Senate (Trinidad and Tobago)

Last updated
Senate of Trinidad and Tobago
13th Republican Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Coat of arms of Trinidad and Tobago (2025).svg
         Flag           Coat of Arms
Type
Type
Leadership
Wade Mark [a]
since 23 May 2025
Kenya Charles, UNC
since 23 May 2025
Leader of Government Business in the Senate
Darrell Allahar, UNC
since 23 May 2025
Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate
Amery Browne, PNM
since 23 May 2025
Structure
Seats31
Trinidad and Tobago Senate (2025).svg
Political groups
Government
  •   United National
    Congress
    (16)

Official Opposition

Other

Elections
Appointment by the president on advice of the prime minister (16), at her discretion (9) and opposition leader (6)
Meeting place
POS Redhouse.JPG
The Red House, Abercromby Street, Downtown, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Website
www.ttparliament.org
Constitution
Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago

The Senate of Trinidad and Tobago is the appointed upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, along with the President and House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago. The Senate currently sits at the Red House. The Senate has 31 members all appointed by the President: 16 Government Senators appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, 6 Opposition Senators appointed on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and 9 Independent Senators appointed on the discretion of the President from outstanding persons who represent other sectors of civil society. The presiding officer, the President of the Senate, is elected from among the Senators who are not Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries. A senator must be at least 25 years old and a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. The current President of the Senate is Senator Nigel de Freitas. As of 20 April 2021, there are only 13 female senators, or 41.9% [2] and 6 Tobagonian senators or 19.4%. [3] [4] The Senate made history on 15 February 2022 by appointing Jowelle de Souza as an acting opposition senator, thus making her the Caribbean's first and only transgender parliamentarian. [5] [6] [7] [8]

Contents

Party affiliation

AffiliationMembers
  People's National Movement 6
  Independent 9
  United National Congress 16
Total31

Leadership

Presiding officers

OfficeOfficerSince
President of the SenateWade Mark23 May 2025
Vice President of the SenateKenya Charles23 May 2025

Majority leadership

OfficeOfficerSince
Leader of Government Business in the SenateDarrell Allahar23 May 2025

Minority leadership

OfficeOfficerSince
Leader of Opposition Business in the SenateAmery Browne25 May 2025

Senators

Current senators

8 senators were appointed in May 2025: [9]

Member of ParliamentPartyDate appointed as a SenatorOffice
Ravi Ratiram   UNC 3 May 2025Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
Leroy Baptiste   UNC 3 May 2025Minister of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprises
Eli Zakour   UNC 3 May 2025Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation
Dominic Smith   UNC 3 May 2025Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence
Natalie Chaitan-Maharaj   UNC 3 May 2025Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services
Anil Roberts   UNC 3 May 2025Minister in the Ministry of Housing
Prakash Persad   UNC 3 May 2025Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training
Kennedy Swaratsingh   UNC 3 May 2025Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development
Phillip Alexander [10]  UNC7 May 2025Minister in the Ministry of Housing
Kama Maharaj [11]  UNC7 May 2025Minister of Trade, Investment, and Tourism

Senators until 2025

Member of ParliamentPartyDate appointed as a SenatorOffice
Nigel de Freitas   PNM 23 September 2015 President of the Senate
Reginald Armour   PNM 16 March 2022 Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs
Hassell Bacchus   PNM 19 August 2020Minister of Digital Transformation
Donna Cox   PNM 21 July 2019Minister of Social Development and Family Services
Ancil Dennis   PNM 25 September 2024
Paula Gopee-Scoon   PNM 11 September 2015Minister of Trade and Industry
Lawrence Hislop   PNM 22 March 2022
Kazim Hosein   PNM 31 October 2016Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries
Jayanti Lutchmedial   UNC 28 August 2020
Damian Lyder   UNC 28 August 2020
Wade Mark   UNC 23 September 2015Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate
David Nakhid   UNC 28 August 2020
Anil Roberts   UNC 28 August 2020
Avinash Singh   PNM 10 December 2013Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (until 2025)

Former senators

SenatorPartyDate appointed as a SenatorDate left as a SenatorOfficeRef.
Jearlean John   UNC 28 August 202028 April 2025 [12]
Jennifer Jones-Kernahan   UNC 20 February 20011 March 2010 [13]
Randall Mitchell   PNM 19 August 202028 April 2025Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts [14]
Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal   PNM 19 August 202028 April 2025Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs [15]
Rohan Sinanan   PNM 24 November 201528 April 2025Minister of Works and Transport [16]
Amery Browne   PNM 19 August 202028 April 2025Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs

