PARLIA MENT

The Parliament is made up of the President of the republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Senate and the house of representatives. The Parliament is described as bicameral which means that it is made up of two Chambers or houses, the nominated Senate and the elected house of representatives.

members of the Senate are appointed to serve in the Parliament. The Senate consists of a Presiding Officer and three groups of Senators – those who represent the government, those who represent the opposition and the independents. Sixteen Senators (as well as the Presiding Officer) are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime minister, six on the advice of the leader of the opposition and nine at the discretion of the President, for a total of thirty-one.

The House of Representatives reflects the electoral districts in Trinidad and Tobago which at present are forty-one. however when the presiding officer is selected from outside the group the membership is increased by one. The house of representatives is currently comprised of forty-two members. members of the house of representatives can belong to a political party or be independent. in the history of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago most of the elected representatives have been members of a political party. members can usually be divided into two groups – those who belong to the government and those who form the opposition.

The Senate is presided over by the President of the Senate while the Speaker of the House is the Presiding Officer of the House of representatives.

The Senate usually meets on Tuesdays at 1:30p.m. while the house of representatives usually convenes on fridays at 1:30p.m.