20150317, unrevised senate debate - tuesday march 17, 2015 ... › hansards ›...

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Leave of Absence 2015.03.17

UNREVISED

SENATE

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

The Senate met at 1.30 p.m.

PRAYERS

[MADAM PRESIDENT in the Chair]

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Madam President: Hon. Senators, I have granted leave of absence to Sen.

H. R. Ian Roach who is ill.

SENATOR’S APPOINTMENT

Madam President: Hon. Senators, I have received the following

correspondence from His Excellency the President, Anthony Thomas

Aquinas Carmona O.R.T.T, S.C.:

“THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND

TOBAGO

By His Excellency ANTHONY THOMAS

AQUINAS CARMONA, O.R.T.T., S.C.,

President and Commander-in-Chief of the

Armed Forces of the Republic of Trinidad

and Tobago.

/s/ Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona O.R.T.T. S.C.

President.

TO: DR. KRIYAAN SINGH

WHEREAS Senator Hugh Russell Ian Roach is incapable of

performing his duties as a Senator by reason of his illness:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANTHONY THOMAS AQUINAS

CARMONA, President as aforesaid, in exercise of the power vested in

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Senator’s Appointment 2015.03.17

UNREVISED

me by section 44(1)(b) and section 44(4)(c) of the Constitution of

the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, Dr.

Kriyaan Singh, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect

from 17th March, 2015 andcontinuing during the absence by reason of

illness of Senator Hugh Russell Ian Roach.

Given under my Hand and the Seal of

the President of the Republic of

Trinidad and Tobago at the

Office of the President, St.

Ann’s, this 16th day of March,

2015.”

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

Senator Dr. Kriyaan Singh took and subscribed the Oath of

Allegiance as required by law.

TRIBUTES

(DR. ALLOY LEQUAY)

Madam President: Hon. Senators, as you are aware, former Senator Dr.

Alloy Lequay passed away on 15th March this year. Tributes would be paid

to him later in today's proceedings.

VISITORS

(CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION)

Madam President: Hon. Senators, I also wish to announce that we have the

honour and the privilege of welcoming the parliamentary delegation from

Canada who are sitting with us in the persons of Sen. Leo Housakos,

Speaker Pro Tempe; Sen. Anne Cools; Sen. Pana Merchant; Sen. Grant

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Visitors (Canadian Parliamentary 2015.03.17 Delegation) (cont’d)

UNREVISED

Mitchell; Sen. Betty Unga; Sen. David Wells; and Miss Marie-Eve Belzile.

Welcome to our Parliament. [Desk thumping]

PAPERS LAID

1. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1978. [The Minister of

Finance and the Economy (Sen. The Hon. Larry Howai)]

2. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1979. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

3. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1980. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

4. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1981. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

5. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1982. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

6. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

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Papers Laid 2015.03.17

UNREVISED

7. Centre for the year ended December 31, 1983. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

8. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1984. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

9. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1985. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

10. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1986. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

11. Third Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of Trinidad and

Tobago on the Financial Statements of the Sangre Grande Civic

Centre for the year ended December 31, 1987. [Sen. The Hon. L.

Howai]

12. Annual Report of the Equal Opportunity Commission for the year

2010. [The Attorney General (Sen. The Hon. Garvin Nicholas)]

13. Annual Report of the Equal Opportunity Commission for the year

2011. [Sen. The Hon. G. Nicholas]

14. Annual Report of the Equal Opportunity Commission for the year

2012. [Sen. The Hon. G. Nicholas]

15. Annual Report of the Equal Opportunity Commission for the year

2013. [Sen. The Hon. G. Nicholas]

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Papers Laid 2015.03.17

UNREVISED

16. Trinidad and Tobago Housing Development Corporation (Vesting)

(Amendment to the First Schedule) Order, 2015. [The Minister of the

Environment and Water Resources (Sen. The Hon. Ganga Singh)]

17. Trinidad and Tobago Housing Development Corporation (Vesting)

(Amendment to the First Schedule) (No. 2) Order, 2015. [Hon. Dr. R.

Moonilal]

JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT

(Presentation)

Ministries, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Group 2)

(Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago)

Sen. Dr. Victor Wheeler: Madam President, I have the honour to present

the following report:

The Nineteenth Report of the Joint Select committee on Ministries

(Group 2), and on the Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises

falling under their purview on the Administration and Operations of

the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT).

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

The Minister of the Environment and Water Resources (Sen. The Hon.

Ganga Singh): Thank you very much, Madam President. Madam

President, as is the practice of the Senate, I see that my colleague, the hon.

Minister of Health, is here. So we are in a position to answer Questions 65,

16, 32, 35, 43 and 62. We seek a deferral for two weeks of the other

questions.

The following questions stood on the Order Paper in the name of Sen.

Camille Robinson-Regis:

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Oral Answers to Questions 2015.03.17

UNREVISED

“New Flying Squad”

(Status of)

23. Would the hon. Minister of National Security provide the status of the

investigation into the re-establishment of a “New Flying Squad”?

Ministry of National Security

(Cost of Advertisements and Public Relations Campaigns)

27. Could the hon. Minister of National Security provide the Senate with

the cost of advertisements and public relations campaigns conducted

by the Ministry of National Security in the Media for the period

January 2011 to November 2014?

Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

(Cost of Advertisements and Public Relations Campaigns)

39. Could the hon. Minister of Housing and Urban Development provide

the Senate with the cost of advertisements and public relations

campaigns conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban

Development in the Media for the period January 2011 to November

2014?

Office of the Prime Minister

(Cost of Advertisements and Public Relations Campaigns)

40. Could the hon. Prime Minister provide the Senate with the cost of

advertisements and public relations campaigns conducted by the

Office of the Prime Minister in the Media for the period January 2011

to November 2014?

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

(Cost of Advertisements and Public Relations Campaigns)

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Oral Answers to Questions 2015.03.17

UNREVISED

41. Could the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs provide the Senate with the

cost of advertisements and public relations campaigns conducted by

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Media for the period January

2011 to November 2014?

Ministry of Labour and Small

and Micro Enterprise Development