Caption: President Christine Kangaloo, First Gentleman Kerwyn Garcia, second right, Senate President Wade Mark, left, and House Speaker Jagdeo Singh. Photo: T&T Parliament
By Sue-Ann Wayow and Faith Edwards
THE new President of the Senate is Wade Mark, a veteran in politics and in Parliament.
The Senate’s Deputy President is a newcomer, Kenya Charles.
In the House of Representatives, attorney Jagdeo Singh took his oath as House Speaker while Member of Parliament for Princes Town Dr Aiyna Ali is the Deputy Speaker of the House.
Mark, Charles, Singh and Ali took up their new positions at the Ceremonial Opening of the 13th Parliament on Friday. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives held their first sessions simultaneously at 1.30 pm at the Red House in Port of Spain.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Brian Ceaser took charge of the initial proceedings and read the proclamation of the opening of Parliament that was previously issued by President Christine Kangaloo.
After the National Anthem was played, he invited proposals for Speaker of the House.
The Chief Whip and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Barry Padarath announced that attorney Jagdeo Singh was being proposed as Speaker.
The proposal was seconded by Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo. There were no other proposals.
When it was announced that Singh was now the duly elected Speaker of the House, thunderous desk thumping echoed through the Chamber.
Singh, who was outside the Chamber at the time, was robed in the symbolic Parliamentary attire and led inside the Chamber where he took his oath first and then the House Speaker’s chair.
He then took over the proceedings from the clerk.
His first order of business was selecting a Deputy House Speaker.
Padarath again proposed that Member of Parliament for Princes Town Dr Aiyna Ali be the Deputy House Speaker and again it was seconded by Tancoo.
Both ministers sat on either side of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the government’s side.
Ali who was already in the Chamber took her oath. She was the only UNC Member of Parliament who did not receive a ministerial or parliamentary secretary post in Persad-Bissessar’s Cabinet.
According to the Constitution, the Deputy Speaker must be a member of the House of Representatives, but cannot be a minister or a parliamentary Secretary.
Following, all 41 Members of Parliament took their oath of affirmation, starting with Padarath who led off the government members. Member of Parliament for Arouca/Lopinot Marvin Gonzales was first for the opposition.
Gonzales and Member of Parliament for Diego Martin North/East Colm Imbert sat on either side of Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles.
Persad-Bissessar took her oath on the Constitution as when she was sworn in as Prime Minister on May 1.
The House of Representatives consists of 41 Members of Parliament, excluding the House Speaker and Deputy House Speaker of House – 28 on the Government side and 13 on the Opposition’s side. Of the two on the Government’s side, two members represent the Tobago People’s Party (TPP).
In the Senate
The Senate was less populated by both members and attendees.
Mark was proposed to be the Senate President without other proposals. He was also robed, brought into the Chamber to take his oath and brought to the Senate President’s chair.
Charles was proposed as Vice President of the Senate. The proposals were brought forward by Government Senator Darrell Allahar.
There were no other nominations.
The Senate consists of 31 members, 16 appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, six on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, and nine appointed at the discretion of the President.
In her first speech to this Parliament, the President said she was part of Parliament and will support whenever necessary.
This is the first time in Trinidad and Tobago’s history that there are three women holding top leadership positions – the president, the prime minister and the opposition leader.
