By AZARD ALI Tuesday, September 1 2009

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Narine 'Guptie' Lutchmedial...

ENVIRONMENTALIST Narine ‘Guptie’ Lutchmedial created Independence Day history yesterday when for the fourth time he was bestowed a national award.

He was due to receive the Humming Bird medal (gold) for community service from President George Maxwell Richards last evening.

When someone from President’s House telephoned his home last week, Lutchmedial actually thought the person had mistaken him for someone else.

“I wondered why the President was calling me? Is there a problem? Are they making a mistake?” Lutchmedial told Newsday yesterday. He was first invited to President’s House for the 2000 Independence national awards when the Manatee Conservation Trust, of which he is founder and president, was awarded a Humming Bird medal (silver).

The following year, Lutchmedial was again ushered into national spotlight when he made his way into President’s House on behalf of the Zoological Society, of which he is also president. The environmental organisation had copped a Humming Bird medal (silver).

Lutchmedial hit a hat-trick in 2002, when he received Humming Bird medal (silver) for his contribution to conservation and the environment.

Lutchmedial, 56, who was once Trinidad and Tobago’s top motorcyclist who performed stunts publicly, commented he was indeed shocked by this year’s award of the Humming Bird (gold) for community service. He told the person who called from President’s House that a mistake had been made.

“I had already been to President’s House on three occasions to collect national medals,” Lutchmedial said. His awards were made under two different political administrations, the first being the United National Congress, then the ruling People’s National Movement.

Lutchmedial said he believed this year’s award was for his involvement in the Rotary Club which presented 13,000 toys to needy children for Christmas last year.

He had been instrumental in presenting book grants, hampers and wheelchairs to hundreds of people.

Lutchmedial is a member of the board of the Environmental Management Authority. He commented: “I’m surprised, but this award I collected, though made personally to me, is on behalf of all those who support the needy and the poor.”