Motions

 

a) By Senator the Honourable Mondy André Lewis:

 

Labour Senator’s Resolution to Parliament on Vaccination and Workers

 

WHEREAS the world is experiencing a health pandemic (COVID-19);

 

AND WHEREAS the pandemic has and continue to claim the lives of millions of people across the world;

 

AND WHEREAS this pandemic has caused economic and social fallout unknown to man in recent history;

 

AND WHEREAS these fallouts impacted working people to the extent of degrading their social status to that of poor and marginalised;

 

AND WHEREAS to save lives and address the economic and social fallout from the pandemic Grenada imposed a State of Emergency (SOE);

 

AND WHEREAS Grenada has been following the protocols set out by the WHO;

 

AND WHEREAS those activities have caused the citizens to so far enjoy protection from the pandemic;

 

AND WHEREAS vaccination has been introduced as another measure to control the spread of the disease;

 

AND WHEREAS the on-going reopening of the Country’s border will continue to increase the risk of possible COVID-19 infections;

 

AND WHEREAS the Government through the Prime Minister has said that the State will not make vaccination mandatory;

 

AND WHEREAS some employers are now openly or surreptitiously making vaccination mandatory for the continued employment of workers;

 

AND WHEREAS vaccination was not a condition of employment for existing workers;

 

NOW THEREFORE this Parliamentary Sitting of the Senate hereby resolves as follows:

 

• That no employer should make vaccination a condition of employment for existing workers.

 

• That where workers are coerced into taking the vaccine, the employer should be liable where there are adverse reactions associated with the vaccination.

 

• All employers must secure health insurance for all workers in their employ.

 

• That there should be at least two brands of vaccines to allow for choices.

 

 

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b) By Senator the Honourable Roderick St. Clair:

 

On Price Control Measures for Agriculture Inputs for Farmers

 

WHEREAS farmers have been experiencing increased cost of agriculture input resulting in higher cost of agriculture products to consumers;

 

AND WHEREAS the Supplies Control Act 314 of 1958 (Amended by Act No. 54 of 1979, Act No. 17 of 1980.) provides for the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community by regulating the import and export of such supplies, the prices at which such supplies may be sold, and for purposes connected therewith;

 

AND WHEREAS the current List of Price Control Items include: (a) Agriculture implements at 33.3 percent maximum markup; and (b) cutlasses, forks, hoes, machetes attract 25 percent maximum markup;

 

AND WHEREAS crop and animal farmers would use a wide range of approved agriculture input such as fertilisers, seeds, antibiotics, pesticides that are available on the market, to improve their production or combat the perils of pest and disease;

 

AND WHEREAS these inputs not being on the approved list of price control results in astronomically high cost of inputs, high cost of agriculture production and endangers the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community and the Grenada’s overall food security;

 

AND WHEREAS lower cost of inputs can result in lower cost of agriculture products resulting in increased food security and increased competitiveness of Grenada’s agriculture;

 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Senate supports this motion to update the current Price Control List to include agriculture inputs.

 

 

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c) By Senator the Honourable Roderick St. Clair:

 

On the Expansion of the Curriculum of to include Fisheries at the T. A. Marryshow Community College

 

WHEREAS during the period 1979/1980 the Government of Grenada established the Grenada Fisheries School to develop and improve the competency of Grenadians in the Fishing Industry;

 

AND WHEREAS Grenada’s Fisheries School contributed to improved knowledge, improved fishing techniques, increased fish catch and fish processing;

 

AND WHEREAS the Grenada Fisheries School was discontinued over three decades and several of the fisheries officers and fishermen are either retired or soon to be retired;

 

AND WHEREAS T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC) was established by Act 315B of 2009 and with objectives as outlined in Clause 4 (1) and (2) of the Act that allows the College to expand its academic offering;

 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Senate supports this motion for the TAMCC to expand its academic programme to include Fisheries Certified Training within its existing School of Agriculture;

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the existing Mirabeau Agriculture School of the TAMCC be renamed the Grenada Agriculture and Fisheries Training School (GAFTS) to provide for the inclusion of Fisheries in its academic portfolio.

 

 

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d) By Senator the Honourable Roderick St. Clair:

 

On the Need for Increased Resources for the Police to Fight Praedial Larceny

 

WHEREAS farmers continue to suffer increased losses due to praedial larceny despite the enactment of new legislations in August 2020;

 

AND WHEREAS the increased incidents of praedial larceny can cause farmers’ morale to decrease, negatively impacting our food security and food safety;

 

AND WHEREAS the Police Force is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the laws and regulations pertaining to praedial larceny;

 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Senate supports this motion to provide the Police Force with the required resources to arrest and reduce farmers’ losses due to praedial larceny such that our food security and food safety can be improved;

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT should this motion be passed that:

 

• The House of Representatives be so informed of the decision of the Senate; and

 

• The Government provides an immediate injection of resources within this fiscal year such that the Police Force can improve its fight on praedial larceny.