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Hansard That: “I Want to Seize the Opportunity to Remind My Goodly Colleague…” She Was Referring to Sen 1 Leave of Absence 2018.03.27 SENATE Tuesday, March 27, 2018 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. The Hon. Dennis Moses, Sen. The Hon. Robert Le Hunte and Sen. The Hon. Rohan Sinanan, all of whom are out of the country and Sen. Sophia Chote SC who is ill. SENATORS’ APPOINTMENT Madam President: Hon. Senators, I have received the following correspondence from Her Excellency The President Paula-Mae Weekes: “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By Her Excellency PAULA-MAE WEEKES, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. /s/ Paula-Mae Weekes President. TO: MR. AUGUSTUS THOMAS WHEREAS Senator the Hon. Dennis Moses is incapable of performing his duties as a Senator by reason of his absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, PAULA-MAE WEEKES, President as aforesaid, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, in exercise of the UNREVISED 2 Senators’ Appointment (cont’d) 2018.03.27 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, AUGUSTUS THOMAS, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from 27th March, 2018 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator the Hon. Dennis Moses. 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 March, 2018.” “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By Her Excellency PAULA-MAE WEEKES, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. /s/ Paula-Mae Weekes President. TO: MS. AYANNA LEEBA LEWIS WHEREAS Senator the Hon. Robert Le Hunte is incapable of performing his duties as a Senator by reason of his absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, PAULA-MAE WEEKES, President as aforesaid, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, 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, AYANNA LEEBA LEWIS, to be temporarily a member of the UNREVISED 3 Senators’ Appointment (cont’d) 2018.03.27 Senate, with effect from 27th March, 2018 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator the Hon. Robert Le Hunte. 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 26th day of March, 2018.” “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By Her Excellency PAULA-MAE WEEKES, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. /s/ Paula-Mae Weekes President. TO: MS. ALISHA ROMANO WHEREAS Senator the Hon. Rohan Sinanan is incapable of performing his duties as a Senator by reason of his absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, PAULA-MAE WEEKES, President as aforesaid, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, 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, ALISHA ROMANO, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from 27th March, 2018 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator the Hon. Rohan Sinanan. UNREVISED 4 Senators’ Appointment (cont’d) 2018.03.27 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 March, 2018.” “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By Her Excellency PAULA-MAE WEEKES, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. /s/ Paula-Mae Weekes President. TO: PASTOR CLIVE DOTTIN WHEREAS Senator Sophia Chote, S.C., is incapable of performing her duties as a Senator by reason of illness: I, PAULA-MAE WEEKES, 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, PASTOR CLIVE DOTTIN, to be temporarily a member of the Senate with effect from 27th March, 2018 and continuing during the absence of Senator Sophia Chote, S.C., 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 27th day of March, 2018.” UNREVISED 5 Oath of Allegiance 2018.03.27 OATH OF ALLEGIANCE The following Senators took and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance as required by law: Augustus Thomas, Ayanna Leeba Lewis, Alisha Romano and Pastor Clive Dottin. WELCOME (Sen. Avinash Singh) Madam President: Hon. Senators, permit me to welcome back to the Chamber today, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Sen. Singh. [Desk thumping] LAND ADJUDICATION (AMDT.) (NO.2) BILL, 2017 Bill to amend the Land Adjudication Act, 2000, brought from the House of Representatives [The Attorney General]; read the first time. LAND TRIBUNAL (AMDT.) (NO. 2) BILL, 2017 Bill to amend the Land Tribunal Act, 2000, brought from the House of Representatives [The Attorney General]; read the first time. STATE SUITS LIMITATION (NO. 2) BILL, 2017 Bill to repeal and replace the Crown Suits Limitation Ordinance, brought from the House of Representatives [The Attorney General]; read the first time. PAPERS LAID 1. Consolidated Financial Statements of Caribbean Airlines Limited for the financial year ended December 31, 2014. [The Minister in the Ministry of Finance (Sen. The Hon. Allyson West)] 2. Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Land Settlement Agency for the year ended September 30, 2010. [Sen. The Hon. A. West] UNREVISED 6 Papers Laid (cont’d) 2018.03.27 3. Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Land Settlement Agency for the year ended September 30, 2011. [Sen. The Hon. A. West] JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT (Presentation) Local Authorities, Service Commissions and Statutory Authorities Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) Sen. H.R. Ian Roach: Madam President, I have the honour to present the following report: Ninth Report of the Joint Select Committee on Local Authorities, Service Commissions and Statutory Authorities (including the THA), Third Session (2017/2018), Eleventh Parliament on an Inquiry into Certain Aspects of the Operations of the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA). URGENT QUESTIONS Fire in St. Madeleine and Diego Martin (Assistance to persons left homeless) Sen. Wade Mark: Thank you, Madam President. To the hon. Minister of Social Development and Family Services: Can the Minister indicate what action is being taken to assist the 19 persons who have been left homeless as a result of recent fires in St. Madeleine and Diego Martin? The Minister of Energy and Energy Industries (Sen. The Hon. Franklin Khan): Thank you, Madam President. The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services is one of the second responders responsible for providing support to needy families and individuals in crisis and emergency situations or who are victims of natural or man-made disasters. The fire victims in St. Madeleine were visited by officers of both the National Family Services and the Social Welfare UNREVISED 7 Urgent Questions 2018.03.27 Sen. The Hon. F. Khan (cont’d) Division. Three of the four affected families were assessed and two families were provided with food support, while one family is expected to return with documents for processing by the Ministry today. The next family will be visited by social welfare officers today and an assessment will be completed subsequently. The families were also offered psycho-social support and counselling services by the National Family Services Division. With respect to the fire in Diego Martin, the Ministry sought to make contact with one of the victims for which a telephone number was provided but was unsuccessful and will continue to make attempts to make contact with the affected families to provide the necessary support. The services available to victims of natural and man-made disasters from the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services upon completion of needs assessments are as follows: Household items up to $10,000. Clothing grant, $1,000 per person. School supplies $1,000 per child attending secondary and $700 a child attending primary. House repairs up to $20,000. House rental grant of $2,500 per month for an initial period of three months if alternative accommodation is acquired. This may be extended a further three months at $2,500 per month dependent on the need of the family and subject to further assessment. The emergency food support and counselling services provided by the National Family Services Division. Accordingly, all the affected families will be visited by officers of the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services. Thank you. UNREVISED 8 Urgent Questions (cont’d) 2018.03.27 Madam President: Minister, your time is up. Next question, Sen. Mark. Residents of Four Roads, Tamana (Resumption of potable water supply) Sen. Wade Mark: To the hon. Minister of Public Utilities: What is being done to ensure an immediate resumption of a potable water supply to the residents of Four Roads, Tamana? The Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (Sen.
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