(Trinidad Guardian) There were political fireworks at the start of the Parliament’s Second Session yesterday, as government’s bid to push through with the Tax Information Exchange Agreement (2016) bill in Parliament hit a “wall” when the Opposition refused to have a meeting on the proposed bill.
This was despite the Government agreeing to change certain clauses of the bill which the Opposition had objected to.
During the tea break, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters, “I’m not convinced we should speak to the Government in secret, since those secret talks end up public for their distortion and lies. Also, you don’t breach the rights of the minority by invoking the Standing Orders of the House (to call the meeting).
“What a day…what a day for the first day as we come back (to Parliament). I’m convinced the Government doesn’t want to pass this bill. They know very well they will get an extension from the US (on the bill), but they just want to rant and rave from their platform to blame the Opposition. So they don’t care to pass the bill and every media forum will be blaming the Opposition.”
The legislation, designed to facilitate the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Agreement which T&T signed with the US in 2013, allows the T&T Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) and other financial institutions to share information with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Failure to pass it by the stipulated September 30 deadline could result in the halt of transfer of funds and transactions between the two countries. The bill was top of the agenda at yesterday’s launch of the Second Session of Parliament.
Finance Minister Colm Imbert slammed “misinformation and misunderstanding on the bill.” He detailed the bill’s genesis from the time the past People’s Partnership administration signed the agreement with the US in 2013, to its moves to begin drafting legislation in the first quarter of 2015. But nothing was done to further it after, he said.
“For reasons best known to themselves, they didn’t table the law…this (2016) bill is the same bill they had…now we have to come to them and beg them to agree on the bill? That’s not going to happen.”
Imbert, however, agreed to delete the clause (six) the Opposition had concerns about and change clause seven’s stipulation from having the “minister” provide information sought under the T&T-US agreement. He said T&T’s BIR Board would handle the task instead.
Concessions brought desk-thumping approval from the Opposition. Imbert subsequently said the Government was ready to vote and proposed suspension of proceedings for an hour for the two sides to meet on amendments.
But the Opposition objected. Following a successful Government majority vote on this, the sitting was adjourned for an hour. But during that time, Persad-Bissessar told reporters: “Government has no concern or respect for process. Why should we go behind closed doors? Let’s talk here in Parliament so people can see, because Government distorts things and it ends up in lies.
“We want to pass this bill but Government has its own agenda. I figure from their behaviour and things they’re saying, they don’t want this bill passed. I discovered at 6.15 am the bill would be debated today. Apart from the order paper, there was no indication of debate before—so brinksmanship again.”
She added, “There was only one concession on clauses, but (Imbert) said no to others. It’s insufficient, the Bankers’ Association had 13 amendments, I’m not taking any blame for the government’s recklessness and brinksmanship.”
Moonilal ejected
One of the “casualties” of yesterday’s argument on suspending the sitting was UNC MP Roodal Moonilal, who was told by House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George to leave the chamber. This occurred when Moonilal, in voting against the adjournment, said the Speaker could have intervened. He denied he was being contemptuous, but was sent outside.
