Parliament convenes Friday for covid19

PARLIAMENT will convene on Friday for an extraordinary sitting of both houses for the passage of legislation to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Lower House sits at 10 am, and will be followed by the Senate at 1.30 pm.
At these sittings, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi is expected to move a second reading of the Miscellaneous Provisions (2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Bill, 2020.

This Bill seeks to make certain changes to the law to facilitate the conduct of transactions after the current pandemic without penalty, even if a statutory deadline has passed.
In addition, the Bill empowers the Minister of Health to make regulations under the Public Health Ordinance to deal with covid19.

The regulations proposes a jail term of six months on summary conviction for anyone found guilty of committing an offence.
It is proposed to come into effect on March 21 and expire on April 20.

At Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing it was announced that the Government will be taking legislation to the Parliament to regulate the public health ordinance to stop the opening of bars, restrict in-house dining at restaurants, prevent social gatherings of more than 10 people at casinos and other members clubs in the next couple weeks.

In an immediate reaction, Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said the Opposition will attend Friday’s sitting and are in the process of looking at the proposed legislation.
He said the Opposition UNC was “committed to supporting any laws that will result in a fair system for distribution assistance to all vulnerable citizens.”

“We will also support that which is right, just and equitable based on transparency at this difficult time,” he said.
Also on Friday, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is expected to meet with Prime Minister Dr Rowley at his office at the Red House for bipartisan talks on the coronavirus pandemic in TT.

In the Health Ministry’s 4 pm bulletin, the covid19 positive cases remained at nine while 155 tests were done by CARPHA.