Chaitan-Maharaj: No absolute power for health minister

Dr Natalie Chaitan-Maharaj, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle
Dr Natalie Chaitan-Maharaj, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle

SOCIAL Development Ministry parliamentary secretary Dr Natalie Chaitan-Maharaj assured senators the Children's Life Fund (CLF) Amendment Bill 2025 does not grant the health minister total power regarding the approval of applications to the CLF Authority (CLFA) for medical treatment for sick children.

She made this comment as she concluded debate on the bill in the Senate on June 23.

Concerns were raised by opposition and independent senators during the debate about this.

Chaitan-Maharaj said the bill does not grant the minister "absolute power" in these matters.

She added provisions are made in the legislation whereby he can "seek counsel" from relevant consultants and specialists.

"It is a clause (in the bill) which can be questioned ...that can be appealed."

Chaitan-Maharaj claimed there is precedent to give the minister this power.

She said this is found in the Town and Country Planning Act, the Immigration Act which allows appeals on certain matters to be addressed by the relevant minister.

"So there is precedence for this. This government thinks of this as a matter of policy and thinks that this is the right approach."

Chaitan-Maharaj said the illnesses mentioned in the legislation were properly researched with respect to the coverage the CLF can provide with respect to treatment for them.

She acknowledged Opposition Senator Dr Amery Browne's concern about a deluge of applications to the CLFA and Independent Senator Dr Desiree Murray's suggestion the term "condition" should replace the term "illness" in the bill.

Chaitan-Maharaj gave the assurance the schedule of illnesses in the legislation will be reviewed from time to time.

She thanked Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi for his legal suggestions on the bill. But Chaitan-Maharaj lamented such suggestions were not forthcoming from him while he was in government over the last nine years.

On concerns raised by Opposition Senator Foster Cummings about people trying to exploit the CLFA through potential loopholes in the law, Chaitan-Maharaj said, "That's a projection of moral standards whereby one's thought process, goes straight to ways to abuse the system."

She added, "This is not the thought process of this government."

The Senate was deliberating the bill in committee stage past 7 pm.

At one point in the deliberations, there was a 15-15 tie between government, opposition and independent senators over an amendment proposed by Murray to replace the word "illness" with "condition" in the bill.

Senate President Wade Mark said because of the equality of votes, he has a casting vote under the Senate's standing orders.

"I secure and favour the status quo."

Mark added, "So revert and vote in favour of the status quo."

In response to questions from Al-Rawi, Mark said the amendment proposed by Murray was not approved."

"So the original provision of the bill remains."

As Al-Rawi sought clarification, Mark said, 'Listen. Listen. I am in charge here."

He added, "I will put the question at the appropriate time. We just took a vote."

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"Chaitan-Maharaj: No absolute power for health minister"

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