Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday renewed her call for the establishment of a Joint Select Committee to make the necessary changes to the US Foreign Account Tax Compliant Act (FATCA) bill to ensure it is passed in the House of Representatives.
The legislation is expected to be put to a vote on Friday when the House of Representatives meets after the Christmas vacation. The Government requires the support of at least three Opposition MPs to secure passage of the legislation.
The proposed legislation gives the local Board of Inland Revenue the authority to share information with the US Internal Revenue System regarding US citizens finances. In a statement issued yesterday Persad-Bissessar confirmed the letter was sent to Rowley.
Persad-Bissessar reaffirmed that the Opposition is committed to passing "legislation that is in the best interest of the people of T&T, in accordance with the Constitution and the law and, which does not undermine respect for the rule of law which is the bedrock upon which we exist peacefully and harmoniously as a country."
Persad-Bissessar also said on the last occasion when the matter was debated in December "the government decided to proceed with the Committee stage and passed certain amendments to the Bill that have substantively altered the content of the Bill. This was all done in the absence of the Opposition." During that sitting the Opposition MPs remained in their room in the Parliament and refused to attend the sitting downstairs. Persad-Bissessar said yesterday Rowley and his Government "would not be so reckless as to risk the defeat of this Bill after such a display of arrogance, lack of consideration for Opposition members and the legitimate concerns of citizens, and what can only be interpreted as a total contempt for Parliament and the Parliamentary process."
"The Government must understand that Opposition support cannot be forced or coerced but can and only will be achieved by meaningful dialogue, respect, genuine co-operation and teamwork."
Persad-Bissessar said: "The Opposition has demonstrated that it is prepared to meet and treat with the Government on the issues that currently face us as a society and as a people. This is yet another opportunity where the Opposition and the Government can legitimately secure the best interest of our country by working together."
The Government is not expected to accept the proposal for the Joint Select Committee. Debate on the bill is expected to begin shortly after the 1.30 pm start of the sitting tomorrow.