Tuesday 04 April, 2017
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1 Leave of Absence 2017.04.04 SENATE Tuesday, April 04, 2017 The Senate met at 1.30 p.m. PRAYERS [MADAM PRESIDENT in the Chair] LEAVE OF ABSENCE Madam President: Hon. Senators, I have granted leave of absence to Sen. H.R. Ian Roach who is ill. SENATOR’S APPOINTMENT Madam President: Hon. Senators, I will ask your indulgence to do the swearing in of the temporary Senator a little later in the proceedings. WELCOME Madam President: Hon. Senators, may I just welcome the Leader of Government Business back into this Chamber. [Desk thumping] PAPERS LAID 1. Annual Audited Financial Statements of the National Schools Dietary Services Limited for the financial year ended September 30, 2015. [The Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Finance (Hon. Colm Imbert)] 2. Ministerial Response of the Ministry of Education to the First Report of the Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration on an Inquiry into the Current Level of Violence Among Students in Schools with Particular Focus on Physical and Cyber Bullying. [The Minister of Energy and Energy Industries (Sen. The Hon. Franklin Khan)] 3. Annual Audited Financial Statements of the Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Business Development Limited, (TTTBDL) for the financial year ended December 31, 2014. [Hon. C. Imbert] UNREVISED 2 Papers Laid 2017.04.04 4. Audited Financial Statements of the Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Business Development Limited, (TTTBDL) for the financial year ended December 31, 2015. [Hon. C. Imbert] 5. Annual Report on the Operations of the National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago (NIBTT) for the financial year ended June 30, 2015. [Hon. C. Imbert] 6. Response of the Statutory Authorities Service Commission Department to the Third Report of the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity on the Treatment of Child Offenders at the Youth Training Centre, St. Michael’s Interim Rehabilitation Centre for Young Male Offenders and St. Jude’s Interim Rehabilitation Centre for Young Female Offenders. [The Vice-President (Sen. Nigel De Freitas)] SENATOR’S APPOINTMENT Madam President: Hon. Senators, I will now revert to the swearing of the new temporary Senator. Hon. Senators, I have received the following correspondence from His Excellency the President, Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona O.R.T.T., S.C.: “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By His Excellency ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, O.R.T.T., S.C., President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces. /s/ Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona O.R.T.T. S.C. President. UNREVISED 3 Senator’s Appointment 2017.04.04 TO: MR. NIKOLI EDWARDS WHEREAS Senator HUGH RUSSELL IAN ROACH is incapable of performing his duties as a Senator by reason of illness: NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, President as aforesaid, in exercise of the power vested in me by section 44(1)(b) and section 44(4)(c) of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, NIKOLI EDWARDS, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from 4th April, 2017 and continuing during the absence of Senator Hugh Russell Ian Roach by reason of illness. Given under my Hand and the Seal of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at the Office of the President, St. Ann’s, this 4th day of April, 2017.” URGENT QUESTIONS Super Fast Galicia Vessel (Movement of Goods and Persons) Sen. Wade Mark: Thank you, Madam President. To the hon. Minister of Works and Transport: Having regard to the Easter holidays and the imminent recall of the Super Fast Galicia Vessel, how does the Government intend to ensure the unimpeded movement of goods and persons between Trinidad and Tobago over the said period? The Minister of Works and Transport (Sen. The Hon. Rohan Sinanan): Thank you, Madam President. Intercontinental Shipping Limited wrote to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Transport on March 28, 2017, which UNREVISED 4 Urgent Questions 2017.04.04 was received by the Ministry on March 31, 2017 advising of its intention to remove the super fast ferry from local service. At this time, the Ministry has been advised that the super fast ferry vessel will be in service over the Easter weekend. I thank you. [Desk thumping] Sen. Mark: Madam President, could the hon. Minister indicate to this Senate, what are the plans of his Ministry to replace the Super Fast Galicia when it gets out of our waters immediately after Easter? Madam President: Sen. Mark, that question does not arise. Sen. Mark: Could I also enquire, Madam President, could the hon. Minister indicate what other challenges—given the importance