Speaker: Order. Good morning, everyone, I hope you rested well last night because we have a turbulent day's business today. In just a few minutes, we will start today's Parliamentary Questions. At twelve, we will have a round of Leaders' Questions, at twenty-six minutes to one, we will have Prime Minister's Questions, at nineteen minutes past one, we will have lunch, at nineteen minutes past two, we will have Topical Issues, at seven minutes past three, we will have Private Members' Business, at seven minutes past five, we will have a break, at twenty-seven minutes past five, we will have Government Business and at quarter past ten, we will adjourn for the night. 
   Now we move to begin Parliamentary Questions. Today, we are focusing on the areas of Education, Science and Technology, Welfare and Interior. With this in mind, we have our Ministers of Education, Science and Technology, Welfare and Interior, respectively, present today. We will have one at a time at the dispatch box, moderated by me, questions from Opposition members and other Members of Parliament may be asked from their respective places, front benchers may use the Opposition dispatch box. In line with GID-20 guidelines which are still in place, we have half our number present today and everyone else is joining us virtually, we have a few questions virtually today, please be patient in case there is a delay on the line. 
   I now call on the Minister of Education to be ready to be called to the dispatch box. I am going to call now on Joann King for Question Number One. Joann King.

Joann King: Question Number One, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: The Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker, we are living in very strange and turbulent times. Given the need to be here today, this is my first point of business this morning, I have not yet had meetings today, however, following these questions, I will have meetings later today regarding education and returning to school in the wake of the pandemic currently battering our country.

Speaker: Joann King.

Joann King: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. As we all know, we are still under a strict lockdown in the wake of ridding the country from GID-20, a month ago, the Prime Minister eased restrictions on people leaving the country. On all other fronts, restrictions remain in place until and including 30 September. Dr. Speaker, does the Minister acknowledge that the children of our country may be disorientated for a time when they do return to school and what measures is she putting in place to help deal with this disorientation as quickly as possible?

Speaker: The Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I hear what the honourable lady is saying. We usually return to school in this country at the end of August or start of September, depending on the school and the system they operate. This year, all schools are returning on 5 October, everyone is back at once, and a month later than usual, it is bound to feel wrong for a few weeks for both staff and students. They will need to get their act together quickly which is the point the honourable lady was making. I am signing off on more funding for educational supports for those who need them later today, they will be in place in time for 5 October and they will be available for students to seek the support of any time they need to throughout the year.

Speaker: Jacob Hines.

Jacob Hines: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. What happens to schools that do not have supports ready on time for a 5 October opening?

Speaker: Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Any schools finding themselves in that position should remain closed until they are in a position to open fully-staffed and then remain shut until the following Monday.

Speaker: Shelly Griffin.

Shelly Griffin: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Colleges and Universities are included in the education sector. What is the plan for reopening them?

Speaker: Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. We are not making decisions on all third level institutions. We are taking charge of Further Education and allowing Colleges and Universities their independence.

Speaker: We are now going virtually to Vera Washington.

Vera Washington: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Just second to what my honourable friend has just said, I think we knew-

Speaker: Order, I apologise, Vera, order, order. Sorry, chatter is not acceptable whilst someone is participating virtually, they are not here in person but we still cannot make out what they are saying if there is constant chatter in the chamber, let's please respect each other and allow everyone the opportunity to speak. Vera Washington.

Vera Washington: Thank you, Dr. Speak-

Courtney Waters: Why not turn her up?

Speaker: Order, Ms. Waters. What did I just say? Were you listening? Turning up an honourable member participating virtually is not the point, eliminating chatter in the chamber and paying attention to the serious matter at hand is the point and if you cannot do that or it is some kind of problem for you, I can revoke your permission to speak on the matter following Ms. Washington, as had been the plan and ask you to leave the chamber, the choice is yours. Courtney Waters.

Courtney Waters: I apologise, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: Thank you, Ms. Waters. Let's proceed. Vera Washington.

Vera Washington: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. As I was saying, just second to my honourable friend, I think we know that Colleges and Universities are going to be trusted to be responsible independently. Dr. Speaker, I think we would like to know if the Minister will be completely powerless in relation to their handling of the situation or how much power she will have over it.

Tax Nobody Party Members: Yeah.

