DEMOCRACY DAY- 2030 DEMOCRACY 2030 focuses on youth involvement in democracy; the sustainable development goals; and what democracy will look STAY TUNED TO THE like in the future. PARLIAMENT CHANNEL

WEST INDIES AT WAR - PART 1

Episode 1 of the West Indies at War, a four part feature created for the Parliament Channel by Savant Films highlighting the perspective of West Indians who participated in World War 1. This episode premiered on the Parliament Channel on Wednesday November 11, 2015.

CHANNEL INDEX Digicel Play - Channel 11 Massy - Channel 110 FIND US ON YOUR NETWORK Green Dot - Channel 11 Flow - Channel 11 We know that finding us on your network can be a challenge- Free to Air - Channel 9/29 Flow AVS - Channel 109 so here is the list for the networks that do carry our channel. Trico Tobago - Channel 104

THE VOTE AT 70- DOCUMENTARY SERIES

A brief documentary on the Vote at 70 as we celebrate 70 years of Universal Adult Suffrage in Trinidad and Tobago. 110 years since the reopening of the Red House 12 by Colleen Holder

Parliament Makes 11 Technological Advancements by Danielle Williams & Jason Elcock

Parliament Channel Wins CBU Awards 13 by Colleen Holder

Parliament Channel 14 10th Anniversary by Marion Sutherland

CONTENTS Constituency Highlight - 16 Diego Martin Channel Index 02 Central Find us on your by Danielle Network Williams

COVER STORY 06 Committees at Work Our Region, Our (Financial Scrutiny Committees) Parliaments 18 by Mark Peterson -( & Montserrat) by Mark Peterson

Democracy 2030 – Professor Rhoda Reddock 08 by Ayana Holder

The Legislative Agenda Connecting to by Atiba Wiltshire 10 20 Parliament by Mark Peterson 6 7

While the PAC and the PA(E)C provide ex-post financial accountability. With the issues of the Committees under scrutiny on whether expenditure by public sector en- the public gaze, the public becomes involved and is able tities was properly done under Parliament-approved to contribute to the process through the available chan- budgets, the Committee on Public Administration and nels. This allows for strengthening of the oversight pro- Appropriations works to ensure budgetary expenditure cess and improving good governance. by Mark Peterson of Government agencies is embarked upon in accor- The Chairmen of the financial scrutiny committees are listed dance with Parliamentary approval. It also reports on below. Correspondence is addressed to the Secretaries of budgetary expenditure of Government agencies as it oc- the various committees: curs and keeps Parliament informed of how the budget allocation is being implemented. It also reports on the • Standing Finance Committee, chaired by Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George, MP - administration of Government agencies in an effort to email [email protected] determine hindrances to their efficiency, as well as make • Public Administration and Appropriations recommendations to improve public administration. Committee, chaired by Hon. Bridgid The Public Accounts Committee considers and Annisette-George, MP - reports to the Parliament on appropriation accounts of email [email protected] monies expended out of sums granted by Parliament. • Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Other accounts can also be referred to this Committee Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie, MP - by the House or as authorised by any Law. The Com- email [email protected] mittee’s duty is also to consider the reports by the Au- • Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee, ditor General on those accounts. The Committee is also chaired by Senator Wade Mark - tasked with the consideration of whether policy is car- email [email protected] ried out efficiently, effectively and economically, and According to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, whether expenditure conforms to the authority which Parliamentary Select Committees are the “engine rooms of Parliaments” and governs it. prove to be an important means of holding governments to account. The Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee The Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago inherited the The appointment of members to the Committees is reports to the House on audited accounts, balance of governance from the United outlined in the Standing Orders of the House of Repre- sheets and other financial statements of all State-owned Kingdom. As a result of this, Parliament adopted and sentatives and the Senate as mandated by the Consti- enterprises. Like the Public Accounts Committee, the adapted the committee system to execute one of its tution. The matter of financial scrutiny in Trinidad and PA(E)C considers the Auditor General’s report on those mandates - oversight. Oversight is a necessary part of Tobago is carried out by the work of four committees. accounts, balance sheets and other financial statements. the parliamentary system and should not be taken According to their function in the budget cycle, these The presence of these financial scrutiny mechanisms lightly. Parliamentary oversight seeks to ensure the committees are the Standing Finance Committee (SFC), along with other Committees responsible for oversight Executive is kept in check. Further to this, financial the Public Administration and Appropriations Commit- helps to improve the execution of good governance. scrutiny aims to ensure government is held accountable tee (PAAC), the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Overall, these financial scrutiny committees aim to in- for its spending of tax dollars especially during the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee (PA(E)C. crease and maintain a high level of transparency and periods of economic hardship. The Standing Finance Committee is a A Standing According to the Association of Chartered Certified “Committee of the Whole”, that is, all Members of the Finance Accountants, Parliamentary Select Committees are House are members. This committee is responsible for Committee the “engine rooms of Parliaments” and prove to the consideration of the Estimates of Expenditure, the Meeting be an important means of holding governments Appropriations Bill and any proposals for written or sup- in Session to account. Various Commonwealth nations have plementary appropriation. The Committee is chaired by committees established in their parliamentary practice the Speaker of the House and the deliberations are held comprising members from both sides of the divide. Trin- in public. To aid in this deliberation, the Standing Finance idad and Tobago is no different with members from the Committee sends for relevant Accounting Officers Government and the Opposition in both the House of and technocrats to provide information. The SFC is A Public Representatives and the Senate making up the allotted up to 5 days for the examination of the annual Accounts Committee members of the Committees. The role of these budgetary estimates, which are considered first, and the Meeting Appropriation Bill second. The Leader of the Opposition committees is to ensure public spending is done in chaired by accordance with the approved purpose as well as has the right to determine the order in which the Dr. Bhoendradatt ensuring there is value for money. Committee considers the Heads of Expenditure. Tewarie, MP 8 9

