| Barendra Sinanan ( M) |
| Jacqueline Sampson ( F) |
Parliament - Red House
Abercromby Street
P.O. Box 878 - PORT-OF-SPAIN
Tel.: (1868) 623 2565
Fax: (1868) 625 4672
E-mail: webmaster@ttparliament.org
clerkhor@ttparliament.org
Cable: Comparlas, Port-of-Spain
Telex: Comparlas P0010
| http://www.ttparliament.org/ |
Vacancies arising within the first four years of Parliament's term are filled through by-elections held within 90 days.
Voting is not compulsory.
- Trinidad and Tobago citizens
- residence in country for at least one year and in home district and for at least two months prior to poll
- disqualifications: insanity, electoral offence, sentence of death or imprisonment exceeding 12 months
- Trinidad and Tobago citizenship
- residence in country for at least two years immediately before nomination or on election date
- ineligibility: allegiance to a foreign State, undischarged bankruptcy, insanity, sentence of death or imprisonment exceeding 12 months, conviction for election-connected offence
- the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House may not be a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary
- deposit of TT$ 5000.00, which is reimbursed if the candidate polls at least one-eighth of the vote in his district
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
The 2007 elections followed a heated debate on constitutional reforms proposed by the Prime Minister's People's National Movement (PNM). The opposition United National Congress-Alliance (UNC) argued the proposals would give too much power to the prime minister.
Prime Minister Manning was seeking a second consecutive term in office. He pledged to lead the twin-island nation to a "developed status" by 2020. The country is known for its rich natural gas and energy resources, which contributed to an economic growth rate of 12 per cent in 2006.
In the previous elections held in October 2002, the PNM had won 20 seats of the 36 seats at stake, while the UNC had taken the remainder. The statutory number of members of the House was increased from 36 to 41 starting from the 2007 elections due to boundary changes.
Voting in the country has largely taken place along ethnic lines. Support for the PNM is high among Trinidadians of African descent, who account for over 37 per cent of the population. The PNM has governed the country for all but 11 years since the party's inception in 1956. Mr. Manning called on voters to give him another mandate to continue his economic and social policies. He promised to "bring government closer to the people".
The UNC has strong backing among the 40 per cent of the population of Indian origin. In the 2007 elections, it was co-led by former prime minister, Mr. Basdeo Panday, and Mr. Jack Warner, Vice-President of the International Football Federation (FIFA). 74-year old Mr. Panday lost his seat in the outgoing legislature after failing to declare a bank account that he and his wife held in London (see note 2). Mr. Panday hinted at his retirement after the 2007 elections, and urged his supporters to give him a "last hurrah" in his "long war" in politics over the past 40 years.
In addition to the PNM and the UNC, the Congress of the People (COP), a breakaway party from the UNC, contested the elections. Formed in August 2006, it was led by former Central Bank governor Mr. Winston Dookeran. He pledged to bring about "new politics", independent of ethnic considerations. The COP called for a change in the electoral system from the current first-past-the-post system to proportional representation, arguing that such a move would ensure better representation in parliament. He rejected Mr. Panday's call to form an electoral alliance with the UNC.
Over 130 candidates, including 33 women, contested the 2007 elections. Both the PNM and the COP fielded candidates in all 41 constituencies, while the UNC endorsed 39 candidates.
In October, some pre-election violence was reported. One UNC activist was shot dead and one COP candidate was hospitalized after being severely beaten. Prime Minister Manning condemned the violence.
A record 993,052 people registered to vote, up from 875,260 in the 2002 elections. Around 66 per cent turned out at the polls.
The voting went off in relative peace. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was the only organization to send foreign observers. It declared that the elections were "free and fair".
The PNM won 26 of the 41 seats at stake, just short of the two-thirds majority required to revise the constitution. The UNC took the remainder of the seats. Its co-leader Mr. Panday regained his seat. The COP failed to win a seat, although it took over 22 per cent of the vote.
On 7 November, Mr. Manning took the oath of office and formed a new government that included 11 women, making it the second ever government made up mostly of women. On the following day, ministers were sworn in alongside new senators.
On 13 November, Prime Minister Manning appointed Mr. Danny Montano as Senate President.
On 17 December 2007, the newly-elected members to the House of Representatives were sworn in. The House re-elected Mr. Barendra Sinanan as its Speaker.
Note 1
16 senators are nominated by the largest party in the House of Representatives while six others are nominated by the opposition party. The President may nominate nine independent senators.
