AG: Senators ‘front line warriors’ with covid19

ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi has praised senators as “front line warriors” with the covid19 situation.

He was piloting a motion to approve the Sexual Offences (Amendment to Schedule 1) Order in the Senate Tuesday.

He pointed out that the senators were sitting in an unusual configuration (chairs were removed and spaced out), which was representative of social distancing.

“Today we sit in a rather safe environment but today we sit together to engage in the passage of law for the peace, order and good governance of our society. And therefore I am very pleased and privileged to know that this Parliament and every senator present will turn up, as is required, for duty to assist our country on the front lines of this fight for the passage of laws for the benefit of TT.”

He said the Parliament and the Senate is no different from the protective services, healthcare workers or the supermarket workers as a “new essential services” in TT.

“And therefore I am thrilled that every senator here present is willing to do the duty of TT in the privilege that we have to sit in this Parliament. And I thank all honourable senators for dealing with the matters on the order paper here today. Because we have serious business for TT to perform and I think we are required to be here to do the business of TT.”

Opposition Senator Saddam Hosein said the Opposition’s thoughts and prayers were with the families affected by covid19.

Independent Senator Paul Richards said that with covid19 it was a time to unite and for a different kind of leadership. He also said that misinformation and fake news can be equally as deadly as the virus itself.

“It is time to show who we are as a country.”

Earlier in Senate Finance Minister Colm Imbert said prior to the covid19 pandemic it was anticipated that final amendments to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act would be laid and debated in Parliament in March, followed by the regulations shortly thereafter.

“The precautionary measures that are being taken to contain the spread of the coronavirus will in all likelihood affect this schedule but, barring unforeseen circumstances, we are still working towards laying the amendments to the Public Procurement Act in Parliament by the end of this month.”