Parliament to convene in May

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Parliament would convene sometime in May, although she could not give an exact date.

Speaking to the media at the government’s first post-Cabinet briefing at the Red House, Port of Spain on May 8, she said among the pieces of legislation to be prioritised were “stand your ground” legislation and measures to deal with home invasions.

Persad-Bissessar said a special committee is to be established to evaluate and propose an effective suite of measures to enable citizens to defend themselves and to defend property when faced with a threat by criminals.

“This special committee will make recommendations for an appropriate ‘stand your ground’ law in Trinidad and Tobago.”

The Prime Minister said another priority item is the reviewing of firearm licence laws.

“We have said we will consider giving legal firearms to law-abiding citizens. But they will only be given to people who want it. So I see some people complaining, no, no, no. But if you don’t want it you know what to do, do not apply. Just don’t apply.

“Law-abiding citizens please apply. We won’t just pick it up and say, ‘You are a law-abiding citizen, take it.’ No, we will have regulations and criteria to determine to whom it shall be given, because, remember, to whom much is given, much is expected.”

She said data from the Crime and Problem Analysis branch of the police service shows that has been a significant increase in burglaries in almost every division in both Trinidad and Tobago and that citizens in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to this type of criminal activity because of the relatively long distances between neighbours and from police stations.

“Accordingly, the development of targeted and coordinated policing approaches and the enactment of an effective suite of legislative provisions are both required to combat this type of criminal activity in Trinidad and Tobago. As such, a special committee will be established to consider approaches and the development of appropriate legislative sanctions to combat home invasions in TT.”

Asked whether she would roll back the recommendations of the Salaries Review Committee, Persad-Bissessar said she had been advised that this was not possible.

“My lawyers have told me I don’t have that prerogative, in accordance with the law, I do not have it.”

Attorney General John Jeremie said, “There are a number of categories of people covered by the SRC, including judges, permanent secretaries and others, so it is difficult to do it that way.”

Persad-Bissessar addressed public concerns about the issue of the Gender and Child Affairs Ministry, saying it would be absorbed into the Ministry of People, Social Development and Families.

She said the Digital Transformation Ministry would now fall under the Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence.

The Prime Minister said government communications would now fall under her ministry.

“I am not of the view I need a communications ministry, what I will have in the Office of the Prime Minister is Government Information to deal with the sharing of information.”

The Prime Minister, who had a heavy cough throughout the media briefing, which started 90 minutes late, thanked the public for their concerns about her health.

"Thanks to all those expressing concerns about my health and ability to carry out my responsibilities and functions as your Prime Minister. Let not your hearts be troubled, I am fully able and competent to discharge my duties."

These concerns were raised after Persad-Bissessar did not appear in public between May 2 and 8.