Note 2
Mr. Panday was originally given a jail term. The Court of Appeal subsequently overturned the decision and ordered a new trial. The same court later ruled against him returning to parliament.
| Round no 1 (5 November 2007): Election results | ||||
| Number of registered electors | 993'052 | |||
| Voters | ||||
| Blank or invalid ballot papers | ||||
| Valid votes | ||||
| Round no 1: Distribution of votes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Candidates | Votes | % of votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
| People's National Movement (PNM) | 41 | 299'813 | 45.85 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| United National Congress (UNC) | 39 | 194'425 | 29.73 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Round no 1: Distribution of seats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Total of seats | Number of women | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| People's National Movement (PNM) | 26 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United National Congress (UNC) | 15 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- reasons for interruption of the term: loss of parliamentary mandate, appointment as Minister or Under-Secretary of State (if elected among MPs), dissolution, loss of citizenship, exclusion, resignation, death, dissolution (if elected among non-MPs)
- election is held at the start of the first sitting of the newly elected House
- before taking the oath
- simple majority
- the Clerk proposes a vote by roll call of the candidates proposed and seconded; the first to receive the necessary majority being elected Speaker
- the Clerk supervises the voting
- the Clerk announces the results immediately
- the results can be challenged
- the President of the Senate has precedence over the Speaker of the House of Representatives
- represents the House with the public authorities
- is de facto President of a Committee
- represents the House in international bodies
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- additional assistants
- domestic staff
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- can appoint committees and their presidents
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the House
- is responsible for discipline within the House: if necessary, takes disciplinary measures and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up
- supervises the services of the House
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for security and in this capacity can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
· Procedure (S. 106 to 129 of the Representation of the People Act)
· Procedure (S. 49 (2) (a) of the Constitution): resignation by writing under his hand to the Speaker
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the Speaker
(b) Loss of mandate for loss of eligibility (S. 49 (2) (c) and (d), (3) to (6) in connection with S. 47 and 48 of the Constitution)
(c) Loss of mandate through resignation from or expulsion by the party (S. 49 (2) (e), and S. 49A of the Constitution)
· Basic salary: TTD 5,250 per month (TTD 8,000 for the Speaker, and the Leader of the Opposition, TTD 7,500 for the Parliamentary Secretary, TTD 5,700 for the Deputy Speaker)
· No exemption from tax
· Pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat/assistants
(b) Official housing
(c) Official car
(d) Postal and telephone services
(e) Travel and transport
(f) Others
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament.
· Derogations: offence or insult (SO 36 (4) to (5), 43 (3), and (9) to (11) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, see Discipline)
· It applies only to civil proceedings, covers only civil debts with the exception of a debt the contraction of which constitutes a criminal offence, and protects MPs only from arrest.
· No derogations are foreseen.
· Protection is provided only whilst going to, attending at, or returning from a sitting of the House or a committee
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) cannot be lifted.
· Handbook of parliamentary procedure:
- Standing Orders of the House of Representatives
· Penalties foreseen in case of not attending sittings of Parliament (S. 49 (2) (b) of the Constitution, SO 84 (2) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives): loss of mandate
· Disciplinary measures foreseen:
- Direction to discontinue the speech (SO 43 (1) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Decision not to hear a Member (SO 43 (2) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Order to withdraw words and to apologise (SO 43 (3) (b) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Order to withdraw for the remainder of the day's sitting (SO 43 (3), and (9) to (11) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives) - Naming, eventually with suspension and loss of remuneration (SO 43 (4) to (11), and (13) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Adjournment of the House, suspension of the sitting (SO 43 (12) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Other measures (SO 43 (14) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
· Specific cases:
- Offence or insult (SO 36 (4) to (5), 43 (3), and (9) to (11) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives): order to withdraw words and to apologise, order to withdraw for the remainder of the day's sitting
· Competent body to judge such cases (SO 42 (1) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives):
- Direction to discontinue the speech, order to withdraw words and to apologise, order to withdraw for the remainder of the day's sitting, naming, adjournment of the House, suspension of the sitting, offence or insult: the Speaker
- Decision not to hear a Member, suspension and loss of remuneration, other measures: the House of Representatives
The Speaker is competent to enforce the rules of order (see SO 43 (10) and (11) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives).
· Procedure:
- Direction to discontinue the speech (SO 43 (1) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Decision not to hear a Member (SO 43 (2) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Order to withdraw words and to apologise, order to withdraw for the remainder of the day's sitting, offence or insult (SO 36 (4) to (5), and 43 (3), and (9) to (11) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Naming, eventually with suspension and loss of remuneration (SO 43 (4) to (11), and (13) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Adjournment of the House, suspension of the sitting (SO 43 (12) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
- Other measures (SO 43 (14) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives)
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the rules of conduct:
- None for violation of the Code of Ethics (but see Green Paper on Integrity in Public Life of December 1995)
- Fine of ten thousand dollars and forfeiture of amount or value of bribe (S. 13 (2) of the House of Representatives (Powers and Privileges) Act; prohibition to receive bribe)
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the Attorney General (S. 14 of the House of Representatives (Powers and Privileges) Act; prohibition to receive bribe)
· Procedure (S. 14 of the House of Representatives (Powers and Privileges) Act; prohibition to receive bribe). In this case, MPs have (no) means of recourse.
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
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Last Elections | Presidency of the Parliament | Parliamentary Mandate
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