SENATE
_____________________
11th Parliament                                                                                                                Tuesday
1st Session                                                                                                     11th October, 2022
No. 4 of 2022                                                                                                          at 09:00 a.m.
ORDER PAPER
(Pursuant to Standing Order No. 13)

 

 

1. Formal Entry of Madam President.

2. Prayers.

3. Oath of Allegiance or Affirmation of a new Senator.

• Election of Deputy President of the Senate

4. Confirmation of Minutes:

• Confirmation of the Minutes of the proceedings of a Sitting of the Ceremonial State Opening
  of the 1st Session of the 11th Parliament held at the Parliament Chamber on Wednesday 31st
  August, 2022.

5. Messages from the Governor-General.

6. Announcements by Madam President.

7. Ministerial Statements.

8. Presentation of Papers and Reports from Select Committees.

• First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure 2022
• 2022 Mid-Year Review Report
• Nis 2021 Annual Report

9. Petitions.

• We the undersigned farmers of the State of Grenada hereby petition for the amendment to the
  Agriculture Crop (Compensation) Act No. 9 of 1967 to enable farmers to receive a fair
  compensation for crop loss.
  We therefore seek the support of the Legislative.
  And your petitioners as in duty bound, will ever pray

 

10. Government Notices.

 

11. Unofficial Notices.

 

12. Questions.

a) By Senator the Hon. Roderick St. Clair

Question # 1
*Please inform this Honourable House on government’s lease arrangement pertaining to the Bellevue Estate, in Bellevue, St. Andrew.

(a) To who or which company is the Bellevue Estate in Bellevue, St. Andrew leased?
(b) What is the duration of the lease and how much more years is remaining on the lease?
(c) How many acres of lands are covered under the lease?
(d) What are the monetary terms and conditions pertaining of the lease?
(e) Is the lease’s performance of the terms of the lease satisfactory?
(f) If not, what are the plans of this governing administration to deal with the situation?

 

Question # 2
*Please provide this Honourable House on government’s lease arrangement pertaining to the La Sagesse Agro-processing facility, located in La Sagesse, St. David.

(a) To who or which company is the La Sagesse Agro-Processing facility located in La Sagesse,
St. David leased?
(b) What is the duration of the lease and how much more years is remaining on the lease?
(c) What are the monetary terms and conditions pertaining of the lease?
(d) Is the lease’s performance of the terms of the lease satisfactory?
(e) If not, what are the plans of this governing administration to deal with the situation?

 

Question # 3
*Please inform this Honourable House on the status of the Praedial Larceny Fund pursuant with Section 17 of the Praedial Larceny Act (Act No. 5 of 2005).

(a) Is the Praedial Larceny fund in existence and operational?
(b) If yes, then:

• I. On what date was this fund operationalized?
• II. What was the dollar value in the Praedial Larceny Fund as of August 31st, 2022?
• III. What was the dollar value of the last deposit that was caused to be paid into the Praedial Larceny Fund and on what date was this transaction?
• IV. What was the dollar value of the last monies that were caused to be paid out from the Praedial Larceny Fund and on what date was this transaction?

 

13. Personal Explanations.

14. Motions.

(a) By the Leader of Government’s Business:

WHEREAS debate on the Gracious Address delivered by the Governor General on the occasion of the Ceremonial State Opening of the first Session of the Eleventh Parliament on 31st August, 2022 was deferred to a date to be fixed;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the said Address be now debated by the Senate.

PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER NO. 63

 

(b) By the Leader of Government’s Business:

WHEREAS Standing Order No. 63 (1a) (The Committee of Selection) of the Senate’s Standing Orders provides for the appointment of a Committee to consist of the President as Chairman, and two other Senators to be known as the Committee of Selection;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT this Honourable Senate doth now appoint the two other Senators to the said Committee.

 

(c) By the Leader of Government’s Business:

WHEREAS Standing Order No. 63 (1b) of the Senate Standing Orders, provides for the appointment of a Committee to consist of the President, as Chairman and two Members, to be known as the Standing Orders Committee;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT this Honourable Senate doth now appoint the two Members to the said Committee.

 

(d) By the Leader of Government’s Business:

WHEREAS Standing Order No. 63 (1c) of the Senate Standing Orders, provides for the appointment of a Committee to consist of the President, as Chairman and two Members, to be known as the House Committee;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT this Honourable Senate doth now appoint the two Members to the said Committee.

 

(e) By the Leader of Government’s Business:

WHEREAS Standing Order No. 63 (1d) of the Senate Standing Orders provides for the appointment of a Committee to consist of the President as Chairman, and four Members to be known as the Committee of Privileges which shall be elected as soon as may be after the beginning of each session;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT this Honourable Senate doth now appoint the four Members to the said Committee.

