Category Archives: Parliament

No civility, much hypocrisy

By Raffique Shah
June 16, 2016

Raffique ShahIt would be asking too much of our politicians that they show some humility in their public lives. In fact, it will be true to say that, with precious few exceptions, politicians across the world are egotistical and arrogant, character traits that distinguish them from most ordinary human beings.

Lest I be accused of being unduly harsh on the men and women who offer themselves for high political offices, I ask that readers think of politicians you may know personally, contrast the genial soul you knew before he or she was elected or appointed to high office with the person you see (or saw) in office, lording it over lesser mortals.
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Integrity Commission a waste

By Raffique Shah
June 06, 2016

Raffique ShahWhen constitutionally-independent institutions in the country seem to be collapsing, when holders of the highest offices seem confused about their roles and perplexed about their powers, and when the law publicly proves to be the proverbial ass, then, Trinidad & Tobago, we have a problem…a very serious problem.
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Cooked books

Newsday Editorial
Friday, May 13 2016 – newsday.co.tt

THE BOOKS have been cooked.

TheftRecent disclosures to Parliament have led us to conclude that the State’s financial accounting is seriously flawed. The books have been rendered defective through suspect accounting practices, gaps in oversight of revenue, and the use of tactics that have the effect of masking shortfalls. The result? A distorted picture. A Budget statement every year, yet no true accountability.
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Privacy is our right

Newsday Editorial
Thursday, May 5 2016 – newsday.co.tt

PNM Senator Faris Al-RawiIT WAS a bright cold day in May, and the clocks were striking 13.

This opening line is a paraphrase of the famous opening line of George Orwell’s novel 1984. It’s fitting, we feel, given what took place in the Senate on Tuesday.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, without citing specific legal precedent, made a chilling declaration.
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Online shoppers: 7% tax unfair

By JANELLE DE SOUZA
April 10, 2016 – newsday.co.tt

Online ShoppingThe seven percent levy on online purchases of goods and services scheduled to take effect by September will probably not slow down online shopping simply because local prices are too high.

Some regular online shoppers to overseas retail companies questioned the move by the Government to further tax online shoppers as they already pay a 20 percent duty and Value Added Tax on these items when they arrive in the country.
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Manning knocks MPs hiring relatives

Not worthy of public office

By Rhondor Dowlat
April 01, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

Patrick ManningFormer prime minister of T&T Patrick Manning believes that politicians who are guilty of hiring relatives at their respective constituency offices are not worthy of public office.

Manning made a statement via his Facebook page on Wednesday night.

He disclosed that in all his 44 years as a Parliamentarian, he has never employed a family member or relative in his constituency office.
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Getting serious with errant MPs

Express Editorial
March 20, 2016, 9:49 pm AST – trinidadexpress.com

ParliamentIT is disingenuous for Members of Parliament to be offering to refund salaries paid to relatives in breach of parliamentary rules, to quibble over definitions of employment, to suggest that new rules should not affect old behaviour or to dismiss them as mere guidelines. The fact that one of those MPs is Wade Mark, former speaker of the House under whom the parliamentary rules regarding employment at MPs constituency offices were reviewed and changed before being implemented in the current term, is scandalous.
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Padarath to repay Parliament $60,000 for hiring relative

By Gail Alexander
Sunday, March 20, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

ParliamentApart from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, two other Opposition UNC MPs had relatives employed at their respective constituency offices in this current parliamentary term, and a third UNC MP still has a “distant” relative employed.

They are Princes Town MP Barry Padarath, Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie and Mayaro MP Rushton Paray.
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KAMLA MUST GO TOO

Opposition Leader accused of hiring relatives at Siparia constituency office

By Ria Taitt
March 19, 2016 – trinidadexpress.com

Kamla Persad-BissessarAllegations of a breach of the Parliament rules against the hiring of relatives gathered momentum yesterday with fresh claims that Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has broken the rules too.

Reports surfaced yesterday that Persad-Bissessar has employed two of her relatives at her Siparia constituency office for well over a decade.
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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.
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