Monday, October 6 2008

DEBATE ON the $49 billion Budget begins in the Senate today at 10 am when Minister in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne outlines the details of the 2008/2009 fiscal package.

Today’s debate will involve a large number of senators on all three benches who will be participating in their first budget debate.



The debate is expected to conclude by Thursday. The House has been adjourned to a date to be fixed. Leader of Government Business, Colm Imbert, said the House will next sit some time between October 13 and 17. Opposition Chief Whip Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj yesterday said Imbert informed him that the House will deal with more children’s legislation when it next sits.

At the adjournment of the House last Thursday, Speaker Barry Sinanan announced the appointment of Imbert and Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the House Privileges’ Committee.

The committee has to deliberate on three issues.

The first is whether Maharaj, Princes Town North MP Subhas Panday and Oropouche East MP Roodal Moonilal breached parliamentary privilege in criticising Sinanan following the March 28 suspension of Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday.

The committee also has to investigate Government’s refusal to answer over 100 questions since last December and whether Opposition MPs were harassed on their way to Parliament by PNM supporters in Woodford Square on September 12 when a no-confidence motion in the Prime Minister was debated.