Leave of Absence was granted to Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, MP for Caroni East, for today’s Sitting.

Mr. Esmond Forde, Deputy Speaker, extended condolences to the family of Mr. Kamaluddin Mohammed, on behalf of the House of Representatives. Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP and Dr. Fuad Khan, MP for Barataria/San Juan, paid tribute to Mr. Kamaluddin Mohammed, who passed away on Tuesday December 01, 2015.

Three papers were laid in the names of the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Social Development and Family Services. It was agreed that Papers 1 & 2 will be referred to the Public Accounts Committee. See Supplemental Order Paper for details.

Five Urgent Questions were posed to the Ministers of Health, Finance, Education, Public Utilities and Social Development and Family Services.

One question qualified for oral answer. See Order Paper for details.

One request was made for leave to move the adjournment of the House on Definite Matters of Urgent Public Importance namely the failure of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago through the Tobago Regional Health Authority Board to pay salary arrears owed to hospital staff at the Scarborough General Hospital. The Deputy Speaker of the House was not satisfied that these matters qualified under Standing Order 17.

A motion was moved by the Minister of Finance to authorize the Government to borrow money externally or internally in a further sum or in further sums not exceeding in the aggregate fifteen thousand million dollars in the currency of Trinidad and Tobago, for the purpose of repayment of borrowings. The Minister of Finance further moved that two similar motions be debated simultaneously and this was agreed upon. The two motions address the increase of the Loan Ceiling under the External Loans Act to authorize the Government to borrow money externally in further sums not exceeding in the aggregate the equivalent of fifteen thousand million Trinidad and Tobago dollars in any foreign currency, for the purpose of financing general development in Trinidad and Tobago and the increase in debt limit under the Guarantee of Loans Act, to not exceed forty-five thousand million dollars in the currency of Trinidad and Tobago. All motions were carried.

The 10th Sitting ended at 9:28 p.m. The House will reconvene on Friday December 11th, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.