The President of the Senate 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.

The Miscellaneous Provisions (Heritage and Stabilisation Fund, Government Savings Bonds and Value Added Tax) Bill, 2020 was brought from the House of Representatives 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.

Three papers were laid. See Order Paper for details.

Six reports were presented.

Four urgent questions were posed and answered before the time for urgent questions expired.

Eight questions qualified for oral answer. Questions #123, #124 and #125 were deferred for two weeks.

The Acting Leader of Government Business 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 moved the second reading of the Miscellaneous Provisions (Heritage and Stabilisation Fund, Government Savings Bonds and Value Added Tax) Bill, 2020.

Debate then proceeded on 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. Debate began on the motion. The motion was approved.

The President of the Senate brought greetings to the Spiritual Baptist Community on the observance on Spiritual Baptist Day on March 30. The Sitting concluded at 6:46 p.m. The Senate adjourned to a date to be fixed.