74. BENIOIT asked the Deputy   Chief Secretary and Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection:-

“Can the Deputy Chief Secretary confirm the following?

1. If any building is   being rented in the island of Trinidad for use by the Tobago House of   Assembly?

2. The terms of the   agreement, including:

     a. The name of the   building;

     b. The name of the   landlord;

     c. The address of the   building;

     d. The commencement date   of the lease;

     e. The rent paid per   month; and

     f. The total amount of   rent paid - the date of commencement to present?

Madam Presiding Officer, Property Management does not fall within the remit of the Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary or the Office of the Secretary of the Division of Health, Wellness and Social Protection. Therefore, I am unable to answer question 74, as placed on the Order Paper.

Minority Councillor, follow-up?

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Under which Division is rent being paid for these buildings that are occupied by the Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary? Who pays the expenditure for the rental?

Rephrase your question please for clarity.

Madam Presiding Officer, the response of the Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection is that she is not responsible for property management, therefore she is not aware or she is unable to answer this question. My follow-up to her is, under the Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary, there are buildings being rented. The Minority and the people would like to know under what vote, under what line item of expenditure in the Division are those buildings being rented? Are they rented under property management?

  Are they paid for under property management, Madam   Presiding Officer?

Member?

Madam Presiding   Officer, because of time, I chose not to read the question, but I will read it -

It says:

“Can the Deputy Chief Secretary confirm the following?

1. If any building is being rented in the island of Trinidad for use

by the Tobago House of Assembly?

2. The terms of the agreement, including:

  (a) The name of the building;

  (b) The name of the landlord;

   (c) The address of the building;

  (d) The commencement date of the lease;

   (e) The rent paid per month; and

   (f) The total amount of rent paid, the date of commencement

to present?

The question asked about any building being rented on the island of

Trinidad by the Tobago House of Assembly?

I am not responsible for Property Management. It is not under either

of my port-folios, and therefore, I am not in a position to answer the

question as placed on the Order Paper.

Follow-up?

I think she has answered that question.

Members!

I think that question was answered, Minority Councillor.

I am going to allow you one (1) question because time has since elapsed.

  Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

  Madam Presiding Officer, is rent being paid by the Office   of the Deputy Chief Secretary for a building in Trinidad?

Member?

Madam Presiding Officer, it has been public knowledge that   the Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary rented a building in Trinidad - that   has been public knowledge.

    As it relates to the question that was asked, I am not   responsible for Property Management and therefore, I do not have the   additional answers that are expected of me at this moment. Property   Management does not fall under the Office of the Secretary of Health,   Wellness and Social Protection, or under the Office of the Deputy Chief   Secretary.

Member, I am going to ask that you furnish the Minority   Councillor with the answer she requires.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

The time for question and answer has been well spent.

Clerk.

Madam Presiding Officer, under 2 (e) it asks, even if the Secretary is unable to answer all the other questions in terms of address; (e) the rent paid per month; if payment is made from a Division - there must be some sort of authority to make the payment. There should be information in terms of:

• What you are paying for?

• Who approved the payment?

• Who is the payee?

• The amount to be paid?

Is it that the Division is not paying rent for any building in Trinidad, Madam Presiding Officer?