00:00The Joint Select Committee on National Security was forced to suspend its sitting on Wednesday
00:05following an extended in-camera session that delayed the start of proceedings by more than half an hour.
00:12Committee Chairman Saddam Hussein apologized to attendees, citing an issue that made it impossible for the meeting to continue.
00:19We have attendees from the Ministry of Justice, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and also the Judiciary.
00:29However, a matter has arisen which has brought our attention and we cannot continue this meeting this evening.
00:38So we'll have to suspend the hearing of this particular meeting.
00:42We are adjourning the date to be fixed and we will have to communicate with you on the date that
00:47we have adjourned to.
00:49So I do apologize.
00:50TV6 News understands the disruption stemmed from objections raised about the presence of Opposition Senator Janelle John Bates
00:59during deliberations on sensitive national security matters.
01:03Sources say a member questioned her integrity and call for her recusal, a request she reportedly refused,
01:11prompting the decision to suspend the sitting.
01:14The concerns are linked to a special report involving her conduct on another parliamentary body
01:20where she admitted to assisting former Health Minister Terence de Helsing
01:24in preparing a memorandum that was later submitted as evidence to a committee she served on.
01:30That special committee report raised issues of conflict of interest, impartiality and a possible breach of confidentiality
01:38after tracked changes tied to the senator directly to the document.
01:43TV6 News understands a formal complaint argued that her continued participation in that JSC risks undermining public trust
01:52and the integrity of committee proceedings.
01:56The complaint hinged upon the opposition senator's capacity to participate impartially in deliberations
02:01to maintain confidentiality and conduct herself ethically.
02:06It also pointed to her removal from the Public Accounts and Administration Committee
02:11and recommended similar action in this case.
02:15The Joint Select Committee had been due to examine the implementation of the Electronic Monitoring Act
02:21with representatives from the Electronic Monitoring Unit, the Ministry of Justice
02:25and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service in attendance.
02:29The complainant TV6 News understands is Energy Minister Dr. Rudal Munilal.
02:34Opposition Leader Penelope Beckles did not respond to requests for comment,
02:38while Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzalez said he's seeking further information.
02:43Other committee members, including Chairman Saddam Hussein, Clyde Elder and Courtney McNish, refused comment.
02:50Dr. Munilal, however, told TV6 News he was not at liberty to divulge details of the in-camera session.
02:57When asked pointedly if he was the member to raise the concern,
03:01he neither confirmed nor denied the assertion.
03:04However, Minister Munilal acknowledged that an issue arose which led to the suspension of the committee.
03:10He said,
03:37The committee has been adjourned to a date to be fixed.
03:40Arvashita Wari, Rupanarayan, TV6 News.
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