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  • 2 years ago
One of two Tobago self-government bills failed to secure Parliamentary approval

The Prime Minister declared that T&T is no base for the US

And The Concerned Muslims of T&T called for reptriation of our citizens from Syria
Transcript
00:00Welcome back. Trinidad and Tobago is not a base for the United States. It was the assurance
00:10given by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley last week as he sought to dispel claims in a media
00:15article.
00:17After what he describes as an inaccurate newspaper article suggesting the U.S. can station troops
00:23here in TNT, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley is doing damage control.
00:27Ladies and gentlemen, this article is wholly irresponsible. It is either based on incompetence,
00:39malice and or both. But I cannot for the life of me understand who in Trinidad and Tobago
00:47would see it fit to publish a headline, bold banner headline like that.
00:55The article was based on a status of forces agreement renegotiated between TNT and the
01:01U.S. on Thursday. The SOFA agreement has been in place between TNT and the U.S. since 2007.
01:08That is a serious matter. And if I don't come here today and as prime minister denounce
01:14this irresponsibility, if you were in Venezuela, what would you think? What would you think?
01:25And if you are in Venezuela, where Trinidad and Tobago are negotiating with you on all
01:29kinds of important matters, but making its territory available for American incursions
01:34in the event that it is determined that Venezuela has instability, what would you think?
01:38The prime minister did not want to reveal details of the discussions, which likely took
01:43up most of his day. But Dr. Rowley said the matter was so grave it warranted discussions
01:48with the U.S. and Venezuelan counterparts and even raised eyebrows in CARICOM, discussions
01:54he was not willing to reveal.
01:56I cannot and will not share, but I will tell you this would cause concern, has caused concern
02:05in very many areas, because it is not a small article. It is all well and good to write
02:13foolishness that nobody reads. But when you write this that has far-reaching consequences,
02:20you are a danger to the national interest of Trinidad and Tobago.
02:25The country's position has always been one of non-interference and non-intervention.
02:30The civil forces agreement, that's a standard agreement. That is what allows our soldiers
02:36and our Coast Guard people to interact with the United States people. You have to have
02:40an agreement. All those agreements are time-sensitive, they are required to be renewed, they are
02:47required to be established. None of them have anything to do with staging any military force
02:55from our country to anybody else's country. None of it. There's nothing that was said
03:01there by Admiral Halsley, by Minister Hines, by myself, or by anybody in the government
03:06that we have changed our position so this headline is now available to make news.
03:11The United States has SOFA agreements with over 100 countries, with each tailored to
03:15specify the terms under which foreign military is allowed to operate in host countries. TV6
03:22was unable to source the details of the SOFA agreement with TNT, nor the template of what
03:29it usually contains. Ravishi Tiwari, Rupnur Eye, TV6 News.
03:34Just forgive them and bring them home. It was the appeal of the concerned Muslims of
03:38TNT last week, in the wake of the overthrow of the Syrian government. The appeal to the
03:43government came as an unconfirmed number of TNT nationals have been stuck in Syria for
03:49several years. Following the ousting of the Syrian government
03:53led by President Bashar al-Assad, humanitarian group concerned Muslims of TNT is once again
04:00calling on the government to repatriate TNT citizens from Syria.
04:04Whatever has happened in the past with the citizens, for whatever reason they end up
04:11in this situation, I think that it's time to forgive them. They are wrong, yes, but
04:20they are human beings just like ourselves and we do feel for them and we would like
04:29them to return home. With the situation ongoing for more than a
04:34decade, Marvin is questioning why the government is taking so long to repatriate its citizens.
04:40I know that the family members, they have shown a willingness to accept certain arrangements,
04:49whatever it is. It's not like you're saying to the government, just bring them and let
04:58them just go back to their families and let them just do what they want to do.