DEVELOPMENT FOR 2030 vene into the parliamentary process, the local gov- ernment process, as NGOs as activists, moving the Q: How can parliaments connect the 2030 Agen- system towards greater inclusion, that they have DEMOCRACY 2030: da for Sustainable Development with people’s the understanding, the breath, the knowledge, the An Interview with Professor Rhoda Reddock expectations of greater participation, inclusive- ethics to really make that a positive input. ness and accountability? A: Well one of the first challenges we face is that these UN agreements are seldom discussed in Par- THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY liament, or discussed with the wider population. Q: Will the role of parliament be the same as it Our leaders or their representatives sign these is today? agreements, but then there is little effort to roll this out to the wider population. And I think it’s a A: Well I hope not. I hope that they will be a bit by Ayana Holder pity because the 2030 Agenda is quite an interest- more than they are [at] present. Not that I want to ing document. It includes many development re- give parliamentarians more work, but I wrote a pa- lated issues; it includes issues related to good gov- per where I looked at the ways in which Parliament as opposed to Government can really become an Democracy, a very ancient system of governance that can be traced back ernance, to climate change, to equity and equality, institution for change for advancement. For exam- as far as 5 BC in Athens, has, through the years, evolved to the versions to vulnerable groups, to so many issues that affect ple, I noted how parliamentary caucuses, parlia- used around the world today. The word is commonly translated to mean us. And they also mention support that the inter- mentary committees, focusing on specific areas, “power to the people”. national organizations are willing to give countries such as ours, Small Island Developing States, sup- have been very important. These would be bipar- port in terms of strengthening our data collection tisan committees, working on some critical issues, Trinidad and Tobago subscribes to the type of head of state serves as the ceremonial repre- systems or the kind of aid that countries are willing have been very useful in other parts of the Com- democracy referred to as representative democra- sentative of the country. Throughout the to give and I think that there needs to be a much monwealth. So that I think that we have to find a cy. This is where a group of people are elected and world, there are more parliamentary systems more robust discussion of these kinds of agree- way to make parliament more useful in terms of assigned the task of making decisions on behalf of in the world than presidential democracies. ments to which our governments are signatories. taking our development, our politics, our social the group of citizens that they represent. The sys- For the 2016 International Day of Democracy, issues [more] forward than it is today because tem of democracy used in our country is the par- Cross Talk interviewed Deputy Principal of the Uni- parliament has become so partisan in the way in liamentary system. In this structure, voters select versity of the West Indies, St Augustine campus, YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN 2030 which our matters are dealt with. There must be parliamentary representatives. Professor Rhoda Reddock, to explore the relation- some common issues that all the political parties Q: What are parliaments doing to ensure the po- ships between youth involvement in parliament, believe are important and that they need to work This system consists of the head of govern- litical participation of young people and prepare the sustainable development goals and the future together, even if those issues may not be legisla- ment and the head of state. The head of govern- the future of democracy? ment controls the legislative process; while the of democracy. tive in the first instance. But maybe developing A: I think that in the past we have had Youth Parlia- bodies of knowledge, developing national aware- ment which was very interesting, but I think that’s ness, and then legislation and other changes could only the start. I think real youth participation has come at a later stage. to do with the preparation that those young peo- ple have received through the education system; through the systems of learning outside of the classroom. And I think despite the millions that we have spent on education - that depth, that breath to really make our students aware of what’s hap- pening in the world, aware, for example, of the 2030 Agenda, to have issues related to ethics, good governance, the history of Trinidad and Tobago, its geography, its regional issues, CARICOM, OECS et Professor Rhoda Reddock - cetera. We need a lot more education of our pop- Deputy Principal ulation in general as well and our young people if of the University they are to make a significant input into democra- of the West Indies, cy. In other words, I think democracy is not just a On September 15, 2016, the Inter-Parliamentary Union(IPU) St. Augustine matter of numbers, it’s not just a quantitative mat- Campus. promoted International Day of Democracy through their ter, it’s a qualitative matter. What quality of young Member Parliaments in 170 Countries globally. people we are bringing so that when they inter- 11 THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA by Atiba Wiltshire Parliament Hansard With every change in government comes expec- opportunity to prepare to Makes Technological Advancements tations with regard to performance