Several pieces of proposed legislation—including the two bills for Tobago’s self-governance - will be carried into the Third Session of Parliament, which begins with a ceremonial launch on Monday.
The final sitting of the Second Session of the 12th Parliament ended at 2.45 pm yesterday - earlier than the normal 4.30 pm break time.
“This House is adjourned sine die,” Leader of Government’s House Business Camille Robinson-Regis announced at the end.
Robinson-Regis listed bills to be dealt with in the Third session, including the Representation of the People Amendment (campaign finance reform), a bill to make Siparia and Diego Martin boroughs, the “Whistle-blower” bill, as well as the two Tobago bills.
The two bills involve amending the Constitution to accord self-government to Tobago and to repeal the Tobago House of Assembly Act to provide for the powers and functions of the Tobago Island Council. The bill had been on hold in final (Committee) stage in the Second session.
The Second Session prorogued at midnight yesterday. Monday’s ceremonial launch of the Third Session begins at 1.30 pm.
At yesterday’s sitting, UNC MPs grilled Government on issues from utility and road issues to landslips, sport and HDC matters.
Communication Minister Symon de Nobriga was asked by UNC’s Rudy Indarsingh about an “absence of resources” for the Paria Fuel Commission of Enquiry.
De Nobriga said, “The insinuation at the base of the question is false—there was not ‘an absence of resources.’ The Commission’s chairman, however, did highlight a need for additional resources to ensure optimum operations at the Commission’s offices.
“In light of that, I’ve been informed that stationary has been delivered, the provision of Internet services has been sorted, the installation of work stations has begun, additional staff is expected to start next week and once all documents have been received for the rest, they will also be onboarded—and this is being done as quickly as possible.”
On Indarsingh’s call for assurance that there would be no further delays to the start of the CoE “based on Government’s incompetence,” De Nobriga said, “I can assure that this Government will continue to do everything in their remit to ensure that the CoE is resourced and the Commission will conduct their business as they see fit.”
On another issue, Housing Minister Robinson-Regis also replied on whether three parcels of land belonging to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) at Southern Main Road, Couva and one at Ibis Avenue, Couva, were formally and lawfully leased or sold to any member of the current Cabinet
Robinson-Regis said, “The Trinidad and Tobago Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has conducted a search of its internal records and can confirm that no parcel of its lands along the Southern Main Road, Couva, or at Ibis Avenue, Couva, was formally or lawfully leased or sold to any member of the current Cabinet.”