Hansard That Says: I Want to Stress at the Outset That This Is Not Intended Primarily to Be a Revenue-Generating Device, Because This Issue Came up in the Other Place
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1 Senator’s Appointment 2016.07.07 SENATE Thursday, July 07, 2016 The Senate met at 1.30 p.m. PRAYERS [MR. VICE-PRESIDENT in the Chair] SENATOR’S APPOINTMENT Mr. Vice-President: Hon. Senators, I am currently awaiting correspondence from the Office of the President, and, as such, beg your indulgence to revert to that item once said correspondence is received. PAPERS LAID 1. Financial Statements of the National Information Communication Technology Company Limited for the year ended September 30, 2015. [The Minister of Finance (Hon. Colm Imbert)] 2. Financial Statements of the Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Limited for the year ended September 30, 2015. [Hon. C. Imbert] 3. Financial Statements of the National Helicopter Services Limited for the year ended September 30, 2014. [Hon. C. Imbert] JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS (Presentation) Sen. Sarah Budhu: Mr. Vice-President, I have the honour to present the following reports as listed on the Supplemental Order Paper in my name: Human Rights, Equality and Diversity (Support Programmes and Services for Children) First Report of the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity (First Session, Eleventh Parliament) on the Support Programmes UNREVISED 2 Joint Select Committee Reports (cont’d) 2016.07.07 and Services for children whose parent or guardian was the perpetrator or victim of a violent offence. (Challenges Faced by Persons with Disabilities) Second Report of the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity (First Session, Eleventh Parliament) on the Challenges Faced by Persons with Disabilities with Specific Focus on Access to Services and Employment. URGENT QUESTION Secondary Entrance Assessment Exam Leak (Measures Taken) Sen. Wade Mark: Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. To the Minister of Education: In light of the admission by the Minister of a leak in the Secondary Entrance Assessment exam results, what immediate measures will be taken by the Ministry to address this development? Mr. Vice-President: Hon. Minister of Education. [Desk thumping] The Minister of Education (Hon. Anthony Garcia): Thank you very much, Mr. Vice-President. The Ministry of Education has established a committee comprising one of its deputy permanent secretaries, an investigating officer, two members of its legal team, the assistant security manager, and an independent information technology personnel. The mandate of this committee is to conduct a preliminary investigation to ascertain the veracity of the allegations of a leak of the SEA results. When the results of these investigations are conclusive, we will then decide if disciplinary action is necessary. This matter is not treated lightly as we understand the need to maintain the faith of the public in our national education system. We can confirm that the results were in no way compromised as we have stringent measures and systems in place to prevent this. Thank you. [Desk UNREVISED 3 Urgent Question (cont’d) 2016.07.07 thumping] Mr. Vice-President: Sen. Mark. Sen. Mark: Mr. Vice-President, through you to the hon. Minister of Education: hon. Minister, could you advise this honourable House as to what time frame this committee would be given to submit its report, findings and recommendations to your good self? Mr. Vice-President: Hon. Minister of Education. Hon. A. Garcia: Thank you very much. The committee has been given three weeks to conclude these investigations. Sen. Mark: Mr. Vice-President, you will guide me on this one. Could the Minister advise us when the results of the SEA were issued to principals of secondary schools? Mr. Vice-President: Sen. Mark, I do not think that is a supplemental question, you could ask that in another form, so therefore I would not allow that. ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS European Commission’s Imposition of Sanctions (Details of) 72. Sen. Wade Mark asked the hon. Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries: What steps are being taken by the authorities to prevent the imposition of sanctions on the country by the European Commission on the issue of illegal fishing? The Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (Sen. The Hon. Clarence Rambharat): Mr. Vice-President, this matter has its genesis in the 2013—2014 period as recorded in the final evaluation report of the European Union. On page 11 on that report, paragraph 34, and I quote—the Europeans say this and it is very UNREVISED 4 Oral Answers to Questions (cont’d) 2016.07.07 instructive: Among the potential issues of non-compliance identified, Trinidad and Tobago received, in 2013 and 2014, two letters of concern from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas regarding reporting deficiencies, and continued an increasing billfish overharvest for which no reply has been provided. That, Mr. Vice-President—the