House to debate Pensions, Welfare

The House of Representatives will on Friday debate the increases in the Old Age Pension and Public Assistance Grant which were promised by Prime Minister Patrick Manning in his recent National Budget. At the top of the order paper are the Old Age Pension (Amendment) Bill 2004 and Public Assistance (Amendment) Bill 2004, piloted by Minister of Social Development, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, which are each due to have their second reading.

Other Bills having their second reading include respectively, Bills to set up a vesting company for Caroni (1975) Limited and to establish the Caribbean Court of Justice. Among the papers due to be laid in the House are the Highways (Control of Advertising Hoardings) Regulations 2004. At the bottom of the order paper is an Offence Against the Person (Amendment) Bill to criminalise the intentional or reckless transmission of AIDS. At some date the House will also debate the Anti-Terrorism Bill 2004 which penalises any act of terrorism by imprisonment of 25 years, and outlaws the giving of any support for terrorism such as by providing finance, services, or property.