The President granted leave of absence to Sen. the Hon. Gary Griffith and Sen. Dr. Lester Henry. The President of the Senate then read a letter from the President of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago appointing Mr. Nazeemool Mohammed and Mr. Stuart Young as temporary Senators. They then took the Oath of Allegiance as temporary Senators for today’s sitting.

Six Papers were laid. See the Order Paper.

Three Reports were laid. See the Order Paper

Questions No. 52, 57, 58, 88, 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 96, 97, 98 and 99 were answered while all other questions were deferred for two weeks. See the Order Paper.

The Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training presented a Petition on behalf of the Members of the Beauty Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago, (TBSATT) for the purpose of constituting the Beauty Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago into a corporate body by a Private Bill.

The Clerk read the Petition. Thereafter leave was granted by the Senate for the Petitioners to proceed with incorporation via Act of Parliament.

Sen. the Hon. Devant Maharaj made a statement on the government’s success in Reduction in Food Price Inflation. Sen. the Hon. Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie then rose to give a statement on the Joint Select Committee appointed in First Session (2010/2011) of the Tenth Parliament and the Second Joint Select Committee appointed in the Second Session (2011/2012) of the Tenth Parliament.

The Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development introduced the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Bill, 2014.

The debate on a Private motion on election campaign financing was resumed from Tuesday February 25, 2014. The Attorney General was the first to enter the debate followed by Senator Stuart Young. Sen. the Hon. Raziah Ahmed then gave her contribution followed by Sen. Shamfa Cudjoe

The Senate Adjourned to Tuesday 8th April 2014 at 10:00 a.m. The sitting ended at 4:30 p.m.