Independents favour special select committee for Caroni Bill

Independent Senators intend to vote, together with the Opposition, against the Caroni (1975) Limited and Orange Grove National Company Limited (Divestment and Business Development) (No 2) Bill 2004, in favour of a special select committee, according to an informed source. All Independents who spoke in the Senate thus far, have highlighted their concerns about the lack of guarantees relating to Caroni land use by the Government. Most are worried about the future of agriculture, and have therefore indicated that they believe the Bill should go to a special select committee to consider the future of Caroni’s 80,000 acres of land. Independent Senators, Parvatee Anmolsingh-Mahabir, Dana Seetahal and Angela Cropper have not yet spoken on the Bill.

A veto by all Independents would mean the defeat of the Bill in the Senate. Debate was supposed to wrap up yesterday, however, the Government abandoned that sitting, thereby postponing the vote on the Bill to April 19. One source revealed that the Government did this to buy more time to campaign for support from at least two senators. The Government needs the support of only one Independent to pass the Bill. The Bill was initially passed by a Government majority in the House of Representatives on January 24 last.

Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Senator Christine Sahadeo presented the Bill to the Senate during last week’s sitting. The Bill, entitled “an Act to provide for the vesting of the real estate undertakings of Caroni (1975) Limited and Orange Grove National Company Limited in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and to provide for the management of, and for the development of those real estate undertakings,” intends to transfer lands held by Caroni (1975) Limited to the State, and to allow the State to determine its use. The Government also highlighted that it aims to use Caroni land to establish housing projects, commercial complexes, light manufacturing estates, as well as agricultural projects.