of the fast ferry service between Trinidad and Tobago—does the Minister foresee as we approach the Easter period, Madam President? Madam President: Sen. Mark, I also will not allow that question. Next question, Sen. Mark. Super Fast Galicia (Contract Details) Sen. Wade Mark: To the hon. Minister of Works and Transport— Madam President: Sen. Mark, you have to read it out. Sen. Mark: In light of the impending recall of the Super Fast Galicia, can the Minister inform the Senate: When did the contract for the lease of the vessel come to an end? The Minister of Works and Transport (Sen. The Hon. Rohan Sinanan): Madam President, the contract in respect to the chartered agreement came to an end on the 30th of April, 2016. Subsequent to this a month-to-month agreement emerged while discussions were being undertaken in respect to the process. Madam President, Cabinet in March of 2017 gave the approval for the Port UNREVISED 5 Urgent Questions 2017.04.04 Authority of Trinidad and Tobago to initiate the process for the charter of a vessel for three years through selective tendering. This process is expected to be completed by the end of May 2017. At the same time the port authority has also been given the directive to start the process for the purchase of a new built cargo vessel to ensure that an interisland cargo ferry needs are not jeopardized in this manner in the future. Thank you. [Desk thumping] Sen. Mark: Madam President, is the Minister aware that an 18-month contract was issued by the port authority in respect of this particular vessel and it was never taken to the Cabinet for approval? Sen. The Hon. R. Sinanan: Thank you. Madam President, yes I am aware that there have been negotiations on an 18-month contract. However, I must add, when I took over as the Minister of Works and Transport, I had discussions on two occasions with the charter, one in December, one in January, where this contract was placed on the table, and I must say by January of this year the charter was no longer interested in the 18-month contract, what they put on the table was a new five-year contract. The Government was not willing to enter into any new five-year contract until we recognize the needs for the cargo vessel that will service the Tobago route in a very efficient and cost-effective manner. Thank you. [Desk thumping] Sen. Mark: Madam Chairman, Madam President, I beg your pardon. Could the Minister share with this Senate, what was the role played by the former chairman of the port authority in blocking any agreement between the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago and the Trasmed or Trasmediterránea in executing a contract for the continued service of the Trinidad and Tobago route, Madam President. UNREVISED 6 Urgent Questions 2017.04.04 Sen. The Hon. R. Sinanan: Madam President, I have no information of the former chairperson of the port blocking any agreement with anybody, so I cannot comment on that. Thank you. ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS The Minister of Energy and Energy Industries (Sen. The Hon. Franklin Khan): Madam President, I wish to inform this honourable Senate that the Government will be answering all three questions on the Order Paper this afternoon—100 per cent compliance. Safari Adventure Park (Details of Occupation) 37. Sen. Wade Mark asked the hon. Prime Minister: Given that the Safari Adventure Park has been deemed to be in illegal occupation of lands held by the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA), a state agency under the Ministry of Planning and Development, can the Prime Minister state:- (a) what sanctions, if any, will be placed on the Minister of Planning and Development for using the CDA to facilitate a visit of the Minister’s constituents to the Adventure Park; and (b) did the CDA cover all or part of the cost of said visit? The Minister of State in the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs and Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister (Hon. Stuart Young): Thank you very much, Madam President. The answer to (a), is the hon. Prime Minister is the sole arbiter with respect to the sanctioning of any Minister? The issue of the sanctioning of the hon. Minister of Planning and Development does not arise in this instance. The answer to part (b) of the question, CDA did not incur any cost with respect to the said visit. [Desk thumping] UNREVISED 7 Oral Answers to Questions 2017.04.04 Sen. Mark: Madam President, could the hon. Minister indicate whether in accordance with the question, whether there was any illegal occupation of lands held by this authority in the context of the question raised? Hon. S. Young: I do not understand that. That is an incogent question. Madam President: Sen. Mark, try again to put the question please? Sen. Mark: I am asking the hon.