senate

Sittings

20th Sitting of the Senate

3rd Session - 12th Republican Parliament

Tuesday 23 May, 2023
1:30 PM
Papers
One Paper

One paper was laid. See the Order Paper.

Sen. the Hon. Hassel Bacchus [Minister of Digital Transformation]
Questions To Ministers: Oral Answer
Two urgent questions

Two urgent questions were posed and answered. See Order Paper.

Sen. Dr. Paul Richards [Independent Senator]
Sen. the Hon. Reginald Armour SC [Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs]
Sen. Wade Mark [Opposition Senator]
Questions To Ministers: Oral Answer
Three Questions on Notice

Three questions qualified for oral answer. All questions were answered. See the Order Paper

Sen. Wade Mark [Opposition Senator]
Hon. Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, MP [Minister of Education]
Hon. Fitzgerald Hinds, MP [Minister of National Security]
Introduction Of Bills
One Bill

The Arbitration Bill, 2023 was introduced in the name of the Attorney General.

Private Business: Motions
Legislative Framework on Parliamentary Autonomy

Debate resumed on the private motion raised by Sen. Mark regarding a legislative framework for Parliamentary Autonomy. Four Members made contributions on this day (12 over the course of three days of debate) before Senator Mark rose to conclude.

Sen. Jayanti Lutchmedial-Ramdial [Opposition Senator]
Sen Laurence Hislop [Government Senator]
Sen. Dr. Varma Deyalsingh [Independent Senator]
Sen. the Hon. Dr. Amery Browne [Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs]
Sen. Wade Mark [Opposition Senator]
Private Business: Motions
Government's commitment to democracy in Trinidad and Tobago

Sen. Jayanti Lutchmedial moved a Motion asking the Senate to call on the Government to reaffirm its commitment to the
principles and the practice of democracy in Trinidad and Tobago. Sen. Lezama-Lee Sing contributed to the debate on the motion.

Sen. Jayanti Lutchmedial-Ramdial [Opposition Senator]
Sen. Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing [Government Senator]
Matter On The Adjournment
Two Matters

Sen. Paul Richards raised a matter on the adjournment namely the need for the Government to reintroduce cyber crime legislation to address online criminal activity. The Attorney General, Sen. Reginald Armour, S.C., responded.

Sen. Wade Mark raised a matter on the adjournment regarding the need for the Government to explain the reasons for difficulty in access to the Companies Registry and Land Registry by the public. The Attorney General, Sen. Reginald Armour, S.C., responded.

Sen. Dr. Paul Richards [Independent Senator]
Sen. the Hon. Reginald Armour SC [Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs]
Adjournment
The Senate adjourned to a date to be fixed

The Senate brought greetings on the occasion of Indian Arrival Day to be observed on May 30. The Sitting concluded at  7:02 p.m.

Sen. the Hon. Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal [Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs]
Sen. Wade Mark [Opposition Senator]
Sen. Deoroop Teemal [Independent Senator]
Sen. the Hon. Nigel de Freitas [President of the Senate]