Members of Parliament of Dominica to take the Oath of Allegiance when the First Meeting of the 1st Session of the Eleventh Parliament starts on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 10:00 AM at the House of Assembly.
During the Meeting, the Speaker & Deputy Speaker will be elected as well as administered the Oath of Office signalling the beginning of the new parliamentary term, after general elections held on December 6, 2022.
It is noted that the President of Dominica, Charles A. Savarin will deliver an address & Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit will present proclamations for the dissolution of parliament along with the summoning of the 11th Parliament.
The Minister for Finance, Climate Resilience, Economic Development, and Social Security, Dr Irving McIntyre, will be tabling a motion for the approval of Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year, which ended on June 30, 2022, amounting to EC$ 235, 717, 376.20.
The other steps before the House will bring into law the policy decisions that were announced in the 2022/23 National Budget, which is designed to ease the negative impact of global economic trends as well as bringing relief to citizens.
Notably, these include a Bill for an Act to make amendments in the Value Added Tax Act to raise the number of VAT-free units from 100Kwh to 150Kwh of electrical energy, which is provided by the Dominica Electricity Services Ltd (DOMLEC) to domestic consumers along with the zero-rating of VAT on fuel surcharge payable to DOMLEC; as well as to effect the exemption of VAT on agricultural tools & potting soil, the exemption of VAT on the importing of pleasure crafts as well as engines of pleasure crafts.
Whereas, amendments related to the Stamp Act, the Pensions Act, the Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, the Title by Registration Act as well as the Repeal of the Highway Maintenance Levy are also on the Order Paper; along with the amendments to the Civil Aviation Act & the International Maritime Act.
During the meeting, the Financial Statements of the Dominica Agricultural Industrial and Development Bank as well as the 2021 Debt Portfolio Review Report will also be tabled.
