House debates Tobago bill today

about 3 years in TT News day

SPARKS could fly between the Government and the Opposition when the House of Representatives sits from 1.30 pm to debate the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Amendment Bill 2021.
The Prime Minister has said the bill could propose a legislative solution to the six-six THA electoral deadlock on January 25. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said the UNC will not support the bill and there is no legal basis for it.
The bill was laid in the House on January 12 in the name of Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.
Its objective is to amend the THA Act "to make provisions for circumstances where after an election no assembly is constituted and to increase the number of assemblymen who can be elected."
The legislation also provides for the holding of fresh THA elections if a new assembly is not installed 14 days after a THA election is held; a date for the holding of new elections; consequential amendments to the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) (Local Government and Tobago House of Assembly) Act, to provide for electoral districts for Tobago; and for a new report to be laid by the EBC where the assembly remains dissolved after a primary election and no assembly is constituted.
Speaking in the House on February 12, Dr Rowley said, "I want to give the assurance to all Tobagonians that this bill proposes the most efficient and viable solution for Tobago in its current dilemma."
He added that the legislation "proposes, not only to break the deadlock presently hindering the constitution of the assembly but to almost certainly eliminate its reoccurrence, so that the business of Tobago can be conducted as the people of Tobago would like it to be done."
Rowley disagreed with Persad-Bissessar's position that "there is no need for parliamentary intervention to change the law, there is no need for EBC intervention to change boundaries. There is no need for fresh elections. There is no need for the previous Executive Council to remain in office.”
He reminded the House of the advice that Persad-Bissessar, as AG, gave then prime minister Basdeo Panday in 2001 about how to solve the 18-18 general election deadlock. That advice, Rowley recalled, was that the President "had no choice but to reappoint the Incumbent to the office of Prime Minister."
He added, "We all know how that piece of bad advice worked out."
After the 18-18 tie, president Arthur NR Robinson appointed opposition leader Patrick Manning prime minister instead of the incumbent Panday.
Persad-Bissessar has claimed that there is no basis for the bill. She also alleged that any attempt to increase the number of THA seats would subvert the democratic rights of citizens. She also argued that the bill requires a special majority for passage.
On Wednesday, Al-Rawi questioned Persad-Bissessar's "newfound interest" in Tobago.
He also rejected her allegations of gerrymandering by the EBC, underscoring that the commission "is a constitutionally-independent entity that has served TT very well since its creation."
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