House considers financial and immigration bills – but not Equal Opportunities Bill

Published by BBN Staff at September 16, 2020

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Posted: Wednesday, September 16, 2020. 10:58 am CST.

By Aaron Humes: While officially listed on the Orders of the Day, the Equal Opportunities Bill, 2020 has been withdrawn after consideration by Cabinet and will not be discussed today in the House of Representatives.

The Bill, which proposed among other things to regulate the treatment of discrimination against less-favored groups, faced heavy opposition from the churches and other communities.

But the House still has a busy schedule. It will consider a fourth general revenue supplementary appropriation bill for the year after a short meeting of the Committee of Supply and a second amendment to the Treasury Bills Act to raise the principal sums represented by Treasury Notes outstanding at any one time.

A second amendment for 2020 for the Immigration Act proposes to regulate the movement of nationals of Caribbean Community states; provide for expansion of the definition of dependent to include spouses and other dependents of the national; include new definitions; clarify the periods of automatic and indefinite stay for CARICOM nationals; and add Haiti to the list of qualifying CARICOM states. Its companion, the CARICOM Free Movement of Skilled Persons (Amendment) Bill, proposes to make provision in the interest of administrative and operational efficiency; include new definitions and expand existing ones; and include new categories of approved persons.

Minister of Natural Resources Hugo Patt is to propose to amend the Land Tax Act to empower himself as Minister to remit land tax where there is the spread of infectious disease; and a Radiation Safety and Security Office is to be established as part of a proposed new law providing for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear technology.