UNC: Government needs to stop running from Parliamentary accountability

The PM Keith Rowley led Government needs to stop running from accountability as well as Parliamentary transparency, said opposition United National Congress on Friday June 25, 2021.

Saturday, 26th June 2021

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: The PM Keith Rowley led Government needs to stop running from accountability as well as Parliamentary transparency, said opposition United National Congress (UNC) on Friday June 25, 2021. "Today, the Opposition, in keeping with its Parliamentary duty, sought to raise seventeen (17) Urgent Questions yet only three (3) were approved. Given the uncertainty facing the nation, we sought answers on the job losses at CAL as well as the clarity on the billion-dollar AV Drilling Arbitration." All of these questions were rejected in the parliament, said UNC "We, therefore, ask the Government, what are you hiding? Why are you refusing to answer on issues such as the delay in challenging the multi-million-dollar award made to AV Drilling?" Petrotrin was given sound legal advice from Senior Counsel to move to have the arbitration ruling set aside immediately. They were advised that time is of the essence; a deadline of this of this week was given to Petrotrin to go to the High Court. "Today, when the Opposition sought answers for the protection of hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars, they were denied. The Government must give answers and act with alacrity in protecting the future of Petrotrin and the taxpayers." The UNC alleged that the people of this nation need to know why this Government is hiding from accountability. "It is shameful that at a time when people need answers, action and caring leadership, the Government is persisting with stripping our Parliamentary operations of the core principle of Transparency." The Opposition said that it will not stand for this undemocratic modus operandi, as it will only cause further harm for the people of this nation as their needs go unheard. Below is the list of rejected questions: 1. To the Ministry of Energy: Having regard to large quantum of taxpayer’s money and the State’s Senior Counsel advice to Petrotrin to immediately set aside the AV Drilling arbitration, can the Minister state if any such application has been filed in Court? 2. To the Attorney General: What urgent steps have the State taken, in light of the advice of the State’s Senior Counsel to urgently set aside the AV Drilling arbitration by this week, on grounds of misconduct of the arbitrators? 3. To the Attorney General: In light of the advice of the State’s Senior Counsel of the imminent deadline to file an application at the end of this week, to set aside the AV Drilling arbitration and the large sums of taxpayers’ dollars that will be lost, has the State filed any such application? 4. To Minister of National Security: Can the Minister indicate the date for the partial reopening of the Trinidad and Tobago borders? 5. To the Minister of Works and Transport Can the Minister inform the House when the desperately urgent works at the Trinidad Point 14 Gate location in Woodland will be recommenced? 6. To The Minister of Finance Can the Minister inform the House as to where in the current budget the government has found an additional $110 million to finance the severance packages for the mass layoffs announced by Caribbean Airlines? 7. To the Minister of Finance Can the Minister inform the House of the breakdown of the categories of the 450 employees who will be retrenched by CAL in the coming weeks? 8. To The Minister of Finance Can the Minister inform the House how will the retrenchment of some 450 employees of CAL negatively/ positively affect the Tourism sector in Trinidad and Tobago? 9. To the Minister of Education Can the Minister indicate to the House exactly what measures are being put in place for the vaccination of secondary school students so as to facilitate an ease of return to physical schooling? 10. To the Minister of Education Can the Minister state whether there is any plan for tertiary education students and lecturers to receive their vaccines so as to facilitate the early resumption of physical classes? 11. To the Minister of Education: Can the Minister indicate to the House how soon rehabilitation work on Torrib Tabaquite Road would commence in the constituency of Princes Town in light of serious road depressions and landslips threatening to cut off that community? 12. To the Minister of Social Development and Family Services: In light of recent reports of a mother stealing baby milk from a supermarket among other baby items, could the Minister indicate whether government is considering any special provisions or grants for families with babies and or special needs children during this pandemic period? 13. To the Minister of Works and Transport In light of a recent memorandum issued to all employees of the Port Authority under the signature of its Chairman on the subject matter "PPP Transition Committee-Privatization" of the Port of Port of Spain, can the Minister inform this House if all employees would be retrenched on completion of this exercise? 14. To the Minister of Social Development and Family Services. Given a recent report that relief items, inclusive of baby food have been sent to Suriname as a result of widespread flooding, can the Minister state whether the reinstatement of the Baby Grant is being considered by the government?