TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENT
 
Chamber:
  House of Representatives


APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE

Title:
  Speaker of the House of Representatives
 
Term:
  - duration: 5 years renewable (term of legislature); re-elected on 13 october 1998
- 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)
 
Appointment:
  - elected by the members of the House
- election is held at the start of the first sitting of the newly elected House
- before taking the oath
 
Eligibility:
  - any member of the House (except Ministers and Under-Secretaries of State) or any non-elected MP may be a candidate
 
Voting system:
  - formal vote by public ballot if there are several candidates
- 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

 
Procedures / results:
  - the Clerk presides over the House during the voting
- the Clerk supervises the voting
- the Clerk announces the results immediately
- the results can be challenged
 

STATUS
 
Status:
  - ranks 5th after Head of State, Prime minister, Chief Justice and President of the Senate
- 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
 
Board:
 
 
Material facilities:
  - allowance
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- additional assistants
- domestic staff

FUNCTIONS
 
Organization of parliamentary business:
  - convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- can appoint committees and their presidents
 
Chairing of public sittings:
  - can open, adjourn and close sittings
- 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
 
Special powers:
  - takes part in establishing the budget of the House
- 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
 
Speaking and voting rights, other functions:
  - has casting vote


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General Information | Electoral System
Last Elections | Parliamentary Mandate | Full text
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