Speaker: Order, let's try and keep our agreements or disagreements to a minimum, we do have a lot to get through in this session. The Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I would like to tell the honourable lady that I will have the powers of an inspector in Colleges and Universities and I will have power to enforce a change in measures taken by them. It is my ambition to travel around to as many as possible before they reopen and review their measures, their date to reopen is also 5 October. They will have orientation for courses which require it from 1 October.

Speaker: Leo Elliott.

Courtney Waters: Pardon me, Dr. Speaker, I thought I was next.

Speaker: Order, Ms. Waters, you really are on your last warning. Leo Elliott.

Leo Elliott: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Can I ask the Minister, if she's travelling around and inspecting measures and enforcing changes why she doesn't just take full control of Colleges and Universities.

Speaker: The Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Colleges and Universities are full of thousands of students studying thousands of courses, no-one knows each course better than the lecturers teaching them. I am trusting them all to meet, either in person or virtually, to discuss measures and then I will literally just tidy up what they come up with. There is not enough time in a day for one person to set to work on that.

Speaker: Order. I would like not to warn the Minister of Science and Technology that his section is approaching and ask him to be preparing to approach the dispatch box. For now, I will call...on...yes, indeed, Tyler Harrison.

Tyler Harrison: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. What of private education facilities? What is the plan?

Speaker: Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Private education facilities are literally what it says on the tin. They are private, they are not under us, what they do is up to them and not up to me.

Tyler Harrison: (Shouting across the chamber) Oh! So they can just do what they like! Terrific!

Speaker: Ord- order. ORDER! Mr. Harrison, do NOT shout across the chamber. Sarcasm is extremely unprofessional of any member of this Parliament. I see the Minister is on her feet, if she wishes to answer the question, I will make the exception. I think she does, she is nodding at me. The Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. No, they cannot just do what they like. They have the same public guidelines the rest of us have, they are obliged to respect them and if a case is confirmed on campus, they must close, there are no exceptions for anybody.

Speaker: Last question. Courtney Waters.

Courtney Waters: Thank you, Dr. Speaker, I am most grateful. May I ask the Minister what is the plan for Further Education institutions?

Speaker: Order, I trust I do not have to repeat my point on sarcasm in the chamber. A mental note to the Minister of Science and Technology, he's up next. The Minister of Education.

Minister of Education: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Further Education Colleges are due to reopen on 5 October, induction will run scattered on 1, 2 and 3 October for all students at their designated time slot and venue. They are to be treated the same as schools as far as guidelines are concerned. All in all, where all of today's issues are concerned, we are all accountable for our actions, no-one is innocent. Thank you, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Order. We are now moving to our next section of today's session of Parliamentary Questions. If the Minister of Education wishes to leave the chamber, she may do so now. I now virtually call on Perry Ballard for Question Number Two. Perry Ballard.

Perry Ballard: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Question Number Two.

Speaker: The Minister of Science and Technology.

Minister of Science and Technology: Thank you, Dr. Speaker, as this is today's first call of business, I have had no meetings so far today, after I am finished here, I will move on to further such meetings regarding our advances and our plans for living with GID-20.

Speaker: Perry Ballard.

Perry Ballard: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. The Minister mentioned you will continue to have meetings after today's questions to advance plans for living with GID-20. Just how advanced are we along that path? Is there an end to this pandemic in sight?

Speaker: Minister of Science and Technology.

Minister of Science and Technology: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I would like to thank the honourable gentleman for his questions, I noticed it was two and not one.

Speaker: Order, resume your seat, Minister. It would be helpful if you got on with answering the question instead of pointing out the honourable gentleman's flaws. We have a lot to get through today, let's not waste time. The Minister of Science and Technology.

Minister of Science and Technology: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. We have made progress, we have test vaccines and pills available to a small number of people at the moment to test whether they work or not. We are also keeping an eye on our foreign friends in case they arrive at medication which works before we do. Until we are in a position to start producing more or a working vaccine or pill, we must continue to observe the guidelines the Prime Minister is currently enforcing.

Speaker: Linda Gordon.

Linda Gordon: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Minister of Science and Technology. Why is the Technology part relevant?

Speaker: Order, Ms. Gordon, resume your seat.

Linda Gordon: I am just asking-

Speaker: I'll do the speaking, thank you, Ms. Gordon. Order. The Minister's Office title is the Minister of Science and Technology, he is not the Minister of Science and the Minister of Technology, this is not one man holding two offices, this is one Office, the head of the Ministry Science and Technology. Please, let's not ask anymore irrelevant questions. Terri Carroll.

