senate

Sittings

21st Sitting of the Senate

3rd Session - 12th Republican Parliament

Wednesday 31 May, 2023
1:30 PM
Announcements By The President/Vice-President
Leave of absence

Leave of absence was granted to Sen. the Hon. Dr. Amery Browne, Sen. the Hon. Paula Gopee-Scoon and Sen. the Hon. Rohan Sinanan, who are out of the country. Mr. Ndale Young, Ms. Yokymma Bethelmy and Mr. Harvey Borris were appointed temporary Senators in their place.

Sen. the Hon. Nigel de Freitas [President of the Senate]
Oath Of Allegiance Of A New Member
Temporary Senators

Temporary Senators Mr. Young, Ms. Bethelmy and Mr. Borris took the oath of allegiance.

Sen. Ndale Young [Government Senator (Temporary)]
Sen. Yokymma Bethelmy [Government Senator (Temporary)]
Sen. Harvey Borris [Government Senator (Temporary)]
Bills Brought From The House Of Representatives
Three Bills

The Miscellaneous Provisions (Establishment of the Borough of Diego Martin and the Borough of Siparia) Bill, 2021 was brought from the House of Representatives in the name of the Minister of Rural Development and Local Government. The Acting Leader of Government Business, Sen. the Hon. Randall Mitchell, moved that the next stage of the bill be taken on Tuesday June 6, 2023. The motion was approved.

The Valuation of Land (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was brought from the House of Representatives in the name of the Minister of Finance. The Acting Leader of Government Business, Sen. the Hon. Randall Mitchell, moved that the next stage of the bill be taken on Friday June 2, 2023. The motion was approved.

The Municipal Corporations (Extension of Terms of Office and Validation) Bill, 2023 was brought from the House of Representatives in the name of the Attorney General, who moved that the next stage of the Bill be taken later in the proceedings. The motion was approved.

Sen. the Hon. Randall Mitchell [Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts]
Sen. the Hon. Reginald Armour SC [Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs]
Papers
Nine Papers

Nine papers were laid. See the Order Paper.

Sen. the Hon. Randall Mitchell [Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts]
Presentation Of Reports From Select Committees
One Report from Committees

One report was presented. See the Order Paper.

Sen. the Hon. Wade Mark [President of the Senate]
Questions To Ministers: Oral Answer
One urgent question

One urgent question was posed and answered.

Sen. the Hon. Wade Mark [President of the Senate]
Mr. Colm Imbert, MP [Opposition Member]
Questions To Ministers: Oral Answer
Three Questions on Notice

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

Sen. the Hon. Wade Mark [President of the Senate]
Mr. Marvin Gonzales, MP [Opposition Member]
Hon. Terrence Deyalsingh, MP [Minister of Health]
Government Business: Bills Second Reading
The Municipal Corporations (Extension of Terms of Office and Validation) Bill, 2023

The Attorney General, Sen. the Hon. Reginald Armour, S.C., moved the second reading of the Municipal Corporations (Extension of Terms of Office and Validation) Bill, 2023, which was  passed in the House of Representatives on May 29, 2023. Eleven members debated the bill before the wind up by the Attorney General. The bill was then committed to a Committee of the Whole Senate for consideration clause by clause. Amendments were made. The bill was read a third time and passed.

Sen. the Hon. Reginald Armour SC [Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs]
Sen. the Hon. Wade Mark [President of the Senate]
Sen. Anthony Vieira SC [Independent Senator]
Sen. Faris Al-Rawi SC [Opposition Senator]
Sen. Jayanti Lutchmedial-Ramdial [Opposition Senator]
Sen. Dr. Paul Richards [Independent Senator]
Sen. the Hon. Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal [Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs]
Sen. David Nakhid [Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs]
Sen. Dr. Varma Deyalsingh [Independent Senator]
Sen Laurence Hislop [Government Senator]
Hon. Jearlean John, MP [Minister of Works and Infrastructure]
Sen. Evans Welch [Independent Senator]
Matter On The Adjournment
Two Matters

Sen. Wade Mark raised a matter on the adjournment namely the need for the Minister of Finance to provide a status report on the loans extended and shares invested by the First Citizens Bank in both Cornerstone Financial Holdings Limited and Barita Investments Limited given their impending re-organization. The Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Hon. Brian Manning, MP, responded.

Sen. Mark raised a second matter on the adjournment namely the need for the Government to make public its response to the auditor’s findings in CLICO’s annual reports for the financial period 2018-2022 on the market value of the assets of Methanol Holdings International Limited. The Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Hon. Brian Manning, MP, responded.

Sen. the Hon. Wade Mark [President of the Senate]
Mr. Brian Manning, MP [Opposition Member]
Adjournment
The Senate adjourned to Friday June 2, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.

The Sitting concluded at 8:16 p.m.