(Trinidad Express) Activist Jowelle De Souza made history on Tuesday as the first transgender person to be appointed a senator.
De Souza was appointed a temporary Opposition senator in place of Jayanti Lutchmedial, who was ill.
Shortly after De Souza took the oath, there was a tit-for-tat exchange between Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell and United National Congress (UNC) senators Anil Roberts and David Nakhid.
Senate President Christine Kangaloo had to caution members.
“Members, please. I have never had to caution members while this part of the proceedings is going on,” she said.
The oath-taking is usually the one part of the proceedings when members of Parliament are silent.