Terri Carroll: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. May I ask the Minister, what happens if our foreign friends get working medication first?

Speaker: Minister of Science and Technology.

Minister of Science and Technology: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. If our foreign friends get medication first, we will monitor the situation, see what effect it has on their citizens, then our next action is to contact the Prime Minister asking permission to contact the President to reach out to them and offer them their price for their medication.

Speaker: Alonzo Norris.

Alonzo Norris: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. What happens if we get the medication first?

Speaker: Minister of Science and Technology.

Minister of Science and Technology: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Well, as we all know, there are no cases left in the country. Testing is currently taking place on patients who do not have the disease, in this case, we are watching how their immune systems react to the medication. In the case that this testing was to advance, we may be looking for a nation which does have cases and seeking to send our medication out there for testing or else continuing the testing we are currently conducting but on a larger scale.

Speaker: I call on the Welfare Minister to be preparing to approach the dispatch box shortly. For now, Wilbert Dennis.

Wilbert Dennis: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Can I ask the Minister what our time frame is for finding medication?

Speaker: The Minister of Science and Technology.

Minister of Science and Technology: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I'm not sure entirely what the honourable gentleman means. In the case of when do we expect it to be ready, we can't possibly know that, we must just work on it and see where we get. In the case of do we have a deadline, yes, the deadline is now but obviously the medication doesn't exist now so we are pushing for it to be ready as soon as possible but still, we must take our time to ensure the medication is safe to take.

Speaker: Thank you, Minister. We will now move to the Welfare Minister. If the Minister of Science and Technology wishes to leave the chamber, he may do so now. I would like to call virtually on Rosalie Cruz for Question Number Three. Rosalie Cruz.

Rosalie Cruz: Question Number Three, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: Welfare Minister.

Welfare Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. As this is my first point of business today, I have not had meetings so far today. After these questions are finished, I will have meetings on welfare in our country and the GID-20 payments we had been providing.

Speaker: Rosalie Cruz.

Rosalie Cruz: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. GID-20 was unprecedented for us all. Many people across my constituency have lost their jobs as a result of the recession we are now facing into. Does the Minister agree or disagree that halting the GID-20 payments for those without a job is unfair?

Speaker: Welfare Minister.

Welfare Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I do think it is very unfair on many people who have been laid off, I also think, though, the additional GID-20 payments are unfair on people who were already on welfare before this pandemic hit us. Maybe for those who were unjustly on welfare, I refer to people who just weren't bothered looking for work, this is a wake-up call but colleagues need to remember, Dr. Speaker, we are facing into a massive recession. The Government have decided businesses won't close, money is very tight so I just wonder where the honourable lady thinks the money is going to come from?

Speaker: If the honourable lady would like to respond, I will make the exception for her. Rosalie Cruz.

Rosalie Cruz: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Indeed, I would. I'd like to ask the Minister why he's not using the Rainy Day Fund to get the country back on it's feet.

Speaker: Welfare Minister.

Welfare Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker, I have to say, I don't think the honourable lady has been paying attention to the Prime Minister. The Rainy Day Fund doesn't currently exist, it is only being put into motion later in the week to put in excess Government money to put towards pulling us through our inevitable recession.

Speaker: Angelo Carson.

Angelo Carson: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Does the Minister agree with me it is unfair to cut holidaymakers' GID-20 payments, especially those who went on holiday before the intention to cut payments landed on his desk?

Speaker: Welfare Minister.

Welfare Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. The answer is yes, I do agree. I am meeting with the Prime Minister later today and I am going to suggest that GID-20 payments continue for holidaymakers for the next two weeks before being discontinued to give people a chance to come back before payments are discontinued. With your permission, Dr. Speaker, I would like to sit in on tomorrow's Parliamentary Questions to make a statement on the findings of that meeting and bring the Qaz Parliament up to speed with what decision is made later today.

Speaker: Order. I would like to call on the Interior Minister to be preparing to approach the dispatch box in a few minutes. I'd like to say to the Welfare Minister, please include what you have just said again in writing to me later today, I will prioritise it when I see it and I would then be happy to facilitate it at tomorrow's Parliamentary Questions. Last welfare question, please, from Vernon Chandler.