failure of the last administration to respond to the concerns raised in 2013 and 2014, led to an official mission of the European Commission visiting Trinidad in November 2015 to evaluate the country’s systems and programmes for addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. On the basis of that evaluation, the European Union identified a number of deficiencies in the country’s implementation of its obligations relating to illegal unreported and unregulated fishing, and it is on that basis that the European Union indicated to the country that it was very concerned that the country faced official sanctions. In order to prevent the imposition of these sanctions by the European Commission, Mr. Vice-President, the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries has taken decisive action and has prepared and implemented a six-month action plan to address each of the deficiencies identified by the commission in its evaluation of the country’s systems and programmes to address illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. This action plan includes the following: the review of the Fisheries Act, which is outdated; the commission has offered legal and technical assistance; the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries has accepted that offer to review the Draft Fisheries Management Bill, and implement the appropriate legislation to deal with the concerns. The Ministry is preparing a national action plan to address the issue of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The Ministry is initiating a process for UNREVISED 5 Oral Answers to Questions (cont’d) 2016.07.07 the adoption of the FAO Port State Measures Agreement to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The Government is working to establish an interministerial approach to the effective monitoring, control and surveillance of vehicles at the ports of Trinidad and Tobago. The Government is strengthening the cooperation and collaboration among the national agencies involved in coastal management. Finally, Mr. Vice-President, the European Commission has indicated that the decision to list Trinidad and Tobago as a non-cooperative country can be reversed at any time based on the efforts of the country. We are confident that Trinidad and Tobago will be removed from the list of countries facing the prospect of a red card from the European Union. Thank you. [Desk thumping] Mr. Vice-President: Sen. Mark. Sen. Mark: Could the hon. Minister indicate what period this six-month action plan is supposed to be concluded? And would that plan be made available to the Parliament at the end of its conclusion? Mr. Vice-President: Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. Sen. The Hon. C. Rambharat: Mr. Vice-President, by its very nature a six-month action plan will be concluded in six months. Mr. Vice-President: Sen. Mark. Sen. Mark: Could the hon. Minister indicate to us when that plan commenced?— the six-month plan; in what month?—what date?—as the case may be. Sen. The Hon. C. Rambharat: Mr. Vice-President, the six-month action plan commenced in March 2016. Thank you. Mr. Vice-President: Sen. Mark. Sen. Mark: Mr. Vice-President, could the hon. Minister indicate to us, in light of the six-month action plan, whether the European Union has taken a decision to UNREVISED 6 Oral Answers to Questions (cont’d) 2016.07.07 ease up on any intention on their part to impose sanctions on Trinidad and Tobago? Mr. Vice-President: Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. Sen. The Hon. C. Rambharat: Mr. Vice-President, as I have outlined, the European Commission is working with the country, providing legal and technical assistance, and it is on the basis of the country’s adherence to the six-month action plan, and the actions that are set out, the European Union, or the European Commission, will determine the further action, or the absence of further action as appropriate. Zika Virus Impact (Reforming Abortion Law) 73. Sen. Wade Mark asked the hon. Minister of Health: Does the Government intend to consider reforming the law in relation to abortion in light of the impact of the Zika virus? The Minister of Health (Hon. Terrence Deyalsingh): Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. The answer to Question No. 73 is no. Mr. Vice-President: Sen. Mark. Sen. Mark: I understand the answer is no; could you indicate whether the Government intends to pursue any discussions with stakeholders in the society with a view to coming up with some kind of position on the future of abortions in Trinidad and Tobago, hon. Minister? Hon. T. Deyalsingh: The answer to that question at this time is no. Mr. Vice-President: Sen. Mark. Sen. Mark: Does the Government intend to engage in any alteration of the Constitution to allow Members of the national community to have a say via national referendum on this whole issue of abortion in Trinidad and Tobago? Mr. Vice-President: Hon. Minister of Health. UNREVISED 7 Oral Answers to Questions (cont’d) 2016.07.07 Hon. T. Deyalsingh: The answer to that supplemental question is no.