Little rest for MPs after Carnival

CLINT CHAN TACK

THERE will be little time for any of this country’s parliamentarians to rest after this week’s Carnival festivities are over. Parliamentary activities resume on Friday with separate in-camera meetings of the Special Select Committee (SSC) appointed to review the nomination of a Commissioner of Police (CoP) and Deputy CoP, Joint Select Committee (JSC) on Finance and Legal Affairs and the JSC on the Anti-Terrorism Bill 2018 at Tower D of the Port of Spain International Waterfront Centre.

These meetings take place at 10 am, 9.30 am and 11 am respectively. The SSC, which has to report back to Parliament by March 31, also holds in-camera meetings on February 23 and 27. Some meetings of the SSC, which was appointed by the House of Representatives on February 2, could be open to the public. The House sits on Friday at 1.30 pm to debate a motion to adopt the report of the JSC on the Insurance Bill, 2016.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will also field questions from the Opposition on Friday in Prime Minister’s Question Time. This happens at the second sitting of the House every month. Before all of this, the Government will hold a retreat at the Diplomatic Centre on Ash Wednesday.

Information provided to Newsday by the Office of the Prime Minister last week said, “Cabinet meets to review the economy, the legislative agenda (including the fight against crime) and the development programme.” The OPM said the meeting will begin at 10 am “and finish late afternoon.”