and direction take part in stakeholder con- in addressing the affairs of a nation. One of the sultations and to lobby the by Jason Elcock & Danielle Williams ways an administration sets the course for its government for amendments This new feature is user friendly and simple to term in office is by setting up a plan which out- which they wish to see im- The public now has greater access to video record- navigate. From a calendar on the Parliament’s lines specific legislation the government plans plemented in the proposed ings, hansard records and archived material re- website, a visitor can choose to view a live sitting to address and when such legislation would be law(s). This would have a two- lated to sittings of the Parliament and Joint Select on that day or choose a day in the past. This al- brought before the Parliament. The document pronged benefit in that it would Committee meetings. Recently the Parliament of lows all our viewers to view sittings and meetings on which this outline is given is commonly re- give the government a greater Trinidad and Tobago teamed with Sliq Media Tech- on an on-demand basis and at their own conve- ferred to as the Government’s legislative agen- idea of the public response to a nologies of Montreal, Canada, to revolutionize the nience. Visitors to our website will be able to en- da. planned piece of legislation and way the Hansard, the official report of its proceed- ter a search term such as the name of a Member, it would help to increase public ings, is generated. This involved the implementa- The legislative agenda allows the government, a particular Bill, Motion or Question asked and awareness on what is taking place tion of the Sliq Media Harmony Suite (their own opposition and the public to have an idea of be directed to the Hansard as well as to the re- in the parliament. software) utilizing a real time method of annotat- what the country’s political climate could be ing the sittings. Every speaker, topic area and event corded video of that part of the proceedings. This like in the near future. Such agendas allow Here the public is further able to is noted by time of occurrence and is synchronized new on-demand approach will allow the content for a certain level of transparency on the hold the administration to account with the Hansard documented by the Parliament’s to be more readily available, accessible and ulti- part of the Executive of a country since the since citizens have another tool to CAT (Computer Aided Transcription) Reporters, mately will make it of greater use to our audience. government’s legislative plans are made measure the government’s success in as well as the recorded video/audio of the parlia- open to the public. As such it allows all fulfilling promises made in the run-up mentary proceedings. Sources: sliq.com; ttparliament.org & stakeholders the chance to prepare for to elections. The citizenry also have the ICT Department, Office of the Parliament their possible involvement in debates chance to demand legislation to address Trinidad and Tobago has joined older and larger surrounding legislation that would be issues which may have been left out of the Parliaments like Canada and the of particular interest to them. existing agenda. and is now the third Caribbean , after Bermuda and Haiti to implement this approach. Attorney General, Hon. Faris Al-Rawi, Another feature of a legislative agenda is The Parliament’s Hansard office has, as of January MP, laid the current government’s that it can be amended to suit the needs 2015, officially begun using the Harmony Suite, legislative agenda in the Parliament of the nation or what conditions the admin- and this content is now publicly available on our during a sitting of the House of istration may be facing at the time. For ex- website. Representatives on Friday April ample, a matter of national security arises 15th, 2016. This agenda gives an during the time-frame in which the govern- As of October 2016 the Parliament’s ParlView site idea of what the administration ment had planned to address another piece has been fully operational. This is a live and on de- led by Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. of legislation. Here the government has the mand service wherein visitors to the Parliament Keith Rowley, MP, has its eyes freedom to bring the more urgent matter be- website can gain access to live as well as archived set on until the year 2020. fore the Parliament to be dealt with legislatively. footage of committee meetings that are held in pub- Among the pieces of legislation lic, sittings of the Senate and sittings of the House What must be remembered at all times is that a to be dealt with, according to of Representatives. It is indeed a new and dynamic legislative agenda is just a piece of paper if the this agenda, are the Telecom- way of consuming content from the Parliament of A Screenshot of the ParlView site required action needed for its completion is not which has been fully operational as of October 2016 munications (Amendment) the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The first live taken. It is up to the government in power to Bill, the Credit Union Bill and broadcast was the 2016/2017 budget presentation. complete as many of the items outlined in its leg- The Mental Health Bill. islative agenda by the end of its time in office. Having knowledge of what matters the government in- tends to deal with legislative- ly allows all concerned bod- A Stenographer ies the chance to be involved at work during a live sitting of in the drafting, introduction Parliament and implementation of such. Here stakeholders have an 12 13

