SEN Questions 13.12.21 – Grenada Parliament

Questions:

Senator the Honourable Tessa St. Cyr, will ask the Leader of Government’s Business, Senator the Honourable Simon Stiell, the following questions:

QUESTION NO. 1

Question to the Leader of Government’s Business on List of Advisors to the Government

Can the Leader of Government’s Business provide a list of all advisors to the government recruited during the period 2013 – 2018 and 2018 to present, their job descriptions, remuneration and benefit packages.

QUESTION NO. 2

Question to the Leader of Government’s Business on Contracts

As it relates to the types of employment contract being used by government, can the Leader of Government’s Business:
a). Explain the difference between Contracts of Service and Contracts for Service, including duration/length of contract?

b). What criteria are being used to determine who gets Contracts of Service and Contracts for Service?

c). What is the difference in remuneration and benefits of the above-mentioned contracts?

QUESTION NO.3

Questions to the Leader of Government’s Business

1. *What is the current debt of the government, inclusive of borrowing and obligations to all the various entities to whom the government is indebted? (Oral response)

2. As it relates to youth initiatives:
(a) What is the current status of the Mpower program, inclusive of the number of participants, a list of service providers, finances, achievements and challenges?
(b) How many Imani trainees have been in receipt of contract employment, in
which sectors and what is the length/duration of the contract?

3. * As it relates to the education system (Oral response):
(a) What is the current status and future plans for the STAR program?
(b) What is the current status of the school feeding program, inclusive of human
and financial resources? (Oral response)

QUESTION NO. 4

Question to Senator the Honourable Norland Cox

1. *As it relates to Parks and Recreational facilities (Oral response):
(a) Can an update be presented on the status of and plans for the Pearls playing field?
(b) What is the total sum of money expended on the La Poterie playing field and when is the project expected to be completed?

Senator the Honourable Roderick St. Clair would ask the Leader of Government Business, Senator the Honourable Simon Stiell the following questions:

QUESTION NO. 1

Question to the Leader of Government’s Business on Praedial Larceny Fund

Bearing in mind that the Praedial Larceny Act was established in 2005 to set up a fund and we are in 2021, based on the response provided, what has taken us so long in having this fund established?

Question No. 2

Questions to the Leader of Government’s Business on the requirement for every Ministry and Department to prepare workplans as is required by Division 4, Clause 16 (3) of the Public Finance Management Act Regulations of 2015.

a). Are workplans in the form required by the Public Finance Management Act Regulations 2015, section 16 (3) available for the following Ministries and their related Departments:
i. Agriculture
ii. Lands
iii. Fisheries

b). Provide copy of the workplan that are available for each Ministry and their related Departments as identified below:
i. Agriculture
ii. Lands
iii. Fisheries

c). As is required by section 16 (5) (c) of the Public Finance Management Act Regulations of 2015, provide the Uniform Resource Locators (urls) for the Corporate Plan of each of the Ministries and their related Departments identified below:
i. Agriculture
ii. Lands
iii. Fisheries

Question No. 3

Questions to the Leader of Government’s Business on Scholarships awarded to Grenadians in the field of Agriculture and Fisheries and their related fields over the past ten (10) years at the Bachelor, Masters, PhD and Post-Doctoral levels.

a). Provide the number of Scholarships in Agriculture and its related fields by the following criteria in the table below by year for the past 10 years:

b). Provide number of Scholarships in Fisheries and its related fields by the following criteria in the table below by year for the past 10 years:

c). Provide the total number of Scholarships by year, field of study and degree
level for the past 10 years in the table below.

(SEE ATTACHED)

Question No. 4

Questions to the Leader of Government’s Business on Government’s action in providing relief to seamoss farmers and fishermen from sargassum sea weed.

Can the Leader of Government’s Business inform the Senate on the following as it relates to the Sargassum Seaweed:

(a) Does government have a documented plan in place for the management of this invasive species of Sargassum to alleviate its negative effect on the Seamoss farmers and fishers?

(b) If yes, then please provide a copy of the plan.

(d) Is there a monitoring mechanism in place to measure the levels of hydrogen sulfide gas emitted from the sargassum? If yes, are the readings within acceptable range?

Question No. 5

Questions to the Leader of Government’s Business on Grenada’s status relative to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization.

(a) Is Grenada a signatory to the Nagoya Protocol? If yes, in what year did Grenada signed on?

(b) Has Grenada ratified its position relative the Nagoya Protocol? If yes, indicate the year.

(d) If no, please provide reason(s) for Grenada not ratifying the Nagoya protocol to date.

(e) Is there a fee or charge associated with ratifying the Nagoya Protocol? If yes, what is the fee or charge?

Question No. 6

*Questions to the Leader of Government’s Business on the availability of Fishermen ID Cards for fishermen.

(a) Can the Senate be updated on the status of the processing of Fishermen ID cards?

Senator the Honourable Andre Lewis, will ask the Leader of Government’s Business, Senator the Honourable Simon Stiell, the following questions:

Question No. 1

Could the Honourable Minister advise the House as to whether the Gravel, Concrete and Emulsion Company has disposed of any of its fixed assets, by way of sale , lease or otherwise, within the last 24 months and if so:

a. Which specific asset or assets was or were disposed of?

b. What is (or are) the name(s) and nationality (ies) of the legal entity (ies) to whom those assets were disposed?

c. When did this (or these) transaction(s) occur?

Question No. 2

1. If the answer to question 1 is in the affirmative, that is that an asset or assets of the said company were disposed of during the period mentioned, then can the Minister tell us what are the terms of that disposition, in particular:

a. If it is a lease, then what is the term of the lease (for how long) and what remuneration has the Company received or is going to receive over the term of the lease and in what manner?

b. If it is a sale, then what is the sale price and when and in what manner is the Company to be paid for the asset?

c. Would the Minister provide the House with a copy of the contractual document or documents pursuant to which the asset or assets was or were disposed of?

Question No. 3

2. If the answer to question 1 is in the affirmative, that is, that an asset or assets of the said company were disposed of during the period mentioned, then can the Minister tell us whether the standard procurement procedures provided for in our laws and regulations followed, in particular:

a. Was any invitation to tender published in relation to the disposition of the asset or assets and if so, in what publication (or through what medium) and for how long?

b. How many Expressions of Interest were received from different entities

c. Were these Expressions of Interest ( or Tenders) evaluated by the Tenders Board or any other body or committee specifically charged with the mandate of evaluating such tenders on behalf of Government or State
owned Enterprises

d. Was the contract given to the entity recommended by the Tenders Board or other body or committee specifically charged with the mandate of evaluating such tenders on behalf of Government or State owned Enterprises