The debate on the Budget will begin in the House of Representatives tomorrow at 10 am.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is due to respond to the Appropriation Bill that was read in the House of Representatives on Monday by Finance Minister Colm Imbert. Here are 5 key things to note.
1. Opposition Leader will have almost 4 hours to respond:
The Opposition's first responder is allowed the same amount of time that the mover of the Budget took to present the Bill. In the case of the mover, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, the Parliament's Standing Orders allow for "indefinite' speaking time. The same is allocated to the Opposition's first responder, who is usually the Opposition Leader. Minister Imbert spoke for 3 hours and 59 minutes, which means Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be afforded the same amount of time tomorrow.
2. Kickstart of the debate:
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's response officially kickstarts the Budget debate which can run for several days. The start of the debate is usually left for several days after the reading of the Budget, to allow the Opposition to prepare for it. In this case, it comes four days after Minister Imbert's reading on Monday.
3. Other members allotted 45 minutes to speak:
According to the Standing Orders of the Parliament, each member of the House, other than the mover and the first responder, is allowed 45 minutes to speak during the debate. This is different from regular bills which allow for 30 minutes of speaking time. Members are also allowed an extension of 10 minutes once it is put to the House for a vote. Government Ministers usually use their time to expound on the Budgetary matters related to their ministries. The Opposition traditionally uses its MPs as 'Shadow Ministers' to respond when particular Government Ministers speak.
4. Broad scope of debate:
The Budget is a financial bill. Unlike other debates which limit members to speak within the scope of a bill's contents, financial bills and particularly the Budget, have a wide scope and therefore members can speak broadly on many topics ranging from crime, health, the economy, Tobago development, social matters and more.
5. What happens next:
At the end of the debate in the Lower House, the House of Representatives changes into a Finance Committee where the bill is examined before it goes back to the House to be passed. The Finance Committee is made up of all members of the Lower House. The bill is also taken to the Senate where it is moved in a more condensed form following which the debate begins without delay.