THE ARLIAMENT CHANNEL 110SINCE THE RED HOUSE YEARS REOPENED AFTER THE FIRE OF 1903 by Colleen Holder WINS AWARDS The Parliament’s iconic home, the Red House, is sons descended on the government buildings on by Colleen Holder celebrating another milestone this year… It’s 110 March 23rd, 1903 while debate was taking place years since the Red House was reopened following on the Water Ordinances Act, which was ultimately For the first time, two of the Parliament Channel’s of the Senate and Lower House and committee the Water Riots and fire of 1903. The exact date of aimed at increasing water rates in Port of Spain. programmes have won awards at the 2015 edition meetings should be carried live on a dedicated the reopening is Monday February 4th, 1907. Angered that they had been barred from entering of the Caribbean Broadcasting Awards, staged television station housed at the Parliament to allow the public gallery to hear the debate unless they annually by the Caribbean Broadcasting Union. citizens an unfettered view of parliamentary pro- had tickets, members of the public began throw- ceedings. One year later Parliament Radio station “The West Indies at War”, which looks at the lit- ing stones at the building and eventually it was set 105.5fm was launched, and we’ve recently added tle-known story of Caribbean soldiers who were in- on fire. a Youtube option for livestreaming and archiving volved in World War I and the impact this battle had of sittings and committee meetings, Parlview. In The entire building was gutted and only the shell on the region, won the award for Best Documen- addition to our live broadcasts, the Parliament of the Red House remained. Sixteen people were tary Feature in the television category. “The West Channel also produces a range killed in the melee after police opened fire on the Indies at War” was produced of programmes that explain the crowd. for the Parliament Channel by parliamentary process and Mariel Brown of Savant Films. highlight former members. The four-part documentary is laced with diary entries from In 2015, the Parliament of Trini- some of the young men who dad and Tobago became The reopening of the Red House - Photo by Ned Levine fought on the battlefields of the first and only such entity in On that day, Governor of the colony, Sir Henry Europe between 1914 and the region to become a member Moore Jackson, told members of the Legislative 1918 then returned to the Ca- of the Caribbean Broadcasting Council and persons sitting in the public gallery that ribbean to face discrimination Union and it’s currently the only the new buildings were at every turn. Their struggles parliament in the region with a “…infinitely more suitable A gutted Red House after the Water Riots, 1903 to the steadily growing importance of the Colo- became the catalyst for the in- dedicated 24-hour broadcasting ny, as well as to the needs of this Council and of The task of rebuilding was completed in 1906 at a dependence movement. unit. the Public, than those they replace,…”. (Hansard cost of £7,485. In commending t h e n e w build- The second feature to claim 1907, page 6). He went on to say that a fresh page ings for use on February 4th, 1907, Governor Jack- an award was “I Count”, produced by Stephen had been turned in the history of Trinidad and the son told the Legislative Council Members, “Your Doobal of Real Company Limited. “I Count” takes “evil of 1903” should be left behind forever. work is to be done in this spacious, lofty and a cheeky look at the history of voting in Trinidad well-proportioned Chamber, and shall we not try The evil of which Sir Henry spoke was the fire and Tobago from the perspective of a young man and mould our policy on the same lines? Let it be which gutted the Red House, then known as the who is eager to go into politics. His escapades with broad-minded, with nothing narrow or self-seek- Government Buildings. The foundation stone was his friend take the viewer through a timeline of the ing in it, let our aims be lofty, and our measures laid on February 15th, 1844 but construction lasted voting process from colonial days to the present. carefully planned and justly proportioned to the more than 50 years. The buildings were first paint- The award was sponsored by UNICEF in the cat- needs of the people. If we succeed in this, then ed red to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen egory of Responsible Coverage of Children’s (and indeed will all bitterness pass from our memo- Victoria in 1897 and the name stuck. Scores of per- youth) Issues. ries, and the whole people of the Colony will be Water Riots - 23rd March, 1903 able to point with pride to this beautiful group The awards were presented at the CBU’s 45th of buildings as the seat of a Government holding Annual General Meeting in Havana, Cuba their confidence and labouring for their in October 2016, shortly after the Parliament good. (Applause.)” (Hansard 1907, page 7) Channel celebrated its tenth anniversary of broad- casting in August. In 2006, the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago mandated that all sittings 14 15

