Hansard, and I Quote: ‘“…Mr
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
1 Leave of Absence Tuesday, May 27, 2014 SENATE Tuesday, May 27, 2014 The Senate met at 11.00 a.m. PRAYERS [MR. PRESIDENT in the Chair] LEAVE OF ABSENCE Mr. President: Hon. Senators, I have granted leave of absence to Sen. The Hon. Anand Ramlogan SC, Sen. The Hon. Gary Griffith, Sen. James Lambert, Sen. Camille Robinson-Regis, Sen. Shamfa Cudjoe, Sen. Dr. Victor Wheeler and Sen. Dr. Dhanayshar Mahabir, who are all out of the country. SENATORS’ APPOINTMENT Mr. President: Hon. Senators, I have received the following correspondence from His Excellency The President, Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona, S.C., O.R.T.T.: “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By His Excellency ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, O.R.T.T., S.C., President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. /s/Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona O.R.T.T. S.C. President TO: STUART YOUNG WHEREAS Senator Camille Robinson-Regis is incapable of performing her duties as a Senator by reason of her absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, President as aforesaid, in exercise of the power vested in me by section 44(1)(a) and section 44(4)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, STUART YOUNG, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from 21st May, 2014 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator Camille Robinson-Regis. Given under my Hand and the Seal of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and 2 Tuesday, May 27, 2014 Tobago at the Office of the President, St. Ann’s, this 21st day of May, 2014.” “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By His Excellency ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, O.R.T.T., S.C., President and Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. /s/Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona O.R.T.T. S.C. President. TO: FOSTER CUMMINGS WHEREAS Senator Shamfa Cudjoe is incapable of performing her duties as a Senator by reason of her absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, President as aforesaid, in exercise of the power vested in me by section 44(1)(a) and section 44(4)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, FOSTER CUMMINGS, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from 21st May, 2014 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator Shamfa Cudjoe. 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 21st day of May, 2014.” “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By His Excellency ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, O.R.T.T., S.C., President and Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. /s/Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona O.R.T.T. S.C. President. TO: DR. AYSHA B. EDWARDS WHEREAS Senator Dr. Victor Wheeler is incapable of performing his duties as a Senator by reason of his absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, President as aforesaid, in exercise of the power vested in me by section 44(1)(a) and section 44(4)(c) of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, AYSHA B. EDWARDS, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with 3 Leave of Absence Tuesday, May 27, 2014 effect from 27th May, 2014 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator Dr. Victor Wheeler. 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 23rd day of May, 2014.” “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By His Excellency ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, O.R.T.T., S.C., President and Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. /s/Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona O.R.T.T. S.C. President. TO: MS. ASHAKI SCOTT WHEREAS Senator James Lambert is incapable of performing his duties as a Senator by reason of his absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS CARMONA, President as aforesaid, in exercise of the power vested in me by section 44(1)(a) and section 44(4)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, ASHAKI SCOTT, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from 27th May, 2014 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator James Lambert. 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 23rd day of May, 2014.” OATH OF ALLEGIANCE The following Senators took and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance as required by law: Stuart Young, Foster Cummings, Dr. Aysha B. Edwards and Ashaki Scott. ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS Mr. President: Senators, before we proceed with the next order of business, I just need to draw to your attention that there are a couple more appointments that 4 Senators’ Appointment Tuesday, May 27, 2014 will be made. We will have those done later in the course of this morning and therefore, I am deferring that matter until the appropriate time arrives. PAPERS LAID 1. Annual Audited Financial Statements of the Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Limited for the financial year ended September 30, 2013. [The Minister of Finance and the Economy (Sen. The Hon. Larry Howai)] 2. Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Agricultural Development Bank of Trinidad and Tobago for the year ended September 30, 2011. [Sen. The Hon. L. Howai] 3. Audited Financial Statements of the Deposit Insurance Corporation (DIC) for the year ended September 30, 2013. [Sen. The Hon. L. Howai] 4. Annual Audited Financial Statements of the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago for the financial year ended September 30, 2013. [Sen. The Hon. L. Howai] 5. Annual Audited Financial Statements of the Export-Import Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Limited for the financial year ended December 31, 2013. [Sen. The Hon. L. Howai] 6. Consolidated Audited Financial Statements of First Citizens Bank Limited for the financial year ended September 30, 2013. [Sen. The Hon. L. Howai] 7. Annual Administrative Report of the National Maintenance Training and Security Company Limited for the year ended December 31, 2013. [The Minister of Local Government (Sen. The Hon. Marlene Coudray)] 8. Administrative Report of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation for the period October 01, 2010 to September 30, 2011. [Sen. The Hon. M. Coudray] 9. Administrative Report of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation for the period October 01, 2011 to September 30, 2012. [Sen. The Hon. M. Coudray] 10. Administrative Report of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation for the period October 01, 2012 to September 30, 2013. [Sen. The Hon. M. Coudray] 11. Annual Performance Report of the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards and its Subsidiary, Premier Quality Services Limited for the year ended September 30, 2012. [The Minister of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communications (Sen. The Hon. Vasant Bharath)] 5 Senators’ Appointment Tuesday, May 27, 2014 12. Administrative Report of the Ministry of Education for the fiscal year October 2011 to September 2012. [The Minister of the Environment and Water Resources (Sen. The Hon. Ganga Singh)] 13. Annual Administrative Report of the Trinidad and Tobago National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the fiscal year 2008. [Sen. The Hon. G. Singh] 14. Annual Administrative Report of the Trinidad and Tobago National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the fiscal year 2009. [Sen. The Hon. G. Singh] 15. Annual Administrative Report of the Trinidad and Tobago National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the fiscal year 2010. [Sen. The Hon. G. Singh] 16. Annual Administrative Report of the Trinidad and Tobago National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the fiscal year 2011. [Sen. The Hon. G. Singh] 17. Annual Administrative Report of the Trinidad and Tobago National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the fiscal year 2012. [Sen. The Hon. G. Singh] SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS (Presentation) The Minister of Finance and the Economy (Sen. The Hon. Larry Howai): Thank you, Mr. President. I have the honour to present the following reports as listed on the Supplemental Order Paper in my name: Securities (Amdt.) Bill, 2013 Third Report of the Special Select Committee appointed to consider and report on the Securities (Amdt.) Bill, 2013. Insurance (No. 2) Bill, 2013 Third Interim Report of the Joint Select Committee appointed to consider and report on the Insurance (No. 2) Bill, 2013. 11.15 a.m. ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS The Minister of the Environment and Water Resources (Sen. The Hon. Ganga Singh): Thank you, Mr. President. The Government is in a position to 6 Papers Laid Tuesday, May 27, 2014 answer questions 74, 75, 79, 80, 71, 79, 86 and 101. Mr. President, by agreement having regard to the illustrious and honourable company we have from the other place, we thought it prudent having regard to the history of this House, to take the questions directed to the hon.