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Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago/Chapter 4
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Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago — Chapter 4 Parliament The Government of Trinidad and Tobago
1 Part 1 Composition of Parliament
1.1.1 Establishment of Parliament
1.2.1 Composition of Senate
1.3 Qualifications for Appointment as Senator
1.4 Disqualifications for Appointment as Senator
1.5 Tenure of Office of Senators
1.6 Appointments of Temporary Senators
1.7 President and Vice-President of the Senate
1.8 The House of Representatives
1.8.1 Composition of House of Representatives
1.9 Qualifications for Election as Member
1.10 Disqualifications for Election as Member
1.11 Tenure of Office of Members
1.12 Speaker and Deputy Speaker
1.13 Qualification of Voters
1.14.1 Determination of Questions as to Membership
2 Part 2 Powers, Privileges and Procedure of Parilament
2.1 Power to Make Laws
2.2 Alteration of this Constitution
2.3 Privileges and Immunities of Parliament
2.4 Regulation of Procedure in Each House
2.5 Oath of Allegiance
2.6 Presiding in Senate and House of Representatives
2.9 Mode of Exercising Legislative Power
2.10 Attendance of Misistries in Either House
2.11 Introduction of Bills, etc.
2.12 Restriction on Powers of Senate as to Money Bills
2.13 Restrictions on Powers of Senate as to Bills Other Than Money Bills
2.14 Provisiona Relating to Section 63, 64 and 65
3 Part 3 Summoning, Prorogation and Dissolution
3.1 Sessions of Parliament
3.2 Prorogation and Dissolution of Parliament
3.3 General Election and Appointment of Senators
4 Part 4 Election and Boundaries Commission
4.2 Elections and Boundaries Commission
4.3 Procedure for Review of Constituency Boundaries
5 Part 5 System of Balloting
5.1 System of Balloting
Part 1 Composition of Parliament [edit]
Establishment of Parliament [edit]
39.- There shall be a Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago which shall consist of the President, the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Senate [edit]
Composition of Senate [edit]
40.- 1. The Senate shall consist of thirty-one members (in this Constitution referred to as "Senators") who shall be appointed by the President in accordance with this section.
2. Of the thirty-one Senators-
Qualifications for Appointment as Senator [edit]
41.- Subject to section 42, a person shall be qualified to be appointed as a Senator if, and shall not be qualified to be so appointed unless, he is a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago of the age of twenty-five years or upwards.
Disqualifications for Appointment as Senator [edit]
2. Parliament may provide that, subject to such exceptions and limitations, if any, as may be prescribed, a person shall be disqualified for membership of the Senate by virtue of-
3. For the purposes of subsection (1)(e)-
Tenure of Office of Senators [edit]
43.- 1. Every Senator shall vacate his seat in the Senate at the next dissolution of Parliament after his appointment.
2. A Senator shall also vacate his seat in the Senate where-
Appointments of Temporary Senators [edit]
44.- 1. Where a Senator has temporarily vacated his office under subsection (2) or is incapable of performing his functions a Senator by virtue of the provisions of section 43(3) or by reason of-
4. in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by this section the President shall act-
c. in accordance with his own judgement in relation to a Senator appointed by him pursuant to section 40(2)(c).
President and Vice-President of the Senate [edit]
45.- 1. when the Senate first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the despatch of any other business, it shall elect a Senator, to be President of the Senate; and, if the office of President of the Senate falls vacant at any time before the next dissolution of Parliament, the Senate shall, as soon as practicable, elect another Senator to that office.
2. When the Senate first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the despatch of any other business except the election of the President of the Senate, it shall electe a Senator to be Vice-President of the Senate; and if the office of Vice-President of the Senate falls vacant at any time before the next dissolution of Parliament, the Senate shall, as soon as convenient, elect another Senator to that office.
4. A person shall vacate the office of President of the Senate or Vice-President of the Senate where-
5. Where, by virtue of section 43(3) the President of the Senate or Vice-President of the Senate is required to cease to perform his functions as a Senator he shall also cease to perform his functions as President of the Senate or Vice-President of the Senate as the case may be, and those functions shall, until he vacates his seat in the Senate or resumes the performance of the functions of his office, be performed-
The House of Representatives [edit]
Composition of House of Representatives [edit]
46.- 1. Subject to the provisions of this section, the House of Representatives shall consist of members who shall be elected in the manner provided by Parliament.
