Leave of absence was granted to Dr. Lackram Bodoe, MP for Fyzabad from Sittings of the House during the period March 16-26, 2018 and to Mr. Rushton Paray, MP for Mayaro from today’s Sitting.

The Speaker informed the House of correspondence received from the Senate regarding its concurrence with the House in the establishment of a Joint Select Committee to consider and report on the Constitution (Amendment) (Tobago Self-Government) Bill, 2018.

Eleven papers were laid in the names of the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Trade and Industry. Paper 1 were referred to the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee and Papers 2-5 were referred to the Public Accounts Committee. See Order Paper for details.

There are three Reports from Committees listed on the Order Paper.

Four urgent questions were posed.

Seven questions qualified for oral answer. See Order Paper for details.

Dr. Surujrattan Rambachan, MP for Tabaquite, made a request for leave to move the adjournment of the House on a definite matter of urgent public importance namely the failure of the Government to effectively manage the Trinidad and Tobago sea bridge. The Speaker of the House was not satisfied that this matter qualified under Standing Order 17.
Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, MP for Caroni East, made a request regarding the urgent need for extremely experienced teams of infection control professionals to investigate and evaluate all neonatal ICUs in T&T. The Speaker of the House was not satisfied that this matter qualified under Standing Order 17.

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Hon. Darryl Smith, MP made a statement about the Trinidad and Tobago National Policy on Sport 2017-2027.

The Minister of Finance spoke of The December 2017 Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool (TADAT) Performance Assessment Report of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Miscellaneous Provisions (Supreme Court of Judicature and Children) Bill, 2018 was introduced in the name of the Attorney General.

The Speaker ruled on a matter of privilege raised by Mr. Rudranath Indarsingh, MP for Couva South, pertaining to intimidation by a Minister prior to the Sitting of the House on Friday March 9, 2018. She ruled that in her opinion a prima facie case was not made.

Debate continued on The Registration of Titles to Land (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2017. Following the wind-up by Attorney General, Hon. Faris Al-Rawi, MP, the Bill was committed to a Committee of the Whole for consideration on a clause by clause basis. The Bill was then read a third time and passed, without amendments.

The Sitting concluded at 8:19 p.m. The House adjourned to Wednesday March 21, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.