From January 2024 people will be able to enter Government offices wearing short pants, sleeveless clothing and slippers.
In a telephone interview with the Express yesterday, Public Administration Minister Allyson West said Cabinet approved the new dress code about two weeks ago.
The Minister said the new rules will be implemented by January 15, 2024 while the Ministry will embark on an education campaign to provide information about the new dress code to both public service employees and the population.
At present, people are not allowed to enter Government buildings with sleeveless clothing, shorts and slippers.
At Licensing Offices both in Caroni and Port of Spain there are nearby businesses that offer rentals of long pants for men and jackets and shawls for women to enter the offices.
Asked specifically if women can wear sleeveless tops and whether men can wear shorts and slippers, the Minister said “yes”.
She however emphasised that shorts must be no shorter than mid-thigh.
West said the Ministry will do a series of publicity advertisements and visuals to show what is acceptable and what is not before rolling out the new dress code in January.
“One of the things we need to do is to educate the people who are greeting the members of the public so we don’t want this dress policy in place and somebody who is not aware of the dress policy, a security officer, saying you cannot come in because you are not properly dressed.
“So we want to take time to educate them as to what is acceptable and what measures should be taken if somebody approaches them in wear that does not appear to be acceptable even with the new dress code, what is the new procedure that should be put in place, so we want to give ourselves between now and the middle of January and launch it on the 15th of January,” she said.
Fairness and decency
A release from the Public Administration Ministry stated yesterday the new standardised dress code aligns with the principles of fairness, decency, respect for cultural diversity, clarity and consistency, as well as safety.
It stated that the policy was guided by public feedback on a number of key issues including the denial of service, non-alignment of dress code policies in Government offices as well as research on global trends towards a more relaxed dress code.
“We have listened and completed the research to ensure that a more inclusive, culturally-sensitive policy is instituted. The focus is on equitable treatment, mutual respect and safety, as well as on providing, and not denying service,” West stated in the release.
The new policy applies to all clients and visitors to Government offices in Trinidad, including all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, whether in-person or virtually. Additionally, it extends to clients and visitors to Government offices under the purview of the Central Government in Tobago.
However, the policy does not apply to non-offices including schools, police stations, hospitals/health centres, courts etc.
Dress code for
face-to-face visitation
1. Appropriate coverage: Refrain from wearing clothing that exposes the body in any kind of vulgar manner; the upper body (chest) must be covered and the lower body covering must not be higher that mid-thigh. Swim wear, sheer clothing and entering bareback are not permitted.
2. Decency: Avoid wearing clothing or accessories that display inappropriate or obscene messages or pictures that may be offensive to others or which contain signs or symbols of gangs or groups that are a threat to security.
3. Appropriate footwear: Footwear is mandatory. Do ensure that footwear does not pose a safety concern ie contains proper soles and grip to prevent the risks of slippage and falls.
4. Head and face coverings: Are allowed. Headwear, once it does not obscure facial features and allows for full view of the face. Where facial coverings including masks, facial shields and niqabs are worn, individuals may be checked further by security personnel.
If facial features are not visible/are blocked, the individual may be required to remove the mask/facial shield briefly to facilitate confirmation of his/her identity. In the case of niqabs, individuals will be checked in a separate room.
The Ministry further stated that in cases where a breach of the above dress code criteria occurs, prior to denying access to services, the client /visitor should be given the opportunity to express a legitimate reason for non-compliance. For example, in unique circumstances where an individual’s belongings are destroyed due to fire or flood, a Customer Service Representative can attend to that individual and seek the necessary approval to facilitate access to services.
ID cards, passports,
drivers’ licences
The release also noted while there is a new dress code, there must be compliance with the dress code standards required for picture identification services.
The following are the restrictions outlined for a Trinidad and Tobago National Identification Card—Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), Ministry of National Security:
• Shoulders must be covered
• No contact lenses
• Eyelashes must not obscure the eyes
• No headgear unless it is for religious purposes
• No piercings on the face (only ear piercings are allowed)
Requirements for Passport—Immigration Division, Ministry of National Security:
• Shoulders must be covered
• Headwear is not allowed (exceptions will be made for religious
purposes only)
• The colour of clothing must be in contrast with the background. White tops are not to be worn.
• Beards are permitted once it represents the person’s everyday
appearance.
• Dark glasses are not allowed except if the person suffers from a
disability.
Requirements for Trinidad and Tobago Driver’s License—Licensing Office, Ministry of Works and Transport:
• Do not wear white.
• No headgear is permitted.
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