Qualifications for Election as Member [edit]
47.- Subject to the provisions of section 48, a person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives if, and shall not be qualified to be so elected unless, he-
Disqualifications for Election as Member [edit]
48.- 1. No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives who-
e. is disqualified for membership of the House of Representatives by any law in force in Trinidad and Tobago by reason of his holding, or acting in, any office the functions of which involve-
2. Parliament may provide that, subject to such exceptions and limitations, if any, as may be prescribed, a person may be disqualified for membership of the House of Representatives by virtue or-
3. For the purposes of paragraph (d) of subsection (1)-
Tenure of Office of Members [edit]
49.- 1. Every member of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House at the next dissolution of Parliament election.
2. A member of the House of Representatives shall also vacate his seat in the House where-
d. subject to the provisions of subsection (3), any circumstances arise that, if he were not a member of the House of Representatives, would cause him to be disqualified for election thereto by virtue of subsection (1) of section 48 or any law enacted in pursuance of subsection (2) of that section.
5. Where on the determination of any appeal, such circumstances continue to exist and no futher appeal is open to the member, or where, by reason of the expiration of any period of entering an appeal or notice thereof or the refusal of leave to appeal or, for any other reason, it ceases to be open to the member to appeal, he shall forthwith vacate his seat.
6. Where at any time before the member of the House vacates his seat such circumstances as are mentioned in this section cease to exist his seat shall not become vacant on the expiration of the period referred to insubsection (3) and he may resume the performance of his functions as a member of the House.
Speaker and Deputy Speaker [edit]
50.- 1. When the House of Representatives first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the despatch of any other business, it shall elect a person to be the Speaker of the House; and if the office of Speaker falls vacant at any time before the next dissolution of Parliament, the House shall, as soon as practicable, elect another person to that office.
3. A person who is not a member of either House shall not be elected Speaker where-
5. A person shall vacate the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker-
a. in the case of a Speaker elected from among the members of the House of Representatives or in the case of the Deputy Speaker-
i. where he ceases to be a member of the House, so however that the Speaker shall not vacate his office by reason only that he has ceased to be a member of the House in a dissolution of Parliament, until the House first meets after that dissolution;
c. where he announces the resignation of his office to the House of Representatives or if by writing under his han addressed, in the case of the Speaker to the Clerk of the House and in the case of the Deputy Speaker to the Speaker, or, if the office of Speaker is vacant or the Speaker is absent from Trinidad and Tobago, to the Clerk of the House, he resigns that office; or
6. Where, by virtue of section 49(3) the Speaker or Deputy Speaker is requird to cease to perform his functions as a member of the House of Representatives or where, in the case of the Speaker, by reason of circumstances referred to in subsection (8) or (9), ha has temporarily vacated his office, he shall also cease to perform his functions as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be, and those functions shall, until he vacates his seat in the House or resumes the performance of the functions of his office, be performed-
9. Upon delivery by the Clerk of the House to the Speaker of a resolution signed by a majority of the members of the House that the Speaker may be removed from office, (hereinafter referred to as "the resolution") the Speaker shall vacate his office temporarily and cease to perform his functions as Speaker.
10. The resolution shall state the grounds on which the Speaker's removal from office is proposed.
12. Unless a motion in support of the resolution is moved in the House-
14. Where the motion in subsection (12) is passed, the Clerk of the House shall within seven days of the passing of the motion referred to in subsection (12) transmit the records of proceedings in the House to a Special Tribunal comprising a Chairman and two other members appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, thereinafter referred to as "the Tribunal".
16. The Tribunal shall review the record and within twenty-one (21) days of its receipt of the record shall make a recommendation to the House accompanied by a brief statement of its reasons therefor either-
17. Where the Tribunal confirms that the Speaker shall do so immediately upon delivery to him of the confirmation of the Tribunal by the Clerk of the House.
Qualification of Voters [edit]
51.- Subject to such disqualifications as Parliament may prescribe, a person shall be qualified to vote at an election of member to serve in the House of Representatives if, and shall not be qualified to vote at such an election unless, he-
Determination of Questions as to Membership [edit]
52.- 1. any question whether:-
c. any person has been validly elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives from among persons who are not Senators or members of the House of Representatives, shall be determined by the High Court.
