The opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) is slated to ask the full complement of questions possible when they attend today’s meeting of Parliament.
Each opposition lawmaker can ask three questions and the nine opposition lawmakers have tabled 27 questions for oral answers.
During a boycott of Parliament that began after the 2015 elections, the opposition stayed away from Parliament and did not submit any questions.
And, even after the boycott ended last June, opposition lawmakers were inconsistent in submitting questions for answers by members of the government, a situation that drew rebuke even from among their ranks, in the person of Member of Parliament for Central Kingstown, St. Clair Leacock.
Today’s list of questions asks the government about a number of national issues, including the status of efforts to have international flights into Argyle International Airport, the geothermal project, and violence against yacht visitors.
Opposition Leader, Godwin Friday, submitted these questions.
Former opposition leader, Member of Parliament for East Kingstown, Arnhim Eustace, will ask about the projected revenue yields for the fiscal measures announced in this year’s budget.
Eustace will also ask the government about the sale of Vincentian bananas to the United Kingdom and the status of the spraying programme for Black Sigatoka.
Meanwhile, Leacock will ask the government to say what is being done about the currency exchange issues affecting the nation’s inter-island traders, commonly referred to as “traffickers”.
The list of questions also includes one about the housing of residents of the Liberty Lodge Boys Training Centre at the Dauphine Community Centre and other related issues.
The opposition lawmakers will also ask questions about health, public infrastructure, housing, education, and agriculture.
The other paper also includes 12 bills, scheduled to receive their first reading, one petition, and one paper.