THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE
REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
ACT NO. 4 OF 1976
Amended by
*15 of 1978
|
16 of
1978
|
30 of
1979
|
8 of
1981
|
13 of
1982
|
*17 of 1983 (Rep. by 8 of 1988)
|
21 of
1987
|
2 of
1988
|
*8 of
1988
|
*30 of 1994 (Rep. by 10 of 1995)
|
*10 of 1995 (See LN 118/1995)
|
17 of
1995
|
39 of
1996
|
*29 of 1999
|
43 of
2000
|
81 of
2000
|
82 of
2000
|
89 of
2000
|
ARRANGEMENT
OF SECTIONS
PRELIMiNARY
1. The State.
2. The Supreme Law.
3. Interpretation.
CHAPTER 1
THE RECOGNITION AND PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
PART I
Rights Enshrined
4. Recognition and declaration of
rights and freedoms.
5. Protection of rights and
freedoms.
PART II
Exceptions for Existing Law
6. Savings
for existing law.
PART III
Exceptions for Emergencies
7. Emergency
powers.
8. Period of public emergency.
9. Grounds for, and initial
duration of, Proclamation.
10. Extension of Proclamation.
11. Detention of persons.
12. Publication.
PART IV
Exceptions for Certain Legislation
13. Acts
inconsistent with sections 4 and 5.
PART V
General
14. Enforcement
of the protective provisions.
CHAPTER 2
CITIZENSHIP
15. Continuation
of citizenship of citizens under section 9 of former Constitution.
16. Continuation of citizenship
of citizens by registration, naturalisation, etc.
17. Acquisition of citizenship by
birth or descent. Continuation of citizenship. Retrospective citizenship.
18. Commonwealth citizens.
19. Criminal liability of
Commonwealth citizens.
20. Powers of Parliament.
21. Interpretation of Chapter 2.
CHAPTER 3
THE PRESIDENT
22. Establishment
of office and election of President.
23. Qualifications and
disqualifications for office of President.
24. Other conditions of office.
25. Transitional provision.
26. Holding of elections for
President.
27. Where office vacant.
28. Electoral College.
29. Mode of elections.
30. Nomination of candidates.
31. Procedure for balloting.
32. Determination of questions as
to elections.
33. Term of office.
34. Vacation of office.
35. Removal from office.
36. Procedure for removal from
office.
37. Oath.
38. Immunities of President.
CHAPTER 4
PARLIAMENT
PART I
Composition of parliament
Establishment
39. Establishment
of Parliament.
The
Senate
40. Composition
of Senate.
41. Qualifications for
appointment as Senator.
42. Disqualifications for
appointment as Senator.
43. Tenure of office of Senators.
44. Appointment of temporary Senators.
45. President and Vice‑President
of the Senate.
The
House of Representatives
46. Composition
of House of Representatives.
47. Qualifications for
election as member.
48. Disqualifications for
election as member.
49. Tenure of office of members.
49A. Vacation of seat where
member resigns or is expelled.
50. Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
51. Qualifications of voters.
General
52. Determination of questions as
to membership.
PART II
Powers, Privileges and Procedure
of Parliament
53. Power to make laws.
54. Alteration of this
Constitution.
55. Privileges and immunities of
Parliament.
56. Regulation of procedure in
each House.
57. Oath of allegiance.
58. Presiding in Senate and House
of Representatives.
59. Voting.
60. Quorum.
61. Mode of exercising
legislative power.
62. Attendance of Ministers in
either House.
63. Introduction of Bills, etc.
64. Restrictions on powers of
Senate as to Money Bills.
65. Restrictions on powers
of Senate as to Bills other than Money Bills.
66. Provisions relating to
sections 63, 64 and 65.
66A. Appointment of certain
Select or Joint Select Committees.
66B. Reports of Service
Commissions.
66C. Applicability of the
Judicial and Legal Service Commission.
66D. Report of Government
Ministries, etc.
PARt III
Summoning,
Prorogation and Dissolution
67. Sessions
of Parliament.
68. Prorogation and dissolution
of Parliament.
69. General Elections and
appointment of Senators.
PART IV
Elections
and Boundaries Commission
70. Constituencies.
71. Elections and Boundaries
Commission.
72. Procedure for review of
constituency boundaries.