3. An appeal shall lie to the Court of Appeal from-
Part 2 Powers, Privileges and Procedure of Parilament [edit]
Power to Make Laws [edit]
53.- Parliament may make laws for the peace, order and good government of Trinidad and Tobago, so however that the provisions of this Constitution or (in so far as it forms part of the law of Trinidad and Tobago) the Trinidad and nidad and Tobago Independence Act, 1962 of the United Kingdom may not be altered except in accordance with the provisions of section 54.
Alteration of this Constitution [edit]
54.- 1. Subject to the provisions of this section, Parliament may alter any of the provisions of this Constitution or (in so far as it forms part of the law of Trinidad and Tobago) any of the provisions of the Trinidad and Tobago Independence Act, 1962.
a. section 4 to 14, 20(b), 21, 43(1), 53, 58, 67(2), 70, 83, 101, to 108, 110, 113, 116 to 125 and 133 to 137; or
Privileges and Immunities of Parliament [edit]
55.- 1. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and to the rules and standing orders regulating the procedure of the Senate and House of Representatives, there shall be freedom of speech in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Regulation of Procedure in Each House [edit]
56.- 1. Subject to the privisions of this Constitution, each House may regulate its own procedure.
Oath of Allegiance [edit]
57.- No member of either House shall take part in the proceedings of that House (other than proceedings necessary for the purposes of this section) until he has made and subscribed before that House the oath of allegiance, so however, that the election of a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and the election of a President of the Senate and Vice-President of the Senate may take place before the members of the House of Representatives, or the members of the Senate, as the case may be, have made and subscribed such oath.
Presiding in Senate and House of Representatives [edit]
58.- 1. The President of the Senate or, in his absence, the Vice-President of the Senate or, where they are both absent, a Senator, not being a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary, elected by the Senate for that sitting shall preside at each sitting of the Senate.
59.- 1. Save as otherwise provided in this Constitution, all questions proposed for decision in either House shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the members thereof present and voting.
Quorum [edit]
60.- 1. A quorum of the House of Representatives shall consist of twelve members of the House and a quorum of the Senate shall consist of ten Senators, so however that the person presiding at the sitting of either House shall not be included in reckoning whether there is a quorum of that House present.
Mode of Exercising Legislative Power [edit]
61.- 1. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the power of Parliament to make laws shall, except where otherwise authorised by statute, be exercised by Bills passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate and assented to by the President.
Attendance of Misistries in Either House [edit]
62.- 1. A Minister who is a Member of the House of Representatives and a Minister who is a Senator-
Introduction of Bills, etc. [edit]
63.- 1. A Bill other than a Money Bill may be introduced in either House; a Money Bill shall not be introduced in the Senate.
2. Except on the recommendation or with the consent of the Cabinet neither House shall-
a. proceed upon any Bill, including any amendment to a Bill, which, in the opinion of the person presiding, makes provision for any of the following purposes-
c. receive any petition which, in the opinion of the person presiding, requests that provisions be made for any of the purposes aforesaid.
Restriction on Powers of Senate as to Money Bills [edit]
64.- 1. Where a Money Bill, having been passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate at least one month before the end of the session, is not passed by the Senate without amendment within one month after it is sent to the Senate, the Bill shall, unless the House of Representatives otherwise resolves, be presented to the President for assent notwithstanding that the Senate has not consented to the Bill.
Restrictions on Powers of Senate as to Bills Other Than Money Bills [edit]
65.- 1. Where any Bill other than a Money Bill is passed by the House of Representatives in two successive sessions, whether or not Parliament is dissolved between those sessions, and, having been sent to the Senate in each of those sessions at least one month before the end of the session, is rejected by the Senate in each of those sessions that Bill shall, on its rejection for the second time by the Senate, unless the House of Representatives otherwise resolves, be presented to the President for assent notwithstanding that the Senate has not consented to the Bill.
5. For the purposes of this section a Bill shall be deemed to be rejected by the Senate where-
Provisiona Relating to Section 63, 64 and 65 [edit]
66.- 1. In sections 63, 64 and 65 "Money Bill" means a public Bill which, in the opinion of the Speaker, contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the following matters, namely:-
2. In subsection (1) the expressions "taxation", "debt", "public money" and "loan" do not include any taxation imposed, debt incurred or money provided or loan raised by any local authority or body for local purposes.
