Leave of absence was granted to Mr. Ganga Singh, MP for Chaguanas West and Mrs. Marlene McDonald, MP for Port of Spain South from today’s Sitting of the House.

The Speaker shared on new seating arrangements in the Chamber as part of Parliament’s fight against COVID-19. She further gave guidelines on the process for conducting a division in the House, should it be necessary.

Six papers were laid. See the Order Paper.

Seven Reports were presented.

Five urgent questions were posed.

Two questions qualified for oral answer. Both questions were withdrawn.

The Miscellaneous Provisions (Heritage and Stabilisation Fund, Government Savings Bonds and Value Added Tax) Bill, 2020 was introduced in the name of the Minister of Finance. The Minister moved that the next stage of the Bill be taken later in the proceedings. The motion was approved.

The Leader of the House moved motions that extensions be granted to the following JSCs in order for the Committees to complete their work and submit a final report:

1. The Miscellaneous Provisions (Local Government Reform) Bill, 2019 – extension to April 30, 2020
2. The Cybercrime Bill, 2017 – extension to September 18, 2020
3. The National Statistical Institute of Trinidad and Tobago, 2018 – extension to June 30, 2020

The motions were approved.

The Minister of Finance, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP, moved the second reading of The Miscellaneous Provisions (Heritage and Stabilisation Fund, Government Savings Bonds and Value Added Tax) Bill, 2020. Debate began on the Bill. Following the debate, the Bill was committed to a Committee of the Whole for consideration clause by clause. No amendments were made. The Bill was read a third time and passed.

The Minister of Finance, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP, moved a motion to authorize the Government to borrow money externally or internally in a further sum or in further sums not exceeding in the aggregate ten thousand million dollars in the currency of Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, MP, was the sole contributor to the debate. The motion was approved.

The Senate amendment to The Miscellaneous Provisions (Age of Retirement of Judges, Interpretation and Chief Judicial Officers) Bill, 2019 was considered and approved.

The Sitting concluded at 6:29 p.m. The House adjourned to a date to be fixed.