Leave of Absence was granted to
Hon. Retired Major General Edmund Dillon, MP for Point Fortin from today’s Sitting and
Hon. Faris Al-Rawi, MP for San Fernando West for the period September 6-13, 2016.

The Speaker received correspondence from the President of the Senate regarding a change in membership in two Joint Select Committees. At a Sitting of the Senate on Tuesday June 21, 2016, Senator Rohan Sinanan was appointed to the Joint Select Committee on Land and Physical Infrastructure and the Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration in lieu of Mr. Hafeez Ali.

Twenty-seven (27) Papers were laid in the names of the Minister of Finance, Minister of Tourism, Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, the Deputy Speaker, the MP for Fyzabad, the MP for Tobago East, the MP for La Brea and the Prime Minister. Papers 1-13 were referred to the Public Accounts Committee and Papers 14-20 were referred to the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee. See the Order Paper and Supplemental Order Papers for details.

Four Reports were presented.

• The First Report of the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity (First Session, Eleventh Parliament) on the Support Programs and Srvices for children whose parent or guardian was the perpetrator or victim of a violent offence.(By the Member for St. Ann’s East)
• The Second Report of the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity (First Session, Eleventh Parliament) on the Challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities with Specific focus on Access to Srevices and Employment. (By the Member for St. Ann’s East)
• The Fifth Interim Report of the Joint Select Committee appointed to consider and report on the Whistleblower Protection Bill, 2015. (By the Member for Port of Spain North/St. Ann’s West)
• The First Report of the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee (First Session, Eleventh Parliament) on the Examination of the Audited Financial Statements of State Enterprises (National Schools Dietary Srevices Limited, Evolving Tecknologies and Enterprise Development Co. Ltd, National Flour Mills Limited, National Quarries Company Limited, Government Human Resource Srevices Company Limited, National Infrastructure Development Company Limited and Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Company Limited). (By the Member for Caroni East).
  

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

Two questions qualified for oral answer. See the Order Paper for details.

Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, MP sought leave to move the adjournment of the House of a definite matter of urgent public importance namely the failure of Government to review the spiraling incidents of pregnant women being infected with the Zika virus and absence of any definite and well informed medical evaluation and medical management for these patients.The Speaker was not satisfied that this matter qualified under Standing Order 17.
Mr. Rushton Paray, MP also sought leave to move the adjournment of the House of a definite matter of urgent public importance namely the need for an immediate and determinate resolution by the Government to the recent fish incident in South Trinidad. The Speaker was not satisfied that this matter qualified under Standing Order 17.

One Bill, The Tax Information Exchange Agreement Bill, 2016, was introduced by the Minister of Finance who moved that the next stage of the Bill be taken forthwith.

The Leader of the House moved a motion to grant an extension of four weeks to the Joint Select Committee appointed to consider and report on the Whistleblower Protection Bill, 2015 in order for the Committee to produce a final report. The motion was approved. The Report is now due on October 9, 2016.

The Minister of Finance moved the second reading of the Tax Information Exchange Agreement Bill, 2016. Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, S.C. was first to enter the debate. View the progress of this debate here. Debate will continue on this Bill at the next Sitting.

The Sitting concluded at 4:21 p.m. The House adjourned to Wednesday September 14, 2016 at 1:30 p.m.