5. Before giving any certificate under section 64 or 65 the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker, as the case may be, shall consult the Attorney General or, if the Attorner General is absent from the seat of government, such legal officer in the Ministry of Legal Affairs as the Attorney General may designate for that purpose.
66A. -1. Subject to subsection (2), it is hereby declared that -
a. in addition to any other Joint Select Committee which Parliament is empowered to appoint under its Standing Orders, Parliament shall, within one calendar month -
or such time as the Parliament may resolve not being later than three months thereafter, appoint Joint Select Committees, to inquire into and report to both Houses of Parliament in respect of -
E. Service Commissions,
in relation to their administration, the manner of the exercise of their powers, their methods of functioning and any criteria adopted by them in the exercise of their powers and functions;
b. for the purpose of this section, an enterprise shall be taken to be controlled by the State if the Government or any body controlled by the Government -
c. a Committee appointed for the purposes set out in paragraph (a) may -
i. appoint sub-committees from among its members and delegate any of its powers to such sub-committee;
d. subject to any order of the House or resolution of the Committee, the sitting of a Committee shall be held in public;
2. A Joint Select Committe in exercising its powers under subsection (1) shall not enquire into the validity of the exercise of the functions of a body referred to in subsection (1) (a) nor modify, alter, rescind or in any way interfere with the decisions of any such body.
4. Subject to the Standing Orders, of Parliament, a Commitee may regulate its own procedure.
66B.- Each Service Commission shall submit to the President, before 1st October in each year, a report on its administration, the manner of the exercise of its powers, its methods of functioning and any criteria adopted by it in the exercise of its powers and functions in the previous year and the President shall cause the report to be laid within sixty days thereafter in each House.
66C.-1. Section 66A and 66B shall not apply to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission.
66D. A Body listed at (A) to (D) in 66A (1) (a) shall submit to the President before 1st July, in each year a report on the exercise of its functions and powers in the previous year, describing the procedures followed and any criteria adopted by it in connection therewith and the President shall cause the report to be laid within sixty days thereafter in each House.
Part 3 Summoning, Prorogation and Dissolution [edit]
Sessions of Parliament [edit]
67.- 1. Each session of Parliament shall be held at such place within Trinidad and Tobago and shall commence at such time as the President may by Proclamation appoint.
Prorogation and Dissolution of Parliament [edit]
68.- 1. The President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may at any time prorogue or dissolve Parliament.
General Election and Appointment of Senators [edit]
69.- 1. A general election of members of the House of Representatives shall be held at such time within three months after every dissolution of Parliament as the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, shall appoint.
3. Where a vacancy occurs in the House of Representatives within the first four years of the Life of the Parliament a bye-election shall be held to fill such vacancy.
Part 4 Election and Boundaries Commission [edit]
70.- 1. Trinidad and Tobago shall be divided into thirty-six constituencies or such other number as may be provided for by an Order made by the President in accordance with the provisions of this Part and each such constituency shall return one member to the House of Representatives.
Elections and Boundaries Commission [edit]
71.- 1. There shall be an Elections and Boundaries Commission for Trinidad and Tobago (in this Part referred to as "the Commission").
5. Subject to the provisions of this section, a member of the Commission shall vacate his office-
a. at the expiration of five years from the date of his appointment, but is eligible for re-appointment; or
Procedure for Review of Constituency Boundaries [edit]
72.- 1. The Commission shall, in accordance with the provisions of this section, review the number and boundaries of the constituencies into which Trinidad and Tobago is divided and submit to the Prime Minister and the Speaker for presentation to the House of Representatives in accordance with this section reports either-
3. As soon as may be after the Commission has submitted a report under subsection (1)(a) the Minister designated by the Prime Minister for this purpose (in this section called "the Minister") shall lay before the House of Representatives for its approval the draft of an Order by the President for giving effect, whether with or without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report, and that draft may make provision for any matters which appear to the Minister to be incidental to or consequential upon the other provisions of the draft.
Part 5 System of Balloting [edit]
System of Balloting [edit]
73.- 1. The election of members of the House of Representatives shall be by secret ballot and in accordance with the first-past-the-post system.
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