More election talk likely in House

According to the Order Paper for Friday’s sitting, the main item of business on the agenda is debate on a motion to approve the draft Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) (Local Government and THA) (Tobago) Order 2016.

Should this motion be debated, it will be the first one piloted by new Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein, since his appointment to this post on October 31 when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley reshuffled the Cabinet.

Also on the agenda for discussion is a motion to approve President Anthony Carmona’s nomination for attorney Martin George to be appointed a member of the Police Service Commission. According to the motion, which will be piloted by Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson- Regis, the nomination for George’s appointment was made on November 24. On the Order Paper too is the Tax Information Exchange Bill 2016.

During a news conference at the Eric Williams Financial Complex on November 16, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said, “As soon as this local (government) election is over, we will be back in the Parliament and the first order of business will be FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act).” With Parliament expected to take its Christmas recess around mid-December, Imbert was optimistic the Bill will be passed in the House before that and brought to the Senate in January.

Reminding reporters that the US Treasury asked Government to submit a detailed action plan for implementation of FATCA requirements, Imbert said this involved passing the legislation and putting the necessary systems in place to allow the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) to report to the Treasury on US citizens and corporations doing business in TT.