is only such relevant material that is intended for visiting delegations as well as features geared to- public information . ward updating the public on parliamentary activi- ties, and several other programmes produced by Several years had elapsed since those initial recom- the Office of the Parliament are also broadcast on mendations, and in 2004 to 2006, final preparations our channels. The Parliament Channel also tele- were underway to acquire the relevant licenses. The vises informational segments obtained from the Parliament Channel also sought assistance from United Nations. recognized engineering companies to complete the technical and transmittal work. Commemorative Activities by Marion Sutherland Today the Parliament Channel continues to be In commemoration of the Channel’s 10th “… it is my pleasure to inform you that, as of today, pursuant to a decision of this manned by the Parliament’s Corporate Commu- anniversary, the Parliament embarked on several nications Department with assistance from the In- initiatives to take you back to where it all started. honourable House, proceedings in this honourable House are being broadcast live on formation Systems Unit. Here are some highpoints: television to the national community via Cable Television Channel 11” Programming • Media Launch (Barendra Sinanan, Speaker of the House 2006). In addition to live and recorded broadcasts of • Parliament Exhibition at the International ceremonial openings, debates of the Senate and Waterfront Centre The Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Background House of Representatives and Committee Meet- Tobago stands as the benchmark for democratic • Public open house to the Parliament The ideology of broadcasting parliamentary pro- ings, the Parliament Channel has a cadre of other excellence among its regional neighbours. It is Chamber, J. Hamilton Maurice Room and ceedings spanned almost two and a half decades, programmes to edify the citizenry. Programmes synonymous with many firsts in its short history Broadcast Control Room notwithstanding the disapproval by some mem- such as Parliamentary Personalities (which high- and boasts of significant milestones throughout bers during this period. In 1989 a Joint Select Com- light former parliamentarians) documentaries of • Special programming the years. One such accomplishment is the live mittee of Parliament was appointed to consider historic landmarks and buildings, features on re- • Strategic public relations ventures to bring and recorded broadcasts of parliamentary pro- and report on all aspects relating to the broadcast- gional and international parliaments, reality-type awareness to the value of the Parliament ceedings on Parliament Channel 11. This television ing and televising of the proceedings of the Parlia- productions such as our quiz show Democracy Channel in a democracy station – owned, operated and maintained by the ment. In its report, the Committee suggested sev- Challenge, Parliament Apprentice, Parliament Out- Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago – celebrated 10 Visit the Parliament Channel’s website at eral guidelines, among which were: reach and the National Youth Parliament (Behind for programme years of broadcasting on August 18th, 2016. the Scenes); shorter productions of interviews of www.ttparliament.org 1. Coverage should reflect a full appreciation schedules. With the inclusion of video cameras and micro- of Parliamentary proceedings, that is to say, the phones into the Parliament’s Chamber and Com- aims and objectives of Bills or Motions and argu- mittee Rooms, citizens can view elected and ap- ments for and against them; pointed legislators make decisions which directly affect lives. The Trinidad and Tobago Parliament 2. Roving or reaction shots should be taken, is keenly aware that broadcasting parliamentary but opportunities to embarrass unsuspecting mem- debates makes an enormous contribution to the bers, i.e. shots not connected with the proceedings, strengthening of our democratic tradition, as un- should not be used; biased coverage of legislative proceedings is con- 3. As a matter of general practice the camera sistent with the overall strategic direction of the should focus on the occupant of the Chair whenev- Parliament. er he rises; this principle should be applied all the It has also taken further steps to ensure that the more strictly during incidents of disorder or alterca- national community has access to all parliamen- tions between the Chair and other members; tary proceedings by simultaneous broadcast on 4. Deliberate misconduct designed to secure Parliament Radio 105.5 FM and a live stream on television coverage ought not to achieve this aim; ParlView (our YouTube channel) which were initiat- ed in 2007 and 2015 respectively. 5. Interruptions from and demonstrations in the gallery should in no circumstances be televised, The message of parliamentary democracy is also as they do not constitute “parliamentary proceed- shared through our various social media channels ings”; including the website www.ttparliament.org, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 6. Journalists representing the electron- ic media should be mindful of what is relevant to the business under consideration by the House. It 16 CONSTITUENCY HIGHLIGHT: DIEGO MARTIN CENTRAL by Danielle Williams

