Category Archives: Parliament

MARLENE AXED

By Nalinee Seelal
March 18, 2016 – newsday.co.tt

MARLENE AXEDPORT-OF-SPAIN South Member of Parliament Marlene Mc- Donald was yesterday fired as Minister of Housing by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley during a tense meeting at 6.30 pm, at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair. Well-placed sources told Newsday that during the meeting, which lasted for about 30 minutes, loud voices could be heard.

Sources added that McDonald later stormed out of the meeting, telling her driver that she had just been fired before making a call on her cellular phone as she entered her vehicle which sped off.
Continue reading MARLENE AXED

PM reviewing Camille, Marlene matters—AG

By Richard Lord
March 11, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

Prie Minister Dr Keith RowleyPrime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is reviewing the future of Cabinet Ministers Marlene McDonald and Camille Robinson-Regis and will act decisively at the appropriate time. So said Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi during an interview with reporters after yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.
Continue reading PM reviewing Camille, Marlene matters—AG

Debt — legacy to our grands

By Ian Lambie
December 16, 2015 – newsday.co.tt

DebtWE SHOULD all be ashamed, whether we be parliamentarian or proletariat who elected them to Parliament and permitted them to do their own thing for five years, that our legacy to our grandchildren and to our great-grandchildren will be: debt.

Since 2009 and up to 2015, our country has been spending more than it earned by approving deficit Budgets, with one exception — in 2010.
Continue reading Debt — legacy to our grands

Imbert: PP raided NGC of $14b cash

…Used Green and Unemployment Funds as collateral

By Richard Lord
December 05, 2015 – guardian.co.tt

Colm ImbertFinance Minister Colm Imbert says the former PP government raided the National Gas Company (NGC) of almost $14 billion in cash. He made the claim while presenting three motions for debate in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The motions seek to increase the ceiling for government borrowing by $50 billion under the Development Loans Act, External Loans Act and the Guarantee of Loans (Companies) Act.
Continue reading Imbert: PP raided NGC of $14b cash

Shocking TTEC $612M loss

Newsday Editorial
November 24, 2015 – newsday.co.tt

T&TECTHREE years after the fact, Parliament has only this month received the annual report of the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (TTEC) for 2013.

That alone would be unsatisfactory were it not for the fact that the picture painted in the report is — to use an appropriate word — shocking.
Continue reading Shocking TTEC $612M loss

Senator Moses is a Primordial Sinner Casting the First Stone

By Stephen Kangal
October 27, 2015

Stephen KangalThe unfortunate, intentionally political mileage-grabbing, wholly incorrect, barrel-scraping and wholly unnecessary statement made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Senator the Honourable Dennis Moses during the recent Budget debate concluded in the Senate in which he attempted to uphold to national ridicule and blame the former T&T OAS Ambassador, Dr Neil Parsan for seeking employment in the OAS to which he was accredited, is so superficial and annoying because it is reflective of tenour of the other interventions we have had to endure from the current cadre of the young and inexperienced Government ministers who seem to be grasping at elusive straws in the wind for gaining public attention and indulging in the ubiquitous and monotonous blame game.
Continue reading Senator Moses is a Primordial Sinner Casting the First Stone

Scale of squandermania mind-boggling

By Raffique Shah
October 19, 2015

Raffique ShahIf a mere ten percent of the sums of money quoted by almost every new PNM minister as having gone to waste or astray under the previous government is factual, then at least a billion dollars was squandered or stolen during the tenure of the People’s Partnership.

If the ministers were accurate and truthful in their allegations of profligacy, then an astounding ten billion dollars, at least, found its way into the bank accounts of assorted thieves and accomplices.
Continue reading Scale of squandermania mind-boggling

Up today, down tomorrow

By Raffique Shah
October 12, 2015

Raffique ShahI switched on my television last Friday just in time to see and hear a stern-looking House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George say to former minister and current MP for Caroni Central Bhoe Tewarie, “You have three seconds to wrap up…starting now!”

I did a double-take, wondering if I hadn’t mistakenly tuned in to the Western channel rather than Parliament, some wild-west movie in which the “fastest” gunman in town gives an impossible ultimatum to his adversary.
Continue reading Up today, down tomorrow

PM: We will adjust Budget to suit

By Clint Chan Tack
October 06 2015 – newsday.co.tt

Prime Minister Dr Keith RowleyPRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday said the 2016 Budget provides the Government with an appropriate roadmap to guide the country through the challenging economic times ahead. The Prime Minister made this point as he and Finance Minister Colm Imbert spoke with reporters at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre, after Imbert unveiled the Government’s $63 billion fiscal package.
Continue reading PM: We will adjust Budget to suit

Weathering the storm

By Raffique Shah
October 04, 2015

Raffique ShahTomorrow’s Budget presentation by Finance Minister Colm Imbert is the most eagerly anticipated Appropriation Bill in many years.

The main reason for heightened interest is the depressed state of the economy. With low oil, gas and commodities prices, hence lower-than-normal revenues accruing to government, citizens are waiting to see just how the new administration proposes to navigate the ship of State.
Continue reading Weathering the storm