Senate expected to pass Budget today

THE 2004/2005 Budget is expected to be passed by the Senate when the Upper House sits today from 1.30 pm.  Among those carded to speak during today’s sitting are Education Minister Hazel Manning and National Security Minister Martin Joseph. During last’s Thursday’s sitting of the Senate, UNC Senator Roy Augustus called upon Joseph to categorically state whether or not a death squad is operating in Trinidad and Tobago. A top Government official was optimistic that the Budget would be passed today but did not rule out the possibility of the debate continuing tomorrow. Once the Budget debate is concluded in the Senate, attention shifts to the House of Representatives which meets on Friday at 1.30 pm. The main item on the Lower House’s agenda is the Caroni Land Vesting Bill. Debate on this Bill started in the Lower House two weeks ago, when Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Christine Sahadeo, piloted the legislation.

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday crossed swords with House Speaker Barry Sinanan during that debate when he criticised the Minister. Sahadeo surprisingly hit back at Panday and St Joseph MP Gerald Yetming during Friday’s Budget debate in the Senate, focusing the majority of her attack against Yetming’s charges that she could determine whose loans at First Citizens Bank (FCB) could be written off. She challenged the UNC to bring evidence to Parliament about the number of loans at FCB which they wrote during their time in government. Panday reiterated Opposition concerns about how Caroni (1975) Limited’s assets were being carved up. He claimed that the UNC had information about Caroni assets that were “being stolen or vandalised” and would reveal its cards in Parliament once Government fails to address its concerns.