Moses Senate seat mix-up

About an hour after Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dennis Moses was granted leave of absence from yesterday’s sitting of the Senate, he showed up and found his seat had been occupied.

He promptly took a seat at the end of the second row.

At the start of the session Senate Vice President Nigel De Freitas had granted leave of absence to senators Moses, Daniel Dookie, Saddam Hosein and Melissa Ramkissoon, “all of whom are out of the country,” he said, and appointed several temporary senators to replace them.

Leave of absence was also granted to Independent Senator Taurel Shrikissoon, who is ill.

Ndale Young had been appointed a temporary Senator to fill Moses’ seat.

Moses, having seated himself, was hurriedly escorted outside the chamber by Senator Paula Gopee-Scoon, and the two conferred. When Moses re-entered the chamber, Young, who had been told of Moses’ presence, left.

Yesterday De Freitas presided in the absence of Senate President Christine Kangaloo, who is acting as President of the Republic in the absence of President Anthony Carmona, who is overseas.

Ayanna Lewis replaced Dookie, Brian Baig replaced Hosein, Albert Sidney replaced Shrikissoon and Ramkissoon’s replacement was John Heath. Alicia Romano filled the breach left by De Freitas, as he is presiding over the Senate.