House passes budget

THE 2019-2020 budget was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The passage of the budget came after the House debated it for four days and its Standing Finance Committee deliberated on it for another five days. The debate and the Standing Finance Committee meeting saw tensions flare at times between Government and Opposition MPs. As the committee concluded its scrutiny of the budget around 5.45 pm, a smiling Finance Minister Colm Imbert declared it was it was "with gratitude and with great satisfaction" that he could report the budget was considered by the committee and passed without amendments.

The House then passed the budget. Neither the Prime Minister nor the Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar were present for its passage. The Senate will begin debate on the budget on Wednesday at Tower D of the Port of Spain International Waterfront Centre from 10 am. Minister in the Ministry of Finance Allyson West is expected to open the budget debate shortly after the sitting begins. According to its standing orders, the Senate cannot vote on money bills.

At Wednesday's sitting, the Bail (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2019 will be introduced in the name of Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi. The Senate will deal with this bill at a later date. Before the adjournment of the House, Community Development, Culture and the Arts Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and Princes Town Barry Padarath delivered Divali greetings on behalf of the Government and Opposition MPs respectively.

Gadsby-Dolly and Padarath quarrelled over some issues last Friday during the Standing Finance Committee meeting. Gadsby-Dolly said Divali was an example of how citizens can exist side by side in harmony. She declared the blessing of unity must never be lost in TT and Divali was part of the "tapestry that delights the creator." Padarath disclosed that he wanted to be a pundit before he became a politician. He hoped Divali would be a time where citizens see "a clear path with the light guiding the way." Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George said Divali was a time for citizens to let their light show and strive to become better versions of themselves.

Annisette-George also announced the membership of several House sessional select committees. Among them being the privileges committee which she chairs. Persad-Bissessar has threatened to refer Annisette-George to this committee over her chairing of the budget debate in the House on October 10.