The Office of The Governor-General wishes to acknowledge and address the attention being brought to the Governor-General’s Star of The Order of St. Michael and St. George.
Named in honour of two military saints, it dates back to the 19th century in commemoration of the British protectorate over the Ionian Islands and Malta. Initially intended for its inhabitants and British citizens, today the order is given to diplomats, foreign service officers, men and women who hold high office and has traditionally been worn by Governors-General across the Commonwealth.
The Star of the Order depicts St. Michael as being triumphant over Satan (a winged dragon). In light of the heightened sensitivities around the Black Lives Matter Movement and associated issues in the Global sphere undergirded by our history, it is understood how such an image can be construed to be offensive.
As such, the Office acknowledges the concerns and negative emotions that the image may have caused. Consideration is being given to the future treatment of same.