Leave of absence was granted to Mr. David Lee, MP for Pointe-a-Pierre and Mr. Dinesh Rambally, MP for Chaguanas West from today’s Sitting of the House.

15 Papers were laid. See the Order Paper.

Six questions were posed to the Prime Minister by Opposition Members.

Three Questions on Notice were listed on the Order Paper and answered.

The Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Ayanna Webster-Roy, MP, made a statement on the National Child Policy laid in the House today.

The Prime Minister moved a motion that the draft “Elections and Boundaries Commission (Local Government and Tobago House of Assembly)(Tobago) Order, 2020” be approved. Opposition Member Mr. Saddam Hosein was the sole contributor to the debate. The motion was approved.

The Minister of Trade and Industry and Enterprise Development, Sen. the Hon. Paula Gopee-Scoon, moved a motion calling on the House to exempt from import duties of Customs, for the period beginning 1st January, 2021 and ending 31st December, 2023, the classes of goods imported and entered for use in Trinidad and Tobago for the following purposes set out in Part A of the list of Conditional Duty Exemptions in the Third Schedule to the Customs Act:

• (a) I- For Approved Industry;
• (b) II-For Approved Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Fisheries;
• (c) III-For Approved Hotels;
• (d) IV-For Approved Mining Purposes; and
• (e) V-For Other Approved Purposes.

Debate began on the motion. The motion was approved.

The Minister of Trade ad Industry and Enterprise Development also moved a motion for the exemption from import duties of customs on equipment, material and supplies imported for use in off-shore petroleum exploration and production operations. Debate began on the motion. The motion was approved.

The Sitting concluded at 6:58 p.m. The House adjourned to Friday December 11, 2020 at 1:30 p.m.