The Opposition today sought details from the Government in the House of Representatives about the dismissal of the former Central Bank Governor and the former CEO of WASA.
But in response, the relevant Ministers invoked a Standing Order many may have never heard of before.
00:00When Finance Minister Devendranath Tanku announced via statement on Wednesday that former Finance Minister Larry Hawaii had been appointed as the new governor of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago following the revocation of Dr. Alvin Hillier's appointment as the governor, the minister's statement said further information will be provided by the government in the coming days.
00:21Two days later, the Gomate North East MP, Colm Inbut, a former Finance Minister, sought the details in the House of Representatives on behalf of the opposition.
00:33To the Minister of Finance, can the minister provide the reasons for the termination of the appointment of Dr. Alvin Hillier as governor of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago?
00:47Minister of Finance.
00:48Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
00:52Mr. Speaker, I refer your attention to Standing Order 27-1-G as it relates to this question.
01:03House Speaker Jagdeo Singh referred to his copy of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.
01:09Member Ferdinand Martin, the minister, in his opinion, I'm mirroring the words of the Standing Order.
01:18Member Ferdinand Martin, the minister, in his opinion, is invoking Standing Order 27-1-G, which says a minister may decline to answer a question, if in his opinion, the publication of the answer would be contrary to the public interest.
01:33A check of the Parliament's website shows that the Standing Order 27-1-G is contained in the Standing Orders of the lower house as revised in 2015.
01:48And the government also used that Standing Order when faced with another question posed to Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath on behalf of the opposition by Aruka Maloney MP, Marvin Gonzalez, a former minister of Public Utilities.
02:04To the Minister of Public Utilities, in light of the confirmation by the Board of Commissioners of the Water and Seerage Authority of the immediate tumination of nine executive officers of WASA, can the minister indicate the reasons for the tumination?
02:20Minister of Public Utilities.
02:22Thank you kindly, Honourable Speaker.
02:29Mr. Speaker, I refer your attention to Standing Order 27-1-G as it relates to this question.
02:38House Speaker Singh offered his definition of the Standing Order.
02:4227-1-G, member, is the minister invoking the public interest exemption in relation to that question?
02:55On Wednesday, WASA announced that G. Van Joseph had been appointed as the authority's acting chief executive officer,
03:03bringing an end to the appointment of St. Kittsbourne Keith-Roy Halliday as the top executive at WASA.
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