Budget debate shifts to Senate

DEBATE on the 2003/2004 Budget shifts to the Senate on Tuesday, starting at 10 am. The Budget was passed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday night, following three days of heated debate and political duelling between the ruling People’s National Movement  and the Opposition United National Congress.  Tuesday’s session of the Upper House will also see the introduction of the Summary Courts (Amendment) (No 3) Bill 2003 and the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (Amendment) Bill 2003 by Attorney-General Glenda Morean.

There are also motions on the Senate Order Paper from Independent Senator Professor Ramesh Deosaran, and UNC Senator Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan regarding live, televised parliamentary debates and mechanisms to prevent corruption in public life respectively. The Opposition’s motion of no-confidence against Senate President, Dr Linda Baboolal, which was struck off the Order Paper in May after the UNC said it was not ready to debate it, remains off the Order Paper.