The constituency of Diego Martin Central is the Diego Martin smallest of the three Diego Martin constituencies. Central It is bounded on the left by Diego Martin West and Constituency Office on the right by Diego Martin North/East. It covers part of Petit Valley, Cocorite, St Lucien Road as well as a portion of the Western Main Road. As of the last General Election on September 7th 2015, the constituency has been represented by Mr Darryl Smith, the current Minister of Sport and Youth Af- calypso veterans and persons who have contribut- fairs and former chairman of the Diego Martin Re- ed to Trinidad and Tobago’s culture are engraved. gional Corporation (DMRC) the current chairman The Diego Martin area has a strong presence of the of the DMRC is Katty Christopher. The area has island’s colonial past and remnants of cocoa and been represented in the recent past by Dr. Amery sugar cane estates. One such remnant is the Riv- Browne, as well as the late Kenneth Valley who was er Estate Water Wheel. The Water Wheel serves as preceded in the post by the late Leo Des Vignes, a reminder of a time when energy for plantations who died due to injuries sustained in the 1990 at- was supplied by water. Restorative work has been tempted coup. done and there is an estate house with a muse- In 2009, a new community centre, the Cen- um along with park facilities for visitors. tral Diego Martin Community Centre, was Petit Valley, one of the areas covered by Diego opened in Diamond Vale by the then Minister of Martin Central is the birthplace of Sir Learie Community Development, Marlene Mc Donald. Constantine. Born in 1901, Constantine wore many Shortly after this, the Diego Martin Highway Ex- hats throughout his lifetime which included West tension Project was started in 2010. This project Indies cricketer, a barrister, administrator, broad- would continue on in phases for four years and be cast journalist, politician, author and an activist. officially opened in 2014. Such an expansion has improved the commute of residents in and out of the Diego Martin area. Important information: Diego Martin Regional While there is representation at the central govern- MP Darryl Smith Corporation ment level by an MP, the day to day running of the 1 Orchid Drive, Administration Building constituency along with the other two Diego Mar- Morne Coco Road, 17-18 Diego Martin Main Rd, tin constituencies is managed by the Diego Martin Diego Martin Diego Martin, 637-6056 Trinidad and Tobago Regional Corporation. Services offered to the bur- Phone:637-2204-05 gesses include collection and disposal of garbage; Fax:632-2502 street lighting; cleaning of public spaces; disaster management as well as insect vector, rodent and Sources: canine control. * http://dmrctt.com For cultural enthusiasts the constituency is home * http://www.tntisland.com/kitch31.html to the world famous Rain O Rama Palace. Locat- * http://www.ttparliament.org/members.php?mid=54&id ed on the Diego Martin Road, this palace was built =DSM15 in the early 1970s by calypso icon Lord Kitchener. * http://www.ebctt.com/wp-content/uploads/Parliamentary Lord Kitchener’s family has refurbished the resi- -Approved-2014.pdf dence and promotes it as a cultural centre featur- * http://trinidad-and-tobago.cityseekr.com/venue/284479 ing a large body of the Grandmaster’s work. At the -river-estate-water-wheel residence there is said to be a walkway likened to * http://historicalgeographies.blogspot.com/2011/09/ the Hollywood Walk of Fame where the names of biography-learie-constantine.html 18 19

