Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein caused a heated exchange and loud objection by former housing minister Camille Robinson-Regis in the Parliament yesterday, after recalling allegations of gang affiliations against former minister Adrian Leonce when he was a junior minister in the Ministry of Housing.
Robinson-Regis raised an objection that Hosein had impugned her, and went on to clash with House Speaker Jagdeo Singh as he overruled her objection.
However, despite a debate in which Government and Opposition members butted heads several times, The Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill 2026 was later passed unanimously, with 37 members voting for, none against and no abstentions.
In his contribution, Hosein sought to underline the need for the legislation, as the Government implements online systems that increase border screening and security.
Hosein said the system was critical to the country’s efforts to have the United Kingdom visa requirement for T&T nationals removed.
Hosein went on to recall allegations that Leonce had facilitated a person with “gang” affiliations in going to the UK, where the individual had used information such as the address of Leonce’s grandmother, on entering the UK.
Hosein cited a May 2025 Express investigative story, which stated that Leonce was one of two directors in a UK-based company that was registered in September 2023 and terminated in July 2024.
Leonce had said he cut ties with the company and had distanced himself, after learning that the individual had been connected to alleged corrupt and questionable practices.
Hosein noted that the matter was the subject of a police investigation.
In pointing to the Leonce matter, Hosein recalled that the former Laventille East/Morvant MP had been a junior minister, under Trincity/Maloney MP Robinson-Regis.
Robinson-Regis stood to