 

(f) By the Leader of Government’s Business:

WHEREAS it was necessary to provide for the services of the State of Grenada for the year 2022 by means of a Supplementary Appropriation Act;

BE IT RESOLVED that Supplementary Appropriation Act, 2022 for the period 1st January to 31st December, 2022 be approved.

 

15. Bills.

For First Reading and Remaining Stages:

• Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2022.

 

16. Public Business.

a) By Senator the Hon. Roderick St. Clair

MOTION ON THE NEED FOR GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE ITS EMPHASIS ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, RELATED TREATIES AND ASSOCIATED LAWS TO BENEFIT AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

WHEREAS intellectual property (IP) in agriculture and fisheries stands to bring increased economic benefits to Grenada;

AND WHEREAS despite this potential to increase the contribution agriculture and fisheries to Grenada’s GDP, there is need for a greater thrust for the accession of the relevant treaties and enactment of the relevant laws;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Senate support this request for the Governing administration to:

(i) Prioritize the relevant and implement the IP related Agriculture and fisheries treaties and associated laws that stand to increase Grenada’s Agriculture and fisheries contribution to GDP;

(ii) Act urgently and attract as is required the relevant resources (human and financial) to successfully implement the accession of the treaties and laws so prioritized in a timely manner.

 

b) By Senator the Hon. Roderick St. Clair

RECOMMENDATION FOR THE URGENT REVIEW OF THE MARKETING AND NATIONAL IMPORTING BOARD ACT TO MAKE THE ACT AND THE ORGANIZATION MORE SUPPORTIVE TO THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES SECTORS OF GRENADA

WHEREAS the Marketing and National Importing Board (MNIB) was established by Act number 40 of 1973 to market produce of Grenada not already marketed under other statutory authority;

AND WHEREAS the original Act went through various amendments over the years;

AND WHEREAS over the years there have been scores of complaints from several circles (farmers, successive governments, general public) of MNIB’s apparent failure to keep its mandate to increase exports and support the farmers of this nation;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Senate supports the recommendation for a comprehensive review of the MNIB Act followed by the appropriate amendments and organizational restructuring to result in improved services to our farmers, fisher folk and agro-processors, increased exports and improved food security for the state of Grenada.

 

c) By Senator the Hon. Roderick St. Clair

ON THE URGENT NEED FOR GRENADA TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE AND MANAGENENT POLICY IN PLACE TO SAFEGUARD OUR FOOD SECURITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

WHEREAS land is a key resource for food production, food security and enhancement of our biodiversity;

AND WHEREAS the number of acres of lands for guarantee adequate food production and enhancement of our biodiversity is constantly being reduced in favor of several factors including construction, left abandoned, and degradation due to effects of climate change and human behaviour;

AND WHEREAS the absence of a comprehensive land use and management policy that is supported by the relevant contemporary legislations will increase the risks of losing more and more lands to agriculture;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Senate supports the motion for Government to act swiftly to develop and implement a comprehensive land use and management policy with the related supportive legislations to protect the lands that are suitable to guarantee Grenada’s food and nutrition security.

 

d) By Senator the Hon. Andre Lewis

WHEREAS Pension and Gratuities are extremely important for workers at the time of retirement entering the twilight of their life;

AND WHEREAS on March 30, 2022, the High Court ruled that the Pension Disqualification Act was unconstitutional and that all state workers who are in pensionable positions are covered under the 1958 Pension Act;

AND WHEREAS the present Government/Administration/State has announced that it would honour the Court’s rulings;

AND WHEREAS the present Government/Administration/State met with the representative Trade Unions and Staff Associations;

AND WHEREAS the present Government/Administration/State committed to honour and pay retroactive pension and gratuity (the 25% gratuity as historically established) to all retired pensionable Public Officers by November 2022 using the pre-independence 1958 Pension Act;

AND WHEREAS the present Government/Administration/State committed to honour and pay pension and gratuity (the 25% gratuity as historically established) to Public Officers who retired, retires and will continue to retire using the pre-independence 1958 Pension Act.

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

1. To identify with and give full support to the decision to restore the pre-independence 1958
   Pension Act for Public Officers.
2. To identify with and give full support to the decision to pay retroactive pension and gratuity (the 25% gratuity as historically established) to all retired pensionable Public Officers by November 2022.
3. To identify with and give full support to the decision to pay pension and gratuity (the 25% gratuity as historically established) to Public Officers who retired, retires and will continue to retire.
4. To identify and support the decision for all pensionable Public Officers to now begin to receive their pension and gratuity (the 25% gratuity as historically established) at their time of retirement from the service.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:

1. If affirmed this resolution be forwarded by way of message to the House of
   Representatives.

 

 

Private Members Bill.

• Agriculture Crop Compensation (Amendment) Bill, 2022

 

17. Adjournment.

 

 

 

 

• Order-Paper.pdf pdf (552kb) [ download ]