00:00Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissessa says she welcomes Venezuela's indication that she is now persona grata,
00:06but says there is no immediate timeline for her planned visit to Caracas.
00:10Meanwhile, back home, Passat-Bissessa is defending her decision not to implement closed zones in PNM-held constituencies
00:18under the Special Operations Bill, as opposition senators and MPs challenge the policy and the Senate debates the legislation.
00:27Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissessa says she welcomes the change of her status when asked for comment while on day
00:35four of her trip to the United Nations General Assembly.
00:39She tells TV6, quote, I have always had good relations with the Venezuelan people and I look forward to that
00:46continuing in the future.
00:48I welcome the change in status, end quote.
00:51We asked the PM how soon she will travel to Caracas.
00:54She tells us, quote, it's too early to speak of specific dates, but of course that will happen in the
01:01future.
01:01My main focus right now is the 2027 budget, end quote.
01:06As the PM is at the United Nations, the Senate debates the Special Operations Bill,
01:12where debate is rife over her decision to not implement closed areas in the PNM constituencies,
01:19following pushback and threats of protests by PNM-held constituencies and their MPs.
01:26In the upper house, opposition Senator Faris al-Rawi said such a policy will cause criminals to flock to PNM
01:33-held areas,
01:34while opposition MP for Lavantil West, Karim Marcel, said it was an irresponsible and disrespectful position
01:42and that the PM should govern for all.
01:45In response, Passat-Bissassa says, quote,
01:48Oh, so now it's not apartheid.
01:51Wasn't it racist yesterday?
01:53What about saying no to ESO and the big march they were going to have?
01:57I certainly don't want them to feel caged.
02:00This has to be the dumbest version of the PNM ever, end quote.
02:05She maintained that she was not going to force the PNM MPs and their supporters to accept help.
02:11Passat-Bissassa repeated that if they prefer violent criminal gangs to control their streets instead of the police and army,
02:19so be it.
02:20And does the Prime Minister have any message to independent senators as they prepare to vote on the bill,
02:27though their support may not be needed for simple majority passage?
02:31Passat-Bissassa responded, quote, unquote,
02:33Stop being deadbeats.
02:35Urvishita Wari, Rupnarein, TV6 News.
02:38Still.