05:05It has all these psychological issues, physical issues, mental issues and so on. So all of
05:13that has to be managed. Back in February of 2023, Human Rights Watch
05:19had reported that more than 90 TNT nationals, among them 21 women and 56 children, were
05:26unlawfully detained in life-threatening conditions in refugee camps and detention centres in
05:32northeast Syria. If you don't bring them home, then in other
05:37words, you're leaving them there to withstand again all the dangers and eventually they
05:45can die under the situation that I know that they are under. Every now and then there is
05:52violence in these camps and they are exposed to all of that. So I think that we have to
06:00act as human beings as well. In 2018, the Ministry of National Security
06:06formed the Nightingale Team to treat with this and other related issues. At least two
06:12children were returned home through their intervention. On Wednesday, TV6 News asked
06:18National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hines for an update, but he said he would speak
06:23to the issue at a later date. This is the past 7 days on 6. We'll be right back.
06:36Thanks for staying with us. The country's murder toll stood at 584 as of Saturday evening
06:43with the shooting death of three men in separate incidents. In one incident, police expressed
06:49concern over the markings on a spent shell found at the scene.
06:54According to reports, around 9pm on Friday, residents of Lamond Street in Enterprise heard
07:00several loud explosions. They subsequently observed 30-year-old Kurdi Ramdani from Gopal
07:06Avenue in Londonville, lying in a dirt road nearby. He was taken to the Shogunas District
07:11Health Facility before police arrived on the scene, but succumbed to his injuries while
07:16being treated. Police recovered 27 spent 9mm shells at the crime scene.
07:22In the second incident, an autonomous aged 44 was standing in front of his Tagorequa
07:27home around 7.50pm on Friday when a vehicle pulled up and a group of armed men exited
07:33the vehicle. Thomas attempted to run, but they chased after him and shot at him. He
07:38died at the scene. Police found 14 spent 9mm shell casings and three projectiles. Police
07:45suspect the murder was gang-related.
07:48And 65-year-old Roy Stanley was murdered in the vicinity of Holiday Inn Express along
07:54the Churchill Roosevelt Highway around 5.45am on Saturday. Police say several loud explosions
08:01were heard in the area, and Stanley's body was discovered in some bushes nearby. Police
08:06recovered three spent 9mm shells. One had a TTR marking, which is generally associated
08:13with the TNT Regiment. Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
08:19Director of the Police Complaints Authority David West was reappointed last week, making
08:23it his third term in office. West described his past 10 years at the authority as very
08:29good, but told TV6 there is much more work to do, namely getting more teeth for the authority.
08:36With another five-year term secured, PCA Director David West is giving himself and the Police
08:41Complaints Authority a passing grade.
09:11And as he embarks on his third consecutive term in office, the PCA Director is giving
09:29the public the assurance that the authority is governed by transparency, integrity and
10:05The PCA Director says he is looking forward to further empowering the authority to fulfil
10:17its mandate through legislative improvements.
10:34Over 14,000 motorists reached the demerit points limit as at 2023. This was revealed
10:58at a joint select committee which sat to examine the system last week. The Ministry of Works
11:04and Transport is now considering a rehabilitation exercise, which will give motorists a one-off
11:10chance to stay on the road.
11:13The statistics are staggering in relation to drivers who have been issued notices over
11:18the last three years for reaching or exceeding the limit of demerit points on their permits.
11:23Joint Select Committee Chairman Dhirub Timal gives insight into it based on a submission
11:28the JSC received.
11:30In 2020, we had 1,305. 2021, 6,937. 2022, 10,278. And 2023, 14,281.
11:50It's on average 4,000 drivers added per year. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works
11:55and Transport Sonia Francis-Yearwood says a rehabilitation initiative is on the cards
12:01as sometimes people's bread and butter are impacted.
12:05It is a pause to understand that I am about to lose my license. I now do a rehabilitative
12:10exercise and there is a reduction. If it is, after that you come right back up again. It's
12:21a one-time offer.
12:26This one-time offer is to actually bring the points down as well?
12:30Yes.
