AG, Gadsby-Dolly speak on birth certificates, school repairs

ATTORNEY General Reginald Armour, SC, and Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly respectively briefed the House of Representatives on Friday about birth certificates and repairs at the Gasparillo Secondary School.

Armour told MPs that services at his ministry's offices with respect to providing citizens with copies of their birth certificates have been "fully restored."

He cited some problems which caused the inability of citizens to obtain birth certificates. One of those was a cyberattack which affected his ministry a few months ago.

Later in the sitting, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly disagreed with Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes about the type of repair works taking place at the Gasparillo Secondary School.

Haynes told Gadsby-Dolly that she took pictures of different parts of the school earlier in the day.

Gadsby-Dolly said the core infrastructure of the school had not been compromised and some repair works had already been completed.

She suggested the photos which Haynes took earlier did not necessarily support her views of no work being done at the school.

After describing the school as aged, Gadsby-Dolly said, in assessing the work to be done, sometimes what seemed to be superficial damage might turn out to be more extensive, upon further investigation.

She added that classes were still taking place at the school.

Gadsby-Dolly reiterated her ministry's commitment to ensure that whatever repairs needed to be done at the school were completed.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh briefly indicated to the House that discussions were taking place between his ministry and the Austrian government regarding an upgrade to a laboratory at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Before the House adjourned sine die (end of a parliamentary session), it passed a motion moved by Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis to resume debate on five bills in the next parliamentary session which begins on September 11 at the Red House at 1.30 pm.

These are the Whistleblower Protection, Miscellaneous Provisions (Testing and Identification), Constitution (Amendment) (Tobago Self Government), Tobago Island Government and Representation of the People Bills.

The opening of the new session will be a ceremonial one.

The highlight of the occasion will be President Christine Kangaloo's inaugural address to a joint sitting of the House and Senate, since she assumed her post in January.

Kangaloo succeeded Paula-Mae Weekes as President on January 20 when she was elected by the Electoral College of the Parliament. The college comprises all members of the House and Senate, including their respective presiding officers.

In Legal Notice 266, dated August 30, Kangaloo issued a proclamation for Parliament to be prorogued at midnight on Friday. She said the proclamation was issued in accordance with Section 68 (1) of the Constitution.

The section authorises the President to prorogue or dissolve Parliament at any time, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister.

In Legal Notice 267, also issued on August 30, Kangaloo said a proclamation was issued for the parliamentary session to begin on September 11.

That proclamation was issued in accordance with Section 67 (1) of the Constitution.