Vernon Chandler: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. In the last week, we have seen a rise in the amount of redundancies declared. Will the Government be providing additional support for those who have been redundant especially at this time when we are seeing a rise in unpaid redundancies which are not legal?

Speaker: Welfare Minister.

Welfare Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I have to say to the honourable gentleman that we cannot do that as their redundancies are not down to us. All the Government can do is push for employers declaring illegal redundancies to apologise to their employees and pay them or if they are not in a position to do so, the Government should be bringing the matter, in conjunction with the effected, their families and lawyers, before the Courts for justice and the Government always supports bringing illegal and unfair actions before the Courts. Thank you, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Order. We are now moving onto our last section of today's Parliamentary Questions, our Interior section. If the Welfare Minister wishes to leave the chamber, he may do so now. I'd like to call on Johnny Alvarado for Question Number Four. Johnny Alvarado.

Johnny Alvarado: Question Number Four, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: Interior Minister.

Interior Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Today's Questions is my first focus today, I have had no meetings so far today. After today's questions, I will progress to meetings regarding our country's response to the pandemic and yearning for some sort of return to normality.

Speaker: Johnny Alvarado.

Johnny Alvarado: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. It is now a known fact that the Government eased restrictions on people leaving the country. Currently, only empty planes and ferries, bar the crew, obviously, are being permitted to enter the country in order to fill up and leave full of passengers for wherever they are going. Any planes or ferries arriving with passengers are immediately being sent back to where they came from. We have not seen restrictions lifted for people coming into the country. When are we expecting to see this done?

Speaker: Interior Minister.

Interior Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I will answer the honourable gentleman's question in just a moment. I think you noticed, Dr. Speaker, what I am about to say, I saw you looking confused. I think it may have slipped the Welfare Minister's mind that people can't come into the country, hence, his two-week theory on GID-20 payments won't work.

Speaker: That is what I was thinking, yes, I thought I must have mis-heard. Interior Minister.

Interior Minister: Dr. Speaker, I will contact the Welfare Minister and correct him as soon as I am finished here, although, the Prime Minister should know this and be able to set him straight if I'm too slow to do so. Dr. Speaker, we can expect to see restrictions lifted for travel into the country on 1 October, when lockdown is eased. When this happens, a number of compulsory safety measures will be introduced at airports and ship ports.

Speaker: Mathew Mathis.

Mathew Mathis: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Might I just ask the Minister based on what he's just said, what safety measures can we expect to see introduced and how will they become compulsory?

Speaker: Interior Minister.

Interior Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. We will be introducing compulsory fourteen-day quarantine for all people arriving from every country into our country, at the airport, they will be required to fill out a form stating where they will be for their fourteen days of quarantine and sign a statement which means they understand that if they are found to be in breach of their quarantine, they will be eligible to receive a fine. Members of the Interior Ministry are permitted to check all forms, even if it is a lot of work, and to seek the intervention of J88 to help them make sure people are staying where they have said they are and pressing fines where necessary. This is not a choice and is required if we do not want to see another spike in GID-20 cases in the country.

Speaker: Allan King.

Allan King: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Can I ask the Minister if he has any comments on any of the issues raised at today's Questions considering they all more or less fall under his jurisdiction?

Speaker: Interior Minister.

Interior Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: Order, we're mumbling again. I am totally aware we are approaching Leaders' Questions and we have a lot to get organised for, please remember you will have plenty of time to prepare for it and our current session is not finished yet. The Interior Minister.

Interior Minister: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Yes, I acknowledge all of this does fall under the Interior but I do not acknowledge that they fall under my duties as Interior Minister. I am in no means their superior, we all work under the Prime Minister. Is it my duty to look over what they do? No, I interpret my duties to be to look after the Interior with regard to areas their Ministries do not cover only, not to also look into their areas for them, they have their own Ministers, they don't need me.

Government: Yeah.

Interior Minister: Dr. Speaker, I have my own personal opinions on today's business, I shall keep them to myself. My professional stance is neutral and I look forward to fulfilling my own work for the rest of the day and week ahead. Thank you, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Order. To ensure the safe passage of MPs in and out of the chamber, adhering to social-distancing, I now suspend Parliament for three minutes. If the Interior Minister wishes to leave the chamber now, he may do so. Order.