PART V
System of
Balloting
73. System
of balloting.
CHAPTER 5
EXECUTIVE
POWERS
74. Executive
authority of Trinidad and Tobago.
75. The Cabinet.
76. Appointment of Ministers.
77. Tenure of office of
Ministers.
78. Performance of functions of
Prime Minister during absence, illness or suspension.
79. Allocation of portfolios to
Ministers.
80. Exercise of President’s
functions.
81. President to be informed
concerning matters of Government.
82. Parliamentary Secretaries.
83. Leader of the Opposition.
84. Oaths to be taken by
Ministers, etc.
85. Permanent Secretaries.
86. Constitution of offices, etc.
87. Powers of pardon, etc.
88. Advisory Committee on Power
of Pardon.
89. Functions of Advisory
Committee.
CHAPTER
6
THE director
of PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS AND the OMBUDSMAN
PART I
Director of
Public Prosecutions
90. Appointment,
tenure and functions.
PART II
Ombudsman
91. Appointment
and conditions of office.
92. Appointment of staff of
Ombudsman.
93. Functions of Ombudsman.
94. Restrictions on matters for
investigation.
95. Discretion of Ombudsman.
96. Report on investigation.
97. Power to obtain evidence.
98. Prescribed matters concerning
Ombudsman.
CHAPTER
7
THe
JUDICATURE
PART I
The Supreme
Court
99. Establishment
of Supreme Court.
100. Constitution of High Court.
The Court of Appeal
101. Constitution
of Court of Appeal.
102. Appointment of Chief
Justice.
103. Acting appointments as
Chief Justice.
Appointment of Judges
104. Appointment
of Justices of Appeal and Puisne Judges.
105. Qualifications of Judges.
106. Tenure of office.
107. Oaths to be taken by Judges.
108. Appeals on Constitutional
questions and fundamental rights, etc.
PART II
Appeals to
the Judicial Committee
109. Appeals
from Court of Appeal to the Judicial Committee.
PART III
Judicial and
Legal Service Commission
110. Judicial and Legal Service
Commission.
111. Appointment of judicial
officers, etc.
CHAPTER 8
FINANCE
112. Establishment
of Consolidated Fund.
113. Authorisation of expenditure
from Consolidated Fund.
114. Authorisation of expenditure
in advance of appropriation.
115. Contingencies Fund.
116. Establishment of office and
functions of Auditor General.
117. Appointment of Auditor
General and Staff.
118. Public debt.
119. Public Accounts Committees.
CHAPTER
9
APPOINTMENTS
TO, AND TENURE OF, OFFICES
PART I
Service
Commissions, Etc.
Public Service Commission
120. Public Service Commission.
121. Appointments, etc. of
Public Officers.
Police
Service Commission
122. Police
Service Commission.
123. Appointments, etc., of
Police Officers.
Teaching
Service Commission
124. Teaching
Service Commission.
125. Appointment of Teachers.
General
Provisions on Service Commissions
126. Qualifications,
tenure of office, etc.
127. Delegation of functions.
128. Consultation with other
Service Commissions.
129. Powers and procedure of
Service Commissions and protection from legal proceedings.
PART II
Public
Service Appeal Board
130. Constitution
of Appeal Board.
131. Tenure of office, etc.
132. Appeals in disciplinary
cases.
Pensions
133. Protection of pension rights.
134. Powers of Commissions in
relation to grant of pensions, etc.
Special Offices
135. Appointments
of principal representatives of Trinidad and Tobago.
136. Tenure of special offices.
137. Removal from office of Judge.
CHAPTER
10
The
Integrity Commission
138. The
Integrity Commission.
139. Power to make laws
relating to Commission.
CHAPTER
11
The Salaries
Review Commission
140. Constitution of Commission.
141. Functions of Commission.
CHAPTER
11A
The Tobago
House of Assembly
141A. Tobago House of
Assembly.
141B. Powers of the Assembly.
141C. Executive Council.
141D. Fund.
CHAPTEr 12
MISCELLANEOUS
AND GENERAL
142. Resignations.
143. Reappointments, etc.
FIRST
SCHEDULE—Forms
of Oath (or Affirmation) of Office and of Secrecy.
SECOND SCHEDULE—Boundaries of Constituencies.
THIRD SCHEDULE—Matters not subject to investigation.
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