12:31She says a warning system is another avenue being considered for certain offences. The
12:36warnings will be entered into the devices allowing police and licensing officers to
12:41track whether a motorist was warned before the issuance of tickets and demerit points.
12:46According to Senior Legal Officer in the Transport Ministry Ayanna Humphrey, demerit points
12:51accumulated on a permit within a three-year period are looked at for disqualification.
12:57So that after that three-year period, the demerit points are not counted towards disqualification.
13:04If you accumulate demerit points and then for a period of two continuous years you do
13:11not accumulate any additional demerit points, those points are expunged from your record.
13:18The number of drivers who are not responding to the issuance of fixed penalty tickets and
13:23cannot be located has also increased from 14,988 in 2021 to 23,111 in 2023.
13:34Based on the information you have given, it's about 75% of persons do not respond.
13:42The Ministry states that a future plan is to have online payments, but for now, expanding
13:47the provider, which is CT Post, can be another option, as outlined by Transport Commissioner
13:52Clive Clarke.
13:53We could consider having the PAB, the Ministry, or the entity, and the law allows for that.
14:00And it's something I, as Commissioner, have been raising discussions with the legal so
14:04we could probably put forward recommendations.
14:07Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
14:10Sport is up next, keep it here.
14:18In sport, swimmer Dylan Carter missed out on a place in the finals of the 50 metre freestyle,
14:25placing fifth in semi-final number two of the Swimming World Champions in Budapest.
14:31Cayman Islands swimmer Jordan Crooks took the spotlight as he was the first man ever
14:36to swim under 20 seconds in the men's 50 metre free.
14:40Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands is flying through the halfway and he's well under world
14:46record pace.
14:47Crooks, will he blow his record again?
14:50He is flying down there, he's after the world record, and he gets it!
14:55He gets it alright, and he's subbed 20!
14:5919.9, can you believe it?
15:0319 seconds, world record for Jordan Crooks.
15:08And an advisory before we go.
15:10The Ministry of Health is asking people to be vigilant and to protect themselves and
15:15their children from hand, foot and mouth disease.
15:19This has suspected and confirmed cases are now engaging the attention of health officials.
15:25According to the health ministry, there have been recent reports of a few suspected cases
15:30of hand, foot and mouth disease.
15:33While the ministry states that it is not a public health risk, it is still asking people
15:38to be vigilant.
15:40Symptoms to look out for are fever, a loss of appetite, sore throat and feeling unwell.
15:46Painful sores in the mouth and a skin rash may also develop on the palms of the hands
15:51and the soles of the feet.
15:54A rash can also appear on the knees, elbows and buttocks.
15:58The symptoms usually go away on their own within a week or two and are generally mild
16:03to moderate.
16:04Hand, foot and mouth disease is contagious and spreads through coughing, sneezing, close
16:09bodily contact, contact with infected faeces, for example, during the changing of diapers
16:16and also when touching surfaces or objects that have been contaminated with the virus.
16:21The ministry underscores that it is important to practice good hygiene to mitigate the spread
16:26of the virus.
16:27Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
16:31And that's a wrap on the past 7 days on 6.
16:34I am Renessa Cutting.
16:36If you didn't catch this segment in its entirety, you can find it on our website www.tv6tnt.com
16:44and you can find all these stories and more on the TV6 mobile app.
16:49Thanks for choosing TV6 and do have a great evening.
17:06Good evening and welcome to the past 7 days on 6.
17:29I am Renessa Cutting.
17:31Here's what made the news this past week.
17:34One of two Tobago self-government bills failed to secure parliamentary approval.
17:39The Prime Minister declared that TNT is no base for the United States.
17:43Under the concern, the Muslims of TNT called for repatriation of citizens from Syria.
17:49As per usual, if it was happening, it was on 6.
17:52Let's get right into it.
17:55After much lobbying by Chief Secretary Farley Augustine,
17:58the opposition heeded his call and withheld support for one of the two Tobago bills in the lower house,
18:04denying government the requisite three-fourths majority needed for the bill to advance.