The Parliament of Montserrat made up of its 11 seats was replaced by the Legis- lative Assembly in 2014. This change was brought One of 14 British Overseas , OUR REGION, OUR PARLIAMENTS about by the promulgation of a new constitution Montserrat, lying just southeast of Puerto Rico, is in 2011. There are nine elected seats in a single one of the many beautiful islands of the Ca- constituency won by absolute majority vote in two ribbean. This volcanic island is mostly mountain- BERMUDA & MONTSERRAT rounds. The two remaining seats are ex officio ous with some low lying coastal areas. Being an by Mark Peterson members. The elected members serve for a period overseas territory means Montserrat falls under of 5 years. The 2 ex officio member positions are the jurisdiction of the sovereignty of the United The Parliament of Bermuda Subsequently, Michael H. Dunkley JP, MP was the Attorney General and the Financial Secretary. Kingdom but does not form part of it. Unlike many is the oldest and most populous sworn in as the new Premier of Bermuda. The incumbent party holds 7 of the 9 elected seats Bermuda Caribbean territories formally under British rule, British Overseas Territory with a population of in the Assembly. Bermuda’s House of Assembly consists of 36 elect- Montserrat and other overseas territories, opted about 70,000. It has also been self-governing ed members with each Parliamentary constituency against independence. As a result its governance The Executive Council comprises the Governor, the since 1620 by means of Royal Assent but was first having one elected member. Each Parish is divid- falls under the jurisdiction of British MP James Premier, 3 other ministers as well as the ex offi- settled in 1609 when English colonists got ship- ed into either 3 or 4 constituencies. The Speaker is Duddridge. cio members. The current Premier, Donald wrecked on their way to Virginia. The Bermudan elected by his/her Parliamentary colleagues. Upon Romero, oversees the portfolios of Finance, As an Overseas Territory of the UK, Montserrat’s Parliament has been in continuous existence since election the Speaker has to renounce all party af- Economic Development and Tourism. The other Head of State is recognised as Queen Elizabeth its inception in 1620 making it one of the oldest in filiations and hence does not participate in any portfolios such as Health, Social Services, Commu- II. The current Governor of Montserrat, Elizabeth the world. It is in competition for the title with the debates. The Speaker’s purpose is to ensure that nications, Works, Energy and Labour, Agriculture, Carriere, succeeded Adrian Davis as Governor on likes of the United Kingdom Parliament, the Tyn- rules are observed and that order and decorum Lands Housing and the Environment, Culture and august 5th 2015. They both acted as civil servants wald of the Isle of Man and the Althing of Iceland. are maintained in the Lower House. The current Youth Affairs are divided among the other in the Department of International Development, a The initial, unicameral Parliament of Bermuda, Speaker of Bermuda’s House of Assembly is the members of this Council. UK governmental agency responsible for was formed by the Virginia Company. The Crown Hon. K.H Randolph Horton, a former national foot- administering overseas aid. eventually assumed administrative responsibility ball and cricket player. Horton was also a former in 1684. Voting in those times was only allowed to Minister of Community Affairs and Sports as well Soufriere Hills, formerly dor- male landowners. Over time, however, non-white as Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public mant after a period of many land ownership increased causing the Safety under Premier the Hon. W. Alexander Scott years, became active in 1995. creation of a minimum standard. Interest- within the Progressive Labour Party government. This occurrence has had dire ingly, a man could vote in each parish in which he The Senate serves as a “House of Review”. This consequences on Montserrat in owned sufficiently valued lands. Senate consists of 11 members appointed by the every aspect of Montserratian life. Firstly the majority of the Bermuda’s head of state is Queen Elizabeth II who Governor. The Senate is divided into 5 government population had to flee the is- is represented on the island by Governor George senators, 3 opposition senators and 3 indepen- land, with many seeking refuge Fergusson. The party system has been dominat- dents. Government senators are appointed in the United Kingdom. Prior ed by two parties, the incumbent One Bermuda by the Governor on the advice of the Premier, to the eruption the population Alliance and the party which previously formed whereas the opposition senators are appointed was about 13000 inhabitants. the government, the Progressive Labour Party. on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition. After the eruption the pop- The ruling party, the OBA, came into power after The independent senators are a chosen on ulation living on the island had winning the majority in the legislative election in the discernment of the Governor. dwindled to close to 5000. Nev- December 2012. Craig Cannonier, former leader Bermuda’s Cabinet, chaired by Premier Hon. ertheless life has to continue. of the coalition government, resigned as Premier Michael Dunkley, J.P., MP, is made up of 9 ministries in March 2014 amid allegations of impropriety re- with more than one portfolio sometimes housed The island and its inhabitants lated to using the private jet of a party financier. under one ministry. The Governor appoints the still require governance, albeit modified, to suit the After having much of the island uninhabitable the Premier who then nominates the other members new conditions. In addition to having to govern a government has strived to improve the conditions of the Cabinet to form the . smaller populace, the Chambers had to be moved of the persons still on the island and start anew. to a new location. Plymouth was abandoned in Due to its drop in tourism the government has had Bermuda continues to enjoy its self-governance 1997. Interim government buildings have been to rely on aid from the UK but has seen strides which it has practiced for hundreds of years while built at Brades Estate in the Carr’s Bay/Little Bay vi- over the past years to rebuild Montserrat for the at the same time falling within the ambit of the cinity at the northwest end of Montserrat. As such, betterment of its people. sovereignty of the British Monarchy. With its many Brades has become the de facto capital since 1998. varied people the government of Bermuda aims to do all within its power to fulfill the needs of its A unicameral Legislative Assembly makes up the citizens. Parliament of Montserrat. The Legislative Council 20 21

