More crime in Parliament

CRIME WILL once again be on the parliamentary front burner when the Senate sits tomorrow at 1.30 pm for Private Members Day. Last Friday, Government and Opposition informed members of the House of Representatives that they had reached agreement on several key legislative issues that were critical to dealing with the crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago. When the Senate sits tomorrow, debate is expected to begin on a motion by Independent Senator Prof Ramesh Deosaran which essentially asks the Government to outline, “with specific performance targets and mechanisms for accountability,” how it intends to deal effectively with the country’s crime problem.

Also on the agenda are motions by Senate Opposition Leader Wade Mark about the implementation of the Equal Opportunities Act and equality of treatment. In outlining the areas of agreement reached between Government and Opposition last week, Prime Minister Patrick Manning indicated that steps would be taken to implement the Equal Opportunities Act. The courts had ruled the Act to be unconstitutional. Manning said the legislation would be reviewed and brought back to Parliament. Health Minister John Rahael has been asked by Independent Senator Basharat Ali to advise the Senate about the status of the toxic chemicals regulations and when those regulations would be laid in both Houses of Parliament.

The Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Amendment Bill 2004 was debated together with the Food and Drugs Amendment Bill 2004 in the Lower House on June 18, 2004 and passed on the same day. The legislation was introduced in the Senate on June 22, 2004 but has since lapsed upon the prorogation of the second session of the Eighth Parliament on September 3, 2004. UNC senator Sadiq Baksh has questions for Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis and Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley about the development of lands in Palmiste, South Trinidad by the Urban Development Corporation of TT (Udecott) and the total expenditure incurred by the new Housing Development Company of TT from its inception to October 15, 2005.

The Lower House resumes its sittings on November 25, at which time debate is expected to continue on the Caricom-Cuba Trade and Economic Cooperation Bill 2005. The bill, being piloted by Trade and Industry Minister Ken Valley, will allow duty free entry of goods from Caricom into Cuba and vice versa. Among the items which would be granted duty free entry into Caricom from Cuba would be instruments used in various types of medical procedures, including surgeries. Since 2001, TT has been recruiting a variety of foreign medical personnel, including Cuban doctors and nurses, to fill critical vacancies in the health sector.