Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698075470511.pdf (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ORDER PAPER No.10____________________________________________________________________________26 TUESDAY 29th JUNE, 2021 __________________________________________________________________ PRAYERS OBITUARIES CONGRATULATORY REMARKS CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF THE SITTING HELD ON TUESDAY 11TH MAY, 2021 ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS REPORTS FROM SELECT COMMITTEES PAPERS 1.
House of Assembly Paper 4 of 2021 Report on the Audit of the Saint Vincent And the Grenadines Zero Hunger Trust Fund For the year ended December 31st, 2019 (Honourable Camillo Gonsalves/Minister of Finance) 2.

House of Assembly Paper 5 of 2021 Director of Audit Report on the Public Accounts Of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines For the year ended December 31st, 2015 (Honourable Camillo Gonsalves/Minister of Finance) QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS 1.
Dr. the Honourable Godwin Friday, (Leader of the Opposition), to Prime Minister, Minister of National Security, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Legal Affairs and Information: Upon the orders of the Government, persons displaced by the volcanic eruptions have returned to the Orange Zone.

Many complain about scarcity of food and other essential supplies and about the large amounts of ash still on the ground and in the air that threatens their health and well-being.
1 No.10____________________________________________________________________________27 Will the Honourable Prime Minister please state: i.

What arrangements are in place to supply food and other necessities for residents returning to their homes in the Orange Zone; ii.

How the arrangements have been working; and iii.

How homeowners are being assisted by the government with the clearing of volcanic ash for their private property.

2.
2.

Dr. the Honourable Godwin Friday, (Leader of the Opposition), to ask the Honourable Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment: The number of COVID 19 cases in this country continues to grow as the health authorities almost daily report new positive cases and have reported 148 in June alone.
As of June 17, 2021, there were 237 active cases, more than in any other OECS country and Barbados, where the actives cases were as follows: St. Lucia - 115; Grenada-0; Barbados –18; Dominica – 1; St. Kitts – 94; Antigua – 7.

Will the Honourable Minister agree: i.

That this country is moving in the wrong direction regarding COVID 19; and ii.

Explain the implications of this situation over the rest of the year for the people of the country.

3.
3.

Dr. the Honourable Godwin Friday, (Leader of the Opposition), to ask the Honourable Minister of Urban Development, Airport, Seaport, Energy and the Grenadines Affairs The Ottley Hall Marina dockyard collapsed over two years ago and since then the local boat owners have had to take their boats including cargo boats and ferry boats to Trinidad and Tobago to be repaired at great cost and inconvenience.

Will the Honourable Minister say: i.

What is the present condition of the Ottley Hall shipyard; and ii.
When will it be repaired and be available for use by local boat owners and provide jobs to local workers and revenue to the country.

4.

The Honourable Terrance Ollivierre, (Member for the Southern Grenadines), to ask the Honourable Minister of Education and Reconciliation: The Government had stated that it planned to provide tablets to all students from Kindergarten to Grade 6.

Will the Honourable Minister please state if: i.

All students have received the tablets so far and if not why; and ii.
What is the Government’s plan to utilize these devices in the on-going teaching and learning process.

5.

The Honourable Terrance Ollivierre, (Member for the Southern Grenadines), to ask the Honourable Minister of Education and Reconciliation: What are the Government’s plans to deal with the management of COVID-19 in educational institutions throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

2 No.10____________________________________________________________________________28 6.
The Honourable Major St. Clair Leacock, (Member for Central Kingstown), to ask the honourable Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Security, Legal Affairs and Information: There is much national discourse, daily news and the weekly news on the State of Justice; Rule of Law; Fairness and Governance.

Many have cited the cases of Marcus De Freitas; “Bigger Bigs” and Dr. Wayne Murray as cases in point.

Will the Honourable Prime Minister please state: i.
When would the above named individuals especially Marcus De Freitas who has been promised redress in the House be properly compensated 7.

