Though Friday’s ceremonial opening of parliament simply sounds the opening whistle to signal the start of a new session, there is every indication that the forthcoming legislative agenda has the potential to keep members intensely engaged – especially if we were to take seriously the announced transition of election “minifestoes” to official policy.
It is however also true that not every UNC campaign
wish means an amended law or a new one. Here are three issues of legislative
relevance that should not needlessly cram the parliamentary schedule.
For example, enforcement of the Noise
Pollution Control Rules under the Environmental Management Act, more diligent
enforcement of the “public nuisance” feature of the Summary Offences Act, and
resurrection of the Explosives (Prohibition of Scratch Bombs) Order 2018 can tell
us you are serious about addressing harmful, disruptive noise.
What is needed here is stringent
application of existing laws and regulations. Yes, there can be some tweaking
here and there, but we really have enough ammo to deal with this.
This would leave space for addressing touchier
issues such as the striking anomaly of equal opportunity legislation which okays
discrimination against people based on “sexual preference or orientation.” Employers,
landlords, schools, and service providers cannot be prosecuted and punished on
such grounds under this law.
It is my understanding that a suitable
amendment is already available, and groups such as CAISO, Pride TT and others have
people with the knowledge and expertise to lend a hand in this matter. So, easy-peasy,
little time and effort is needed to get this one done.
Then comes the more vexing, complicated
issue of mismanagement in the handling of immigration matters. Hopefully,
minister Alexander has busied himself with the minute details regarding
administrative tardiness in this hugely important area, and the attorney
general is aware of the relevant international human rights landscape.
For example, what could possibly take
decades to manage residency petitions? Why
has the processing of asylum-seekers here not been guided by proper refugee
policy and is not fully compliant with international law?
On the latter point, the UNC has had much
to say in recent times, following early ill-advised resistance. Hopefully, we
will not follow the example of others who have chosen to openly ignore some
basic principles of international law associated with accommodating people claiming
to escape oppressive conditions in their home countries.
Of the 37,906 refugees and asylum-seekers
registered by the UNHCR in T&T, more than 86% are from Venezuela. The other
14%, from over 38 countries over the years, also require attention. Let’s not
forget them.
The figure of 100,000 undocumented
immigrants - snatched out of thin, speculative air by numerous commentators and
even some learned researchers - may or may not be accurate. Not all arrivals
have registered. But it has become fashionable to promote negative narratives
regarding the ubiquitous presence of Venezuelans here by employing such
guesstimates and the consequential reality of an “invasion” or unmanageable
“influx.”
There is also the fact that close to 1,400
children have been born to registered asylum-seekers and refugees in T&T
since 2018/2019. As far as I am aware, we are one of those countries in which unconditional
“birthright citizenship” (jus soli) is observed. The reluctance to integrate these children
into our school system has been one of the gross injustices of recent years.
Last year, the parents of only 148 children
applied to attend public school and just 60 were accommodated. This is one
campaign promise a la minifesto - “the integration of Venezuelan migrants” - that
also does not require too much parliamentary time to implement.
It is, however, a multifaceted imperative
that sees several arms of government becoming simultaneously engaged.
This includes immigration, health,
education, social services and others. For those with “jus soli” status, our
clever legal fraternity must surely be engaged in preparing pathways for
application of the rights of these children, if not under the UN Convention on
the Rights of the Child.
There are also thousands of adult
Venezuelans currently in nervous possession of expired permits hoping to
benefit from a new, more enlightened, regulatory regime.
These are only three of the burning issues
that can be addressed within a relatively short period of time and are mostly
in keeping with the spirit of election campaign promises/declarations.
While the public wish list is much longer
than these three areas, the advantage of newness should be applied to get them
out of the way quickly.