Port-of-Spain – The People’s Partnership government and the Opposition People’s National Movement have agreed to debate the Capital Offences Bill 2011 over the course of two separate sittings of the House of Representatives.
This comes 48 hours after the Opposition walked out of the House last Friday, claiming that Diego Martin MP Dr Amery Browne was denied the right to speak in the debate on the Electronic Transactions Bill 2011.
Moonilal said the government and the Opposition have agreed to start the debate on the Capital Offences Bill 2011 on Friday and continue the debate on the following Wednesday (February 23). Attorney General Anand Ramlogan will open the debate on Friday.
The bill, which seeks to amend the Constitution in order to implement the death penalty, requires a three-fourths special majority in the House (31 MPs) and a two-thirds special majority in the Senate (21 senators) to pass.
The bill, which was first created in 2000 under the then UNC government, proposes to create three categories of murder and for the imposition of the death penalty to be mandatory for murder one.
The bill also proposes to amend Section 89 of the Constitution to empower the President to impose time limits within which a person who is sentenced to death may appeal, or communicate with or consult with any person or body outside of Trinidad and Tobago in relation to the offence or sentence in question.
Moonilal said should the debate not be concluded by February 23, the government and Opposition will discuss whether to continue the debate on February 25 which is Private Members Day in the House.

 

Port-of-Spain - After riding a high wave following her party's victory in last year's general election, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's popularity has slipped with the Reshmi Ramnarine debacle, according to the findings of the latest NACTA poll.
NACTA also revealed there was growing dissatisfaction with the government's performance so far and people have lost confidence in its ability to run the country.
The poll, conducted by pollster Vishnu Bisram, stated that the Ramnarine controversy had increased the popularity of Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, who vowed not to let the issue rest until full explanations are given.
The Express newspaper revealed Ramnarine's appointment as Strategic Services Agency head and her lack of qualifications for the position. She has since resigned.
The matter stirred Opposition and public outrage, and government ministers Brigadier John Sandy, Dr Suruj Rambachan and Prakash Ramadhar were forced to apologise for statements they initially made in defence of Ramnarine's appointment.
Persad-Bissessar, who had initially taken a defensive approach, also had to admit government made an error, which she promised would not be repeated.
NACTA said although Persad-Bissessar's ratings have slipped, she still remains far more popular than Rowley, as persons polled said they have had enough of the matter and want politicians to move on to dealing with the people's business.
The poll interviewed 410 people. It also found that there was growing disappointment in the performance of the government, with voters losing confidence in the People's Partnership's ability to run the country and its representatives to service them.
"People complain about the many blunders of the government and its inability to control violent crime and rising cost of living. Crime is rated as the number one issue, with the economy next on people's minds," NACTA said.
"The poll finds that the PP government has lost a lot of support since it came into office last May. However, its hold on office is not under threat as the nation does not want to return to the currently constituted PNM (People's National Movement)."
NACTA said the majority of people polled stated that crime was the most important problem facing the nation.
The high cost of living was the next pressing issue, with those polled indicating they want Government to do something urgently to jump-start the economy, which they say is hurting their pockets and ability to spend.

 

Port-of-Spain – The government has accepted the results of two recent opinion polls which showed that people are disappointed with its performance as a wake-up call for them to improve delivery of services.
Last Friday NACTA released the findings of a poll conducted by pollster Vishnu Bisram, which showed that the popularity of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had slipped and that people were not happy with the government's performance.
Following that, the Sunday Guardian published the findings of an ANSA McAL poll, supervised by senior lecturer in the Department of Behavioral Sciences Dr Derek Chadee, which also showed that people surveyed were not satisfied with the government's performance.
The People's Partnership government swept the general election polls on May 24 last year and promised many changes.
The polls showed that people felt they were left wanting and waiting.
Both polls indicated that respondents thought Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner was the best performing minister.
Warner, who is also the chairman of the United National Congress, said: "I accept the public's praise in all humility and I want to say, however, that polls are snapshots in time. These are events that propel me to work harder and to deliver more to the people, as instructed by the honourable Prime Minister."
Questioned on the negative results of the polls on the government's performance overall, Warner said: "One thing the polls have told us is that we are spending too much time outing bushfires which we have set for ourselves and of course that is a clarion call to perform better and to reduce the number of fires which people perceive we are lighting all over the place."
The People's Partnership government is a coalition of five parties — the UNC, the Congress of the People, the Movement for Social Justice, the National Joint Action Committee, and the Tobago Organisation of the People.
Three of the leaders agreed the polls' results are an indication that government needs to improve.
Said MSJ chairman and Labour Minister Errol McLeod: "I would think that any poll that gives you a minus mark is a poll that you ought to take notice of and examine your own operations and approach in whatever you might be doing, make the necessary adjustments that the situation may require."
TOP leader Ashworth Jack said the voice and views of the people were critical.
"It is something we must take cognisance of — the views of the people. I think it is a wake-up call for all of us. It is our responsibility as a government to take responsibility for the views of the people. It is the people who determine whether we stay in government or not. In fact, that is why the People's Partnership is in government because people were fed-up with the past administration and therefore we have a responsibility to listen to the views of the people."
NJAC leader and Caricom Ambassador Makandal Daaga said the government will make adjustments and continue to work in the best interests of the people.
He said any government that comes into power with the vast majority, like the PP did, will be heavily scrutinised and there will be high expectations.
"We are accepting the errors we have made, we are making the necessary adjustments and we are preparing for full-steam-ahead to prove to the people of this country that we are what we said we will be and we will rise," said Daaga.
Housing and Environment Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, who is also one of the UNC's deputy political leaders, said he was heartened by the results of the poll.
Referring to the ANSA McAL poll, Moonilal said: "There was a fascinating distinction between the content of the poll and the headline of the newspaper. Unless I am mistaken, the Prime Minister has an A-plus grade and approval. I am extremely gratified over the performance rating of the Prime Minister. It speaks well for the government that the leader of the government has received such a high performance rating.”
He added: "Where there are critical comments raised by respondents, as identified by Dr Chadee and others, the government is always mindful of critical assessment. This will assist us to better review our policies and programmes and aim for better performance."
Public Administration Minister Rudrawatee Ramgoolam said these results will not be ignored and the government will learn from mistakes.

 

Port-of-Spain - Political Leader of the Congress of the People Winston Dookeran has said his party remains committed to the Fyzabad Declaration.
"Our signature remains affixed to the Fyzabad Declaration which was signed in the run-up to last May's general election. We will work towards its fullest and practical manifestation," Dookeran, the Finance Minister, told his party's monthly National Council meeting last weekend at its Operations Centre, Charlieville, Chaguanas
"We will make it work. Despite criticisms, COP will do its utmost for the People's Partnership coalition government to be sustained in power," he said.
In a statement from the party, Dookeran spoke of the new era of coalition politics which has now become a new mode of governance, citing recent examples in Britain and Australia, and earlier in India, Italy and Canada.
"Trinidad and Tobago is now in that alliance and COP will continue to uphold its historic responsibility," he said.
The electorate is no longer interested in allowing one political party or one group of men to run the affairs of their land, he said.
Dookeran said COP continues to usher new trends and thoughts in the politics and governance of Trinidad and Tobago.
He reminded the party's National Council that "the COP is the only political party formed in the 21st century. Having taken the lead, others will follow.”
He concluded that he stood up for democracy in 1990 during the coup attempt, and he continues to maintain the democratic traditions and principles of good governance.