In Trinidad and Tobago, parliament debates two bills to increase Tobago self-governance

Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis said now is the time to give Tobago the greater self-governance within the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago that it has been demanding for years. She was opening debate in the House of Representatives to adopt the report of the joint select committee (JSC) on the Constitution (Amendment) (Tobago Self-Government) Bill, 2020. [...] Under the legislat[ion], Robinson-Regis said Tobago gets a legislature and an executive, but no judiciary. She said the [bills...] detail aspects of the greater self-governance that Tobago will benefit from once they become law. One of these, she said, is the conversion of the [Tobago House of Assembly] into a unicameral legislature with 15 elected and ten appointed members, the latter of whom will include five, three and two councillors appointed on the advice of the Chief Secretary, Minority Leader and the President respectively. The legislation, Robinson-Regis continued, also envisages Tobago being allocated approximately six per cent of the national budget and having its maritime space being increased from six to 11 nautical miles within the unitary state of TT.
Read the full article here: Newsday