18:10Two bills intended to deliver autonomy for Tobago hit the lower house.
18:15The session starts off with much opposition,
18:18pursuant from a morning briefing by the THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine,
18:23seeking support for more consultation with the people of Tobago
18:26before effecting changes that will impact their lives.
18:53That no further, that they don't proceed further with this particular bill.
18:58While at the committee of the whole stage for the act to repeal the Tobago House of Assembly Act
19:04and to provide for the powers and functions of the Tobago Island government,
19:08the Prime Minister maintains consultation took place for years.
19:13I am shocked that the member for Baratirisan could so cavalierly intervene in the parliamentary proceedings
19:24to play this game.
19:26Madam Speaker, the matter before us is a matter that has been in the public domain for years,
19:33in this house for years.
19:35Dr Keith Rowley said he received a WhatsApp message from Augustine two minutes prior,
19:41but had not received any official correspondence to his office.
19:45The Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly is now intervening in that matter,
19:51offering eight pages of legal, I don't know who the legal lawyers are,
19:56telling the parliament to stop its proceedings,
20:00because he, through the member for Baratirisan and other persons,
20:05have found another way or other things to be done under the rubric of consultation, Madam Speaker.
20:13How did we get here, if not by a series of years of consultation?
20:19Back at the House stage, a division was taken,
20:21and even the United Opposition was unable to stop the passage of the bill,
20:26which required a simple majority.
20:28It was 24 and 10 against.
20:31Then came time to go back into the committee for the bill's big brother,
20:35an act to amend the constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
20:40to accord self-government to Tobago and for related matters.
20:44There was a flurry of back and forth between the opposition and government benches.
20:49While the intention of the bill, this constitutional amendment bill is saying,
20:53give the right of self-determination,
20:55the law is not really giving them the right of self-determination.
20:59Central government will still have a stronghold over the executive arm.
21:04If the member does not have an amendment,
21:06then Madam Speaker, I would like us to proceed, please. Thank you.
21:10I never said not to speak. You can speak for as long as you wish.
21:13Enter the concern over the various definitions of Tobago.
21:18The persons who had sent information to the Honourable Prime Minister by WhatsApp,
21:26these are some of the concerns that they raised.
21:29And so we have taken their concerns on board, including the letter that was sent since 2021.
21:37These are the concerns that were raised.
21:39And Madam Speaker, if they are the mouthpieces for the TPP,
21:44then Madam Speaker, they should be well aware of what is before us today.
21:50Although the preamble suggests both Trinidad and Tobago share lawmaking functions,
21:55will Tobago be out trumped?
21:58These laws that the Tobago legislature will pass are actually going to be subordinate laws
22:03to what the National Parliament passed.
22:05So it's not going to be that there's an equality of status with respect to the Tobago legislature.
22:10So again, this in itself does not achieve what the government's narrative is.
22:18They are just fooling people with this amendment.
22:20The objective was to give Tobago additional powers, powers that they do not now have.
22:28Madam Speaker, the objective was not to have a separate Tobago from Trinidad.
22:35So Madam Speaker, the lawmaking powers that govern Trinidad and Tobago as a country
22:41will continue to be done in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.
22:48Attorney-at-law Saddam Hussein, who led the opposition's queries,
22:52asked why the appeal stage of the Dispute Resolution Committee was stopped
22:56at the Court of Appeal stage and not the Privy Council, much like election petitions.
23:02He was told that comparisons were made with other jurisdictions before this decision was taken.
23:08When taken back to the House, this bill, which needed a three-fourths special majority,
23:13failed to get the required support.
23:16Our members with a division of 21 members vote in for, 16 members vote in against, and no abstentions.
23:26The motion for the third reading of the Constitutional Amendment,
23:30Tobago Self-Government Bill 2020, is not approved.
23:36Urvashi Tiwari, Rupanarayan TV6 News.
