s 30th anniversary celebrations. This prestigious award is emblematic of the unique spirit of St. George’s University and is granted to rare individuals who embody and drive that spirit forward into the community, the region and the world.  Director of WINDREF, Dr. Calum Macpherson describes Sir Paul Scoon, the third recipient of this award, as "an outstanding individual who has made enormous contributions over many decades in Grenada, the region and to St. George’s University."

The Mace has its origins in the Medieval European council of nobles particularly English Parliament.  Traditionally a symbol of power representing official authority was used for the purpose of creating a path through crowds for a procession. Institutions of academic excellence have, over the years adopted the mace for the same reasons.  

The St. George's University Mace is a wood carving designed by Dr. David Lennon and artistically rendered by local artist Wayne Snagg is made from a single piece of wood featuring a sword and with a dragon twisted around it – a reminder of the 4th century Christian figure after whom the university is named.  The pommel of the sword is a nutmeg, symbolic of the host nation Grenada.

This year’s awardee, Sir Paul Scoon, embodies the very essence of the Mace and St. George’s University.  Sir Paul’s illustrious career as a civil servant and educator led to him being appointed Governor General on October 4, 1973.   Among the many distinguished awards received, Sir Paul has been honoured by Her Majesty the Queen on three occasions – Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) 1970; Knight Grand Cross of the Most

Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG) 1979; and Knight Grand Cross of the royal Victorian Order (GCVO) 1985.  Throughout his illustrious career Sir Paul has been active in community affairs and has served on the Management Council of the Civil Service Association, the Grenada Library Committee, the Prisons Visiting Committee and co-founder and president of the Secondary School Teachers’ Association.   At the end of his tenure as Governor General in 1992, Sir Paul continued to serve community and country as Chairman of both the Grenada Board of Tourism and the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation’s (WINDREF) Review Board; and director on the Board of of the Grenada Industrial Development Co-operation. Sir Paul Scoon currently serves as a member of the St. George’s University Institutional Review Board and as Chairman of the St. John Council which oversees the St. John Ambulance Association (Grenada)  

St. George’s University is proud to honor Sir Paul Scoon with the Order of the Mace who will join previous awardees Chancellor Charles Modica and Sir Kenneth Stuart as members of the Order of the Mace.