20050607, Senate Debates
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601 Leave of Absence Tuesday, June 07, 2005 SENATE Tuesday, June 07, 2005 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 from today’s sitting of the Senate to Sen. The Hon. Joan Yuille-Williams and Sen. The Hon. Knowlson Gift who are out of the country. SENATORS’ APPOINTMENT Madam President: Hon. Senators, I have received the following correspondence from His Excellency the President, Prof. George Maxwell Richards and Her Excellency, Dr. Linda Baboolal: “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By Her Excellency DR. LINDA SAVITRI BABOOLAL, Acting President and Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. /s/ L. Baboolal Acting President. TO: MRS. JOAN HACKSHAW-MARSLIN WHEREAS Senator Knowlson Gift is incapable of performing his duties as a Senator by reason of his absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, LINDA SAVITRI BABOOLAL, Acting President as aforesaid, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, in exercise of the power vested in me by section 44 of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, JOAN HACKSHAW-MARSLIN, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from 7th June, 2005 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator Knowlson Gift. 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 2nd day of June, 2005.” 602 Senators’ Appointment Tuesday, June 07, 2005 [MADAM PRESIDENT] “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO By His Excellency Professor GEORGE MAXWELL RICHARDS, T.C., C.M.T., Ph.D., President and Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. /s/ G. Richards President. TO: MRS. MAGNA WILLIAMS-SMITH WHEREAS Senator Joan Yuille-Williams is incapable of performing her duties as a Senator by reason of her absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE MAXWELL RICHARDS, President as aforesaid, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, in exercise of the power vested in me by section 44 of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, MAGNA WILLIAMS-SMITH, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from 31st May, 2005 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator Joan Yuille-Williams. 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 25th day of May, 2005.” OATH OF ALLEGIANCE Senators Joan Hackshaw-Marslin and Magna Williams-Smith took and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance as required by law. CONDOLENCES (Mr. Mootilal Moonan) Sen. Wade. Mark: Madam President, former Senator Mootilal Moonan has passed away. I know it is the tradition and practice in this honourable Senate that when a former Member of Parliament passes away, we would pay some tribute. So I thought, having regard to the fact that he was buried last Sunday, this is the most appropriate time for us to record our appreciation for his life. I just wanted to draw that to your attention: Madam President: We can do it now if we are prepared to so do. [Interruption] We will do it after the question time. 603 Petition Tuesday, June 07, 2005 PETITION Dr. Kirk Meighoo, Novack George, Peter Hanoomansingh and Afra Raymond Sen. Prof. Kenneth Ramchand: Madam President, I wish to present a petition on behalf of Dr. Kirk Meighoo, political analyst/lecturer; Novack George, IT specialist, Peter Hanoomansingh, writer/researcher, Afra Raymond, chartered surveyor, and others of like disposition. I now ask that the Clerk be permitted to read the petition. Petition read. PAPERS LAID 1. Annual audited financial statements of Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Limited for the year ended December 31, 2004. [The Minister in the Ministry of Finance (Sen. The Hon. Conrad Enill)] 2. Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the financial statements of the National Institute of Higher Education (Research, Science and Technology) for the year ended December 31, 2001. [Sen. The Hon. C. Enill] 3. Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the financial statements of the Industrial Relations Charitable Fund for the financial years ending December 31, 1974 to 1997, the financial period January 01, 1998 to September 30, 1998, the financial years ending September 30, 1999 to 2004 and the period October 01, 2004 to January 04, 2005. [Sen. The Hon. C. Enill] ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS National Housing Authority Housing Project (Green Street, Tunapuna) The following question stood on the Order Paper in the name of Sen. Sadiq Baksh: 69. (a) With respect to the National Housing Authority (NHA) Housing Project located at Green Street, Tunapuna, could the Minister of Planning and Development provide this Senate with: (i) a detailed status report on the project; (ii) a list of the firms that tendered for the project and the details of their tender price; 604 Oral Answers to Questions Tuesday, June 07, 2005 (iii) the name of the contractor to whom the contract was awarded and the tender price; and (iv) a detailed breakdown of expenditure incurred as at March 23, 2005? (b) Could the Minister also inform the Senate of: (i) the number of houses and/or apartments to be constructed; and (ii) the number of houses and/or apartments that have been completed as at March 23, 2005? The Minister of Public Administration and Information (Sen. The Hon. Dr. Lenny Saith): Madam President, I have been advised that the answer to this question is not yet ready. I will seek a deferral of one week. Sen. Mark: Madam President, we have been very, very patient. Our patience has run out completely. We got a commitment from the hon. Minister, the Leader of Government Business that he would require a week. Madam President: Hon. Minister, I think you are aware that this question has been deferred about four times. We would like to get the answer, maybe next week. Sen. The Hon. Dr. L. Saith: Madam President, I shall convey the sentiments to the Minister. Madam President: So one week, Minister? Sen. The Hon. Dr. L. Saith: I said I would convey those sentiments to the Minister. Madam President: So you are asking for one week? Sen. The Hon. Dr. L. Saith: Yes. Question, by leave, deferred. Caroni (1975) Limited (Training of Former Employees) 80. Sen. Sadiq. Baksh asked the hon. Minister responsible for Caroni: Could the Minister inform this honourable Senate: 605 Oral Answers to Questions Tuesday, June 07, 2005 (a) How many former Caroni (1975) Limited employees applied for training; (b) How many were approved for accessing training; (c) How many former employees completed their training and the name of the institution providing the training; (d) The cost of the training provided to former employees? The Minister in the Ministry of Finance (Sen. The Hon. Christine Sahadeo): Madam President, Government approved the Post Caroni (1975) Limited, A Comprehensive and Integrated Development Plan which was laid in the Senate on January 18, 2005. This plan deals with major issues including Government’s retraining and retooling programme, which has been put in place to equip Caroni’s former employees to take advantage of opportunities presented by the global economy, in particular to participate in the expanding manufacturing and energy sectors where the demand for high value skills is outstripping supply. [Interruption] Sen. R. Montano: What does that have to do with the question? Sen. The Hon. C. Sahadeo: Of Caroni’s 9007 employees who participated in the enhanced VSEP, 1,137 were monthly paid and 7,870 were daily paid. Government is committed to the retraining and retooling of Caroni's former employee base, which represents a critical component of the plan of action to ensure that the areas vacated by Caroni become a catalyst for growth and development. Government has committed $20 million to Caroni for this exercise. As at April 30, 2005, training providers have offered 45 technical courses and 24 agricultural courses to the former employees of Caroni (1975) Limited. The number of former employees who applied for training as at April 30, 2005, was: monthly paid, 739; daily paid 3,641; a total of 4,380. The number of former employees who were approved for accessing training was monthly paid, 739; daily paid, 3,641; a total of 4,380. [Desk thumping] The number of former employees who completed their training as at April 30, 2005 was monthly paid, 278; daily paid, 1,659; a total of 1,937. [Desk thumping] The names of the 46 institutions providing the training are as follows: 1. Air Condition and Refrigeration Industries Association 2. BorderCom International 606 Oral Answers to Questions Tuesday, June 07, 2005 [SEN. THE HON. C. SAHADEO] 3. Caribbean Institute of Quality 4. Central Computer Foundation 5. Central Technology Centre 6. CHESS 7. Cipriani College of Labour & Cooperative Studies 8. Claxton Bay Development Committee 9. College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago 10. Inter American Institute for the Cooperation on Agriculture 11. Institute of Banking 12. Institute of Broadcasting Careers 13. Institute of Tertiary Tutors 14. Institute of Training and Development 15. Marine Safety 16. Metal Industries Company 17. Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources 18. Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education—Division of Retraining for Displaced Workers 19.