FATCA back in Parliament

When he laid the report in the House last Friday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said, “We leave the report open for the signatures of the Opposition.” Imbert, is also the chairman of this JSC.

The other members are Attorney General Faris Al Rawi, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat, Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh, Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie, Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen and Independent Senators Hugh Russell Ian Roach and Taurel Shrikissoon. Once the House approves the motion to adopt the JSC’s report on the bill, it will debate the bill again.

The bill requires a three-fifths majority for passage in both Houses of Parliament.

In the House, this equates to 25 votes.

This means that three of the 18 Opposition MPs must vote with the 23 Government MPs for the bill to pass in the House.

Last year, the Opposition walked out of debate on the bill twice and boycotted the debate on another occasion. On January 6, Government bowed to the Opposition’s request to send the bill to a JSC.

Last week, the Parliament issued a statement inviting the public to comment on the bill.