Parlview eager young minds aspects of the Parliamentary CONNECTING TO THE Parlview is the ‘on demand’ service offered by the process, and students have been offered in-depth Office the Parliament to members of the viewing responses to their burning questions about the audience who wish to view a sitting at their leisure. parliamentary process. PARLIAMENT While persons can view previous Sittings, a live The Corporate Communications Department also by Mark Peterson stream of any current sitting is also provided. This visits constituencies to chat with residents about service is facilitated by the YouTube social media the Parliament and share information and book- The Office of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago strives to connect with the public and educate citizens platform. As such viewers are able to comment in lets which can help deepen their understanding about democracy. There are many ways in which persons can connect with the Parliament to learn, interact, real time on issues arising out of the debate, as and appreciation of the work of MPs and the entire access help and overall strengthen their understanding of what Parliament can do for you the citizen. well as engage in discussion with other views in a parliamentary process. civil manner. Public committee meetings are also During Chamber tours, information is shared to itself in several social media tools. Facebook is a streamed live and available on demand. During the The Parliament’s Website groups on the history of the Parliament, proce- platform that allows for the easy sharing of con- livestream viewers’ comments can be passed on to The Parliament’s website acts as one of the best dures of the various sittings and meetings, as well tent with our stakeholders. With the high number the Committee Chairman who can then, through tools available to the public to access information as tidbits of interesting information about Par- of sittings and committee meetings during Parlia- his/her discretion, raise issues brought forward by about Parliament. At first glance one is welcomed liament. Group members can also participate in mentary sessions, real-time events are shared via viewer engagement. This service came on stream by photos of persons involved in the latest special a mock debate based on a trending topic. These Facebook and Twitter. Twitter is steadily proving for the 11th Republican Parliament in 2015. event or sitting to have occurred within the Parlia- tours are free of charge and open to the general itself to be the go-to channel for latest news and ment. These pictures can also be seen on the Par- public. updates regarding any topic imaginable. The main The Constituency Office liament’s Facebook page. feature of these social media platforms, and likely The constituency office represents a brick and Also on display are different tabs that direct you their greatest strength, is the ability to garner feed- mortar entity for persons to connect to Parliament to various sections that provide information on back instantaneously. Persons are able to respond primarily through their representative. Through things like the Sittings, Committees, Parliament to events in real time as they occur. these offices persons have access to their repre- Channel’s schedule, Hansard records, MP infor- sentative and can take advantage of the services mation and many other Parliament-related items. that their MP provides to them. At the constituen- It also displays the dates for upcoming sittings as cy office there are staff members employed by the well as the latest proposed Bills in both the House MP to assist him/her in the daily tasks of serving of Representatives and the Senate. There are the public. Staff at the offices typically act as inter- “Quick Access” and “Latest News” sections that de- mediaries, consulting persons who need help in liver easily accessible routes for new as well as ex- The Public Gallery in the Chamber areas such as accessing government ministries or isting information. The website also provides links All Parliamentary debates / meetings are open to Broadcasting agencies or other public services. to the Parliament’s various social media platforms. members of the public who wish to experience the The Parliament Channel, established on August 18, proceedings in person (unless there are restric- 2006 broadcasts live sittings of the House, commit- tions due to certain sittings, such as the Opening tee meetings, as well as original content created of Parliament). Members of the public are usually solely for the Parliament Channel. Some of the invited to sit in the Public Gallery. Persons inter- content includes profiles on Parliament personal- ested in viewing sittings are expected to adhere to ities, documentaries about Parliament as well as guidelines of proper dress and decorum. reality shows showcasing the intellectual prowess of the nation’s youth. In addition to the television station, proceedings can also be listened to via the radio frequency 105.5FM. Radio broadcasts started in November 2007. Outreach and Parliament Chamber Tours Social Media The Parliament’s outreach programme has The Parliament recognises the increasing ubiquity included reaching out to students across the of social media as the easiest form of getting infor- country to give them an opportunity to interact mation. In a move to further provide the relevant with Parliamentarians and learn more about the information to our stakeholders, the Parliament proceedings at Parliament. Video presentations of Trinidad and Tobago has robustly grounded and live lectures have been used to teach the Follow us on:

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