The Honourable Major St. Clair Leacock, (Member for Central Kingstown), to ask the honourable Minister of Transport and Works: All across this country there is services infrastructure deficit in the state of our roads, drains, retaining walls, good rails and the lot goes on.

The constituency of Central Kingstown is no exception.
The drains and supporting civil works outside “Ferdie” shop at Kingstown Park is in a dilapidated, non-functioning and threatening state.

So too is the drain in the area of the phone booth in Largo Height, to name just two.

The roads in Kingstown Park, Redemption Sharpes an Green Hill are also in urgent need of attention.

Will the Honourable Minister please say: What is the likelihood against competing claims these will be fixed over the next six (6) months.

8.
8.

The Honourable Major St. Clair Leacock, (Member for Central Kingstown), to ask the honourable Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology: As Minister of Finance you recently stated publicly that as part of the rehabilitation in the “Red Zone”; fridges, stoves and other appliances will be given to affected and qualifying homeowners.

i.
i.

Does the Minister appreciate that these worthy actions will have greater transparency and fairness if there is either a National Task Force involvement or involvement of the Caretakers of the NDP who have very strong representation in these constituencies?

ii.

When will consultation take place with the Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) in the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the Red and Orange Zones which also happen to be Political Constituencies.

9.
9.

The Honourable Nigel Stephenson, (Member for South Leeward), to ask the Honourable Minister of Housing and Informal Human Settlement: The eruption of La Soufriere led to the evacuation of residents of the designated red and orange zones.

Will the Honourable Minister please state: i.

Please state how many evacuees have expressed an interest in being relocated; ii.

Where the people requesting relocation are from; and iii.

Where are the designated lands located.


3 No.10____________________________________________________________________________29 10.

The Honourable Nigel Stephenson, (Member for South Leeward), to ask the Honourable Minister of Social Development, Housing and Informal Human Settlement: The Penniston Community Center was once utilized by the people of Penniston to enhance their quality of life.

Today it is sadly in a dilapidated condition.


Will the Honourable Minister please state: When that center will be rehabilitated and the estimated cost.

11.

The Honourable Fitzgerald Bramble, (Member for East Kingstown), to ask the Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Legal Affairs and Energy: The La Soufriere Volcanic eruptions in April 2021 have caused extensive damage to the physical and social infrastructure as well as the economy of St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
Will the Honourable Minister please state: i.

The extent of the damage to St. Vincent and the Grenadines caused by the eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano in April 2021; ii.

What is the total cost of the damage; and iii.

What procedure was undertaken to assess the damage and is the cost estimate final and conclusive.

12.
12.

The Honourable Fitzgerald Bramble, (Member for East Kingstown), to ask the Minister of Transport, Works, Lands and Surveys, and Physical Planning: The Parliament of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, on May 11th, approved a Supplementary Budget which included a Community Clean-up Project.

Will the Honourable Minister please: i.

Provide an update of that project which should have already started; ii.

Outline the work that is being done in East Kingstown under this project; and iii.
State how many people are employed under this project and what was the process of selecting people to work on this project.

13.

The Honourable Israel R. Bruce (Opposition Senator) to ask of the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry & Labour.
AGRICOM, a USD$4.3 Million loan project was conceptualized to engender agricultural competitiveness has been hailed as a programme to assist the farmers, fishers and agro- processors here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

i.

What was the startup and proposed completion dates of this project; ii.

What percentage of this project has been completed to date and through what current active initiatives; and iii.

How much of the USD$4.3 Million has been used thus far on this project.

14.
14.

The Honourable Israel R. Bruce (Opposition Senator) to ask of the Honourable Minister of Finance and Economic Planning: i.

What is the Government’s total intake of revenue from the granting of alien land holding licenses, on a monthly basis, between April 1st 2020 and May 30th 2021 4 No.10____________________________________________________________________________30 15.
The Honourable Shevern John, (Opposition Senator) to ask the Honourable Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Security, Legal Affairs and Information: i.

Could the Honourable Minister please explain how the government has been tackling police brutality; and ii.

