House of Representatives to meet on Thursday -Thirteen Bills on Order Paper
GIS/ST. JOHN, Antigua and Barbuda – 25th February 2025…..The House of Representatives will meet on Thursday of this week to debate Thirteen Bills on the Order Paper down for second and third readings.
The Payment System and Services Bill, the Cannabis (Amendment) Bill, Civil Registration Vital Statistics (Amendment) Bill, the Litter Control and Prevention (Amendment) Bill, the CARICOM Arrest Warrant Bill and the Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill will receive their First Readings.
Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, the Hon. Gaston Browne will move the First and Second Readings of the Corporacion Andina de Fomento (CAF) Bill, 2025, which will ratify Antigua and Barbuda Share Subscription Agreement entered with the bank to secure the membership of the country into CAF as a Shareholder Member Country.
The Hon. Prime Minister will also move the Second and Third Readings of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Bill, the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Bill, and the Tax Administration and Procedure (Amendment) Bill.
Attorney General and Minister for Legal Affairs, the Hon. Sir Steadroy Benjamin will move the Second and Third Readings of the Fire and Rescue Service Bill which will see the Fire Department renamed as the Fire and Rescue Service (replacing the Fire Brigades Act). In addition, the new Act once passed through the House will result in the Police Act and the accompanying regulations not being applicable to the Fire and Rescue Service.
In addition to preventing and controlling the outbreak of fire, one of the new objectives of the Fire and Rescue Service is to educate the public on preventative measures to safeguard life and property. The new construct will also see the Fire and Rescue Service being the lead agency in Antigua and Barbuda responsible for search and rescue operations in collaboration with other organizations and agencies.
Under the new Act, the command of the Fire and Rescue Service will be under the Chief Fire Officer who will be directly involved with supervising the daily operations of the Fire and Rescue Service.
A Fire Service Board will also be established, which will be responsible for appointing persons to the Service, promoting officers of higher ranks with the Service and approving transfers. It will also be responsible for disciplining fire officers and approving the dismissal of any officer from the Service. Under the Act, a Fire and rescue Service Welfare Association will also be established to address matters that affect the general welfare and efficiency of the subordinate fire officers.
The Attorney General will also move the Second and Third Readings of the Antigua and Barbuda Forensic Services (ABFS) Bill which establish a legislative framework for the establishment of the Antigua and Barbuda Forensic Services to assist law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prosecution of criminal offences. It will see the appointment and functions of the Forensic Director and Deputy Director, as well as the duties and obligations of staff and protection from personal liability.
The Hon. Attorney General will also table the Magistrate’s Code of Procedure (Amendment) Bill, The Girl Guides Association of Antigua and Barbuda (Incorporation) Act, and the Architects (Professions) (Amendment) Bill.
Other Bills to be tabled and debated include the Cultural Heritage (Protection) Bill and the Consumer Protection Bill to be presented by National Parks Minister the Hon. E. P. Chet Greene; and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the Leeward Island (Incorporation) Bill to be tabled by Minister responsible for Ecclesiastical Affairs, the Hon. Sir Molwyn Joseph. (Ends)
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Is the acts available to read? I want more details of what’s up
Did i see this traffic license bill on this story? You are all directly wicked, and it is impossible to be going ahead with this after such lamentation from the people. Somebody will pay at the polls. I believe the government thinks that, like with many other injustices, people in Antigua will forget and move on. Remember the vaccine mandate almost cost them elections. Antiguans open your eyes. Store this in your memory bank.
That is plenty homework for the UPP parliamentarians to do. I hope they don’t find a reason to walk out of Parliament or perhaps they will call in sick.
Thirteen bills on the table? Seems like they’re trying to hustle through some serious business.
First off, what’s in this Payment System and Services Bill? Are they really looking out for the people, or is this just another way to line their pockets?
And that Cannabis (Amendment) Bill—what’s changing there? Are they finally gonna chill out on the rules, or is it just more restrictions dressed up as progress?
Then there’s this Litter Control and Prevention Bill. Think they’re just taking a shot at keeping things clean, or is it a cover-up for more fines?
Let’s not forget that CARICOM Arrest Warrant Bill. Sounds serious, but do we even know what’s behind that one? Is it about real justice, or are they just flexing their power?
And what’s up with the Vehicles and Road Traffic Bill? How many protests about this stuff and we still doing that:
Seriously, who’s benefiting from all these changes? We gotta keep our eyes open and make sure they ain’t pulling a fast one on us!
I’m really pleased to see such a variety of bills being debated in the House this week. It’s great that the government is tackling issues like cannabis regulation, consumer protection, and fire safety in one go. The creation of a Fire and Rescue Service is a long-overdue step forward. It’s about time that we take fire safety and public education on prevention more seriously!
It’s great that all these bills are on the agenda, but are they really addressing the needs of the average Antiguan and Barbudan? We’ve seen similar bills tabled before, and I’m skeptical about whether they’ll actually make any real difference. The cannabis bill is a good start, but I hope it doesn’t end up being another unimplemented promise like others we’ve seen. We need action, not just more paperwork.
Interesting that the Fire and Rescue Service is being restructured. How will this actually affect response times and public safety on the ground? The move to rename the Fire Department is one thing, but I’m curious if the government plans to increase funding and resources to ensure it actually improves. Same with the Forensic Services Bill—will there be a real shift in how effectively crimes are investigated, or will it just be another layer of bureaucracy?
I’ve been thinking a lot about the Cannabis (Amendment) Bill recently. While that’s important, what about the mental health services available for individuals who use cannabis? Are we also looking at public health campaigns on the risks? I’m all for legalizing cannabis, but there needs to be a broader conversation on public health implications as well.
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