Leave of absence was granted to Hon. Shamfa Cudjoe, MP for Tobago West, Hon. Ayanna Webster-Roy, MP for Tobago East, Mr. Barry Padarath, MP for Princes Town and Hon. Colm Imbert, MP for Diego Martin North/East from today’s Sitting.

Correspondence was received from the President of the Senate to inform the appointment of Ms. Ayanna Lewis to the Parliamentary Broadcasting Committee and the Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration, in lieu of Ms. Nadine Stewart.

13 Papers were laid in the names of the Minister of Finance, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Minister of Works and Transport and Minister of Trade and Industry. Paper 1 was referred to the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee and Papers 2-8 were referred to the Public Accounts Committee. See the Order Paper for details.

Three urgent questions were posed. See Order Paper for details.

Seven Questions on Notice appeared on the Order Paper. Questions 72, 79 and 81 were answered. Other questions were deferred for two weeks.

Dr. Roodal Moonilal, MP made a request for leave to move the adjournment of the House of a definite matter of urgent public importance namely the extreme impact on crime levels due to the sudden and reckless termination of the Community Comfort Patrol Programme. The Speaker was not satisfied that this matter qualified under Standing Order 17.

Debate resumed on the Indictable Offences (Pre-Trial Procedure) Bill, 2017. The Bill was referred to a Committee of the Whole for consideration clause by clause. No amendments were made. Following a division, 19 for, 16 against and 0 abstentions, the Bill was read a third time and passed.

The Sitting concluded at 6:38 p.m. The House adjourned to Wednesday March 22, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.