Whether any studies have been undertaken as to how to increase public confidence in the protective services of the police department.

16.
16.

The Honourable Shevern John, (Opposition Senator), to ask the Honourable Minister of National Mobilization, Social development, Family, Gender Affairs, Youth, Housing and Informal Settlement.

Can the Honourable Minister tell us what specific plan will be executed to assist citizens resettling in the red zones.

17.
17.

The Honourable Shevern John, (Opposition Senator), to ask the Honourable Minister of National Mobilization, Social development, Family, Gender Affairs, Youth, Housing and Informal Settlement.

i.

Has there been any investigation locally, into the impact of the pandemic on domestic violence?

If so, what are the results of such an investigation; and ii.

Can the Honourable Minister explain his plan and execution strategy for effectively tackling domestic violence/ intimate partner violence.
ORDERS OF THE DAY (Government Orders are marked thus*) MOTIONS Motion Moved by: Dr. the Honourable Godwin Friday, Leader of the Opposition and Member for Northern Grenadines ON CONDUCT AND RESPONSIBILITY OF MEMBERS WHEREAS this Honourable House must seek always to promote the values and principles enshrined in our laws and democratic traditions and to foster respect for the rule of law; AND WHEREAS each Member of Parliament is accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their offce; AND WHEREAS each Member of Parliament shall never undertake any action which would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Assembly as a whole, or of its Members generally; AND WHEREAS it is alleged that Mr. Cornelius John was beaten and shot in his leg at his home in Diamond and that Senator and Deputy Speaker Ashelle Morgan was one of three assailants involved in the incident; AND WHEREAS the Commissioner of Police has confirmed publicly that the matter is under police investigation and that Senator Morgan is a person of interest in the investigation; AND WHEREAS this matter has stirred the conscience of our nation and caused many to question the administration of justice and the rule of law in St. Vincent and the Grenadines 5 No.10____________________________________________________________________________31 AND WHEREAS Senator Morgan attended the meeting of the House of Assembly on May 11th, 2021 and the Leader of the Opposition with the full support of all members of the Opposition sought to invite Senator Morgan to withdraw from the sitting of the House or to have her suspended from the House pending the outcome of the police investigation into the serious allegations Concerning her; AND WHEREAS Senator Morgan was appointed by the Governor General acting on the advice of the Prime Minister and that appointment can be revoked by the Governor General acting on the advice of the Prime Minister; AND WHEREAS Senator Morgan has not withdrawn from the House and her appointment as senator has not been revoked and thus.
she remains a member of the House and the Deputy Speaker; AND WHEREAS the Speaker of the House has a constitutional duty to interpret and apply the Standing Orders so as to facilitate debate and promote the decorum and dignity of the House; BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House call on Senator and Deputy Speaker Ashelle Morgan to withdraw from the sittings of House pending the outcome of the police investigation into the serious allegations made against her in relation to the beating and shooting of Cornelius John; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that should Senator Morgan fail or refuse to withdraw, she be Suspended for the sittings of the House pending the outcome of the police investigation into the serious allegations made against her in relation to the beating and shooting of Cornelius John.
Proposed by: Dr. the Honourable Godwin Friday Seconded by: The Honourable Terrance Ollivierre BILLS 2.

* The Banking (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Honourable Minister of Finance) 3.

* The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Zero Hunger Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Honourable Minister of Finance) 1st Reading 1st Reading 4.
* Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2021 1st Reading (Honourable Minister of Finance) 5* Immigration (Restriction) (Amendment) Bill, 2021 1st Reading (Honourable Minister of National Security) 6* Securities Bill, 2021 1st Reading (Honourable Minister of Finance) 7* Eastern Caribbean Securities Regulatory Commission 1st Reading Agreement Bill, 2021 (Honourable Minister of Finance) 6 No.10____________________________________________________________________________32 8* St Vincent and the Grenadines Friendly Societies Bill, 2021 (Honourable Minister of Finance) 1st Reading ADJOURNMENT 7