Past versus present in Parliament

WHEN the House of Representatives sits on Friday at 1.30 pm, it will be a double-header of past versus present ministers during the time allotted for oral questions. In the first match-up, Education Minister Hazel Manning will field a barrage of questions from her predecessor Kamla Persad-Bissessar about the cost of constructing the Russell Latapy High School, the number of schools de-shifted since January 2002, when the Ministry’s Student Support Services Unit will become operational, when a system of heads and deans will be introduced in the nation’s schools, placement of students who wrote this year’s Secondary Entrance Assessment Examination and when will the Continuous Assessment Programme be implemented.

Public Utilities and Environment Minister Pennelope Beckles has to answer questions from her predecessor, Dr Adesh Nanan, about certificates of environmental clearance for certain housing projects and expansion of the Crown Point International Airport. Former Health Minister Dr Hamza Rafeeq breaks the pattern by asking Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift about the annual contributions paid by Government to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Under Rafeeq’s predecessor, Colm Imbert, Government reached agreements with the UNDP to provide 40 new ambulances for the Emergency Health Services and recruit 100 United Nations Volunteer doctors to fill critical shortages in the local health sector.

Oropouche MP, Dr Roodal Moonilal, turns interior decorator when he asks Energy Minister Eric Williams about the costs incurred by Petrotrin or any State agency for recent repairs, refurbishments and enhancements to the residence and compound of Petrotrin Executive Chairman Malcolm Jones. Debate will begin on a motion to approve the Agricultural Census 2004 and on the Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill 2004. Due to the long Easter weekend, there will be no Senate sitting tomorrow. The Senate will resume its sittings on April 20, at which time debate is expected to continue on the TT Postal Corporation (Amendment) (No 2) Bill 2003.