23:39THA Chief Secretary Fannie Augustine said the defeat of the Tobago bills in Parliament on Monday
23:45was nothing short of a travesty, a miscarriage of democracy,
23:49and a mockery of what a democracy ought to represent.
23:53What happened today was really a mockery of our parliamentary system, a mockery of democracy.
24:01It was evident that there was absolutely no will, no intent whatsoever to have anything passed,
24:08and there was a position that says, look, I don't care, I am in charge, this is what I put in there,
24:14if you don't want it, leave it. Really? Is that how we manage a democracy?
24:20Mr. Augustine said the voice of the people of Tobago was disregarded by the leader of the PNM
24:25and the Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley.
24:28Sadly, our Prime Minister went to the Parliament today, and when I look at the amendments he proposed,
24:35clearly he didn't take much time to come up with those amendments.
24:39We really went to the Parliament today to pass these important bills,
24:44and the only amendments the government was willing to consider
24:48was whether we should call the head of the Executive in Tobago Chief Secretary or Premier.
24:53Really? That's the best? As a matter of fact, in 2020 and 2021, Tobogonians rejected the term Premier.
25:03Mr. Augustine said no one man is in charge of Tobago.
25:07No one man owns this place, no one man is in charge of this place, the people are in charge of this place.
25:14And if the people of Tobago, who have been consistent in saying what they want out of this arrangement,
25:22this relationship culture around Tobago, you cannot adhere to that,
25:27then you are not deserving of the power that you hold.
25:31Mr. Augustine also had a message for the minority leader, Kelvin Morris, and his team.
25:37So I'm not going to waste much more time engaging the minority on this nonsense that they're talking.
25:43They should be standing up for Tobogonians.
25:46They should be telling the big bad wolves that are running their party,
25:50look, Tobogonians don't want that, you know.
25:52Make sure you give Tobogonians what they want.
25:55So, whatever the handlers in Trinidad say they will give, they jump up like some idiots,
26:01popping up, up goes the weasel, just saying, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, how high should I jump?
26:08Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
26:11The opposition leader, Mrs. Kamala Bassad-Bassasa,
26:14defended the UNC's decision to vote against the Tobago self-government bill,
26:19which resulted in the bill failing in Parliament on Monday.
26:22Bassad-Bassasa spoke briefly on the issue during her party's town hall meeting in St. Joseph.
26:28With the Tobago self-government bill failing to secure a super-majority in the Parliament,
26:33with 21 government members voting for and 16 opposition members voting against its passage,
26:40opposition leader Kamala Bassad-Bassasa is defending her party's position.
26:44It was a mama-guy bill.
26:46They were attempting to say they're giving self-government,
26:49self-determination to the people of Tobago.
26:52And the trolls are now out there with the narrative that the UNC blocked the bill.
26:56And we blocked it for good reason, because far from giving self-determination,
27:02what it was doing was reserving the power to the prime minister of the country
27:06to say, to do, to make the decisions.
27:08The opposition leader then referenced another piece of legislation,
27:13which she noted was touted to bring significant improvement to the quality of life of citizens.
27:18Because they had no intention of passing, they knew we were not supporting it.
27:21We knew the people of Tobago were not supporting those bills,
27:24and they had made it very clear they could not support them.
27:27But it reminds them that this is an election gimmick.
27:30You remember, just before election, local government, what happened?
27:34They came with Local Government Reform Act.
27:38Up to today, only one clause was proclaimed.
27:42And you know which one that was?
27:45To extend the life of the local government councils.
27:49And what that meant is to delay the election.
27:52But we took them to court.
27:54We have good doctors in the UNC, we have good lawyers in the UNC as well.
27:57And the court struck it down.
27:59Pasar Besasa is promising to do right by Tobago if the UNC wins the general election.
28:05Among her plans, better health services for Tobago.
28:09The one cath lab in San Fernando, we will do.
28:12But I promise you this, should you put us back, we will also fix back the cath lab in Tobago.
28:19We had a quick break. We'll have more news when we return.
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