The Tobago House of Assembly (Amendment) Bill, 2026, has been passed, with 38 votes in favour, no votes against and no abstentions.
It removes a fixed statutory limit on the number of secretaries that may be appointed by the Chief Secretary, increases the quorum in the Assembly legislature, and renames assemblyman to assembly members.
During the debate in the Lower House, Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar SC said the amendments to the Act will provide the structural flexibility required for future transformation of Tobago.
“First it intends to increase the number of secretaries in the THA executive council, initially we had proposed from seven to 11 members, however given the large mandate the electorate gave to this present THA, we are proposing that the bill, the law, the act, be amended, to low for secretaries without number, without limiting them to either seven or eleven, that will be in discretion of the Chief Secretary and the THA, in consultation with the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Member of Parliament for Tobago West, Joel Sampson, welcomed the amendments, noting that they were long overdue.
He emphasised that flexibility does not mean an absence of accountability.
“Madame deputy speaker, the last time this parliament amended the law to adjust the structure of the legislative council of The Tobago House of Assembly, was Act number 17 of 2006, passed in September 2006, nineteen years ago. Nineteen years ago Tobago was a very different place.Tobago now is heading in the direction, of becoming the greatest little island on the planet. Since then, Tobago has grown.”