Senators will meet on Tuesday to debate a bill to amend the Immigration Act, as government seeks to expand from five to ten, the number of categories of skilled CARICOM workers who can work in this country.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar questions the timing of government’s proposed amendments, however, as she laments there aren’t enough jobs for locals at this time.

“We have to increase T&TEC rates, we have to increase WASA rates, prices going up, fuel going up, gas at the pump will go, everything will go up and you want to bring more people to live off the state. When our hospitals cannot cope, when our schools cannot cope, why do you want to open our gates at this time Prime Minister?”

She again accused government of voter padding. 

“You want to bring in a vote bank from out of the CARICOM and they will come. If you think things are bad here, imagine some of the other islands how much worse it is? As I said, I don’t have anything against CARICOM but I have serious issues with  bringing and passing a bill such as that, at this time,” she said.

On Monday, Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Dr. Amery Browne  rejected the Opposition’s claim that the proposed amendments to the Immigration  Act was an attempt by government to promote voter padding.

Dr. Browne said it was mischievous to suggest these CARICOM nationals would be allowed to vote in local elections.

“These amendments have nothing to do with voter padding or the capacity of any CARICOM national to vote in Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.

“That is not being amended within this amendment bill that is before the senate.”

Dr. Browne explained there are more lengthy criteria to make someone who comes to T&T under a Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) eligible to vote.