senate

Sittings

7th Sitting of the Senate

4th Session - 12th Republican Parliament

Tuesday 28 November, 2023
1:30 PM
Announcements By The President/Vice-President
Leave of absence

Leave of absence was granted to Sen. the Hon. Dr. Amery Browne, Sen. the Hon. Paula Gopee-Scoon, Sen. the Hon. Reginald Armour, S.C. and Sen. Dr. Sharda Patasar from today’s Sitting. Mr. Michael Seales, Ms. Yokymma Bethelmy, Mr. Ndale Young and Mr. Francis Lewis were appointed temporary senators in their place.

Sen. the Hon. Nigel de Freitas [President of the Senate]
Oath Of Allegiance Of A New Member
Temporary Senators

Temporary senators Seales, Bethelmy, Young and Lewis took the oath of allegiance.

Sen. Michael Seales [Government Senator (Temporary)]
Sen. Yokymma Bethelmy [Government Senator (Temporary)]
Sen. Ndale Young [Government Senator (Temporary)]
Sen. Francis Lewis [Independent Senator (Temporary)]
Announcements By The President/Vice-President
Appointments to Sessional Select Committee

The President of the Senate announced appointments to Sessional Select Committees of the Senate for the 4th Session.

Sen. the Hon. Nigel de Freitas [President of the Senate]
Papers
Two Papers

Two papers were laid. See Order Paper for details.

Sen. the Hon. Kazim Hosein [Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries]
Sen. the Hon. Randall Mitchell [Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts]
Presentation Of Reports From Select Committees
Three Reports

Three reports were presented. See Order Paper for details.

Sen. the Hon. Randall Mitchell [Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts]
Questions To Ministers: Oral Answer
One urgent question

One urgent question was posed and answered. See Order Paper.

Sen. Wade Mark [Opposition Senator]
Sen. the Hon. Rohan Sinanan [Minister of Works and Transport]
Questions To Ministers: Oral Answer
Seven Questions on Notice

Seven questions qualified for oral answer. Question #51 was deferred for two weeks.

Sen. Wade Mark [Opposition Senator]
Hon. Fitzgerald Hinds, MP [Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister]
Hon. Stuart Young SC, MP [Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Energy Industries]
Sen. Damian Lyder [Opposition Senator]
Sen. the Hon. Allyson West [Minister of Public Administration]
Hon. Colm Imbert, MP [Minister of Public Utilities]
Private Business: Motions
Development of the Dragon Gas Field in Venezuela

Sen. Wade Mark moved a private motion calling on the Government to provide a detailed account of its approach to the Dragon Gas Field Project involving entities such as Shell, the National Gas Company, Venezuela and the US Government and further providing this Senate with quarterly reports on this critically significant project. Debate began on the motion. Eight senators contributed to the debate before the adjournment of the Sitting.

Sen. Wade Mark [Opposition Senator]
Hon. Stuart Young SC, MP [Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Energy Industries]
Sen. Sunity Maharaj [Independent Senator]
Sen. Dr. Tim Gopeesingh [Opposition Senator (Temporary)]
Sen. Dr. Maria Dillon-Remy [Independent Senator]
Sen. Anthony Vieira SC [Independent Senator]
Sen. Anil Roberts [Opposition Senator]
Sen. Francis Lewis [Independent Senator (Temporary)]
Sen. Damian Lyder [Opposition Senator]
Matter On The Adjournment
Two Matters

Sen. Wade Mark raised a matter on the adjournment regarding the persistent decline in the labour force participation rate and in its negative effect on the national economic output.  The Minister of Labour, Hon. Stephen Mc Clashie, MP, responded.

Sen. Mark raised a second matter regarding the high rate of school dropouts. The Minister of Education, Hon. Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, MP, responded.

Sen. Wade Mark [Opposition Senator]
Hon. Stephen Mc Clashie, MP [Minister of Labour]
Hon. Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, MP [Minister of Education]
Adjournment
The Senate adjourned to a date to be fixed

The Sitting concluded at 6:43 p.m.