00:00In the House of Representatives, Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hussein, the MP for Barataria San Juan,
00:07piloted amendments to the Copyright Act meant to extend the life of the protection afforded to works of artists and performers.
00:14The bill was unanimously passed by the Senate.
00:17This bill is very timely and important, especially in light of the fact that we are in the carnival season.
00:24And I want to tell you, Mr. Speaker, that I listen to my friends opposite by talking.
00:29In Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, they're by talking it.
00:32Opposition MP Hans Deveens, who represents the Gomatin West, declared his interest when he spoke right after Minister Hussein.
00:41When you look at the policies, it has contracted the carnival industry and our carnival festival for 2026.
00:49You see it in terms of our mass bands. You mentioned FETS being packed.
00:53Remember for Barataria Sauer, I know you get complimentaries, complimentaries.
00:58Promoters are giving out complimentaries because they need the numbers to appear to look good.
01:03Sponsors are pulling out. People are reselling their costumes.
01:06Minister Hussein told the government lying about Carnival 2026 as he gave credit to Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin.
01:13The Ministry of Culture is about to host the greatest carnival on earth, Mr. Speaker.
01:24My friends say carnival bus, but Mr. Speaker, I have a few of them in the FETS and they're struggling to get through the crowd.
01:32Mr. Speaker, they can't make their way through the crowd.
01:34I am told, I am told that events are sold out. I am told that we have over 500 carnival events for this season.
01:44MP Deveens directly responded to Minister Hussein.
01:47The creative industry is affected negatively by the government's policies.
01:54And anomalies are not norms. Let me explain something to you.
01:57You mentioned that, you know, these FETS are RAM and these FETS are RAM.
02:02Let's talk about the 100 and more FETS that have been cancelled this season.
02:09Artists do not feel protected.
02:11Minister Hussein touted what the government has identified as successes,
02:15including the Flavor Village and John Cupid Carnival Village and the Queen's Park Savannah,
02:20which are both free of charge.
02:21The Land and Legal Affairs Minister also said he had responsibility for the Shagaramas Development Authority.
02:28Because of the events on that peninsula, one way in, one way out,
02:32we held a meeting with all of the stakeholders, the TTDF, the TTPS, the Ministry of Transport, the CDA,
02:40and we were able to create a traffic management plan
02:43that we can ease the traffic in and out of Shagaramas, Mr. Speaker.
02:48That is performance.
02:49The MPDVNs referred to two events in Shagaramas
02:52following the intervention of the House Speaker on the request of the government.
02:56If extinct and dirty and soaker came up with the traffic plan, not you.
03:00That's all I have to say.
03:01The Culture Minister later commended Minister Hussein,
03:03as well as the Attorney General, for the amendments to the Copyright Act.
03:08Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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