Leader of Government Business in the Senate

[17]
Richie Sookhai   PNM 18 January 202328 April 2025Minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport [18]
Allyson West   PNM 29 June 201728 April 2025Minister of Public Administration [19]
Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing   PNM 28 August 202025 September 2024 [20]
Muhammad Yunus Ibrahim   PNM 11 June 202118 March 2025 Vice President of the Senate [21]
Joan Hackshaw-Marslin   PNM 28 August 200228 September 2007 [22]
Paul Richards   Independent 23 September 201518 March 2025 [23]
Maria Dillon-Remy   Independent 20 November 201818 March 2025 [24]
Varma Deyalsingh   Independent 19 October 201811 September 2023 [25]
Amrita Deonarine   Independent 28 August 202011 September 2023 [26]
Hazel Thompson-Ahye   Independent 20 November 201818 March 2025 [27]
Anthony Viera   Independent 2 August 201318 March 2025 [28]
Evans Welch   Independent 28 August 202011 September 2023 [29]
Deoroop Teemal   Independent 20 November 201818 March 2025 [30]
Charrise Seepersad   Independent 20 November 201811 September 2023 [31]
Jennifer Raffoul   Independent 23 September 201519 November 2018 [32]

See also

References

  1. "Trinidad and Tobago Parliament".
  2. "Monthly ranking of women in national parliaments". Parline: the IPU’s Open Data Platform. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  3. "Log into Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2021-04-20.{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  4. "Senate to debate THA Bill on March 2". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  5. "De Souza makes history in Senate". Trinidad Express Newspapers. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
  6. "Jowelle De Souza makes history as the first trans woman sworn into the Senate". IzzSo - News travels fast !!. 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
  7. "History in Senate: Transgender De Souza Appointed Temporary UNC Senator". AZP News. 2022-02-16. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
  8. "Jowelle De Souza on Senate appointment: Trinidad and Tobago maturing to accept different people". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2022-02-16. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
  9. Reporter, Newsday (2025-05-03). "Eight new senators named". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  10. Polo, Dareece (2025-05-08). "Phillip Alexander gets Housing Ministry portfolio, admits he'll have to tone down his social media behaviour". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian . Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  11. Polo, Dareece (2025-05-08). "New Trade Minister eyes linkages with Africa". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian . Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  12. "Jearlean John – Parliament". www.ttparliament.org. Archived from the original on 2025-02-10. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  13. "Jennifer Jones-Kernahan". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  14. "Randall Mitchell – Parliament". www.ttparliament.org. Archived from the original on 2025-02-10. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  15. "Senator the Honourable Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago .
  16. "Senator the Honourable Rohan Sinanan". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  17. "Senator the Honourable Dr. Amery Browne". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  18. "Richie Sookhai – Parliament". ttparliament.org. 2023-04-14. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  19. "Senator the Honourable Allyson West". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago .
  20. Moreno, Camille (2024-09-26). "PNM's Lezama-Lee Sing resigns as government senator". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  21. "Senator Dr. Muhammad Yunus Ibrahim". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  22. "Joan Hackshaw-Marslin – Parliament". www.ttparliament.org. Archived from the original on 2025-01-20. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  23. "Paul Richards – Parliament". www.ttparliament.org. Archived from the original on 2025-01-21. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  24. "Senator Maria Dillon-Remy". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago .
  25. "Senator Dr. Varma Deyalsingh". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  26. "Senator Amrita Deonarine". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago .
  27. "Senator Hazel Thompson-Ahye". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago .
  28. "Senator Anthony Vieira SC". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  29. "Evans Welch – Parliament". www.ttparliament.org. Archived from the original on 2024-11-09. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  30. "Senator Deoroop Teemal". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  31. "Senator Charrise Seepersad". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago .
  32. "Jennifer Raffoul – Parliament". www.ttparliament.org. Archived from the original on 2025-03-23. Retrieved 2025-05-21.

Notes

  1. Mark was elected President of the Senate under the nomination of the UNC. However, the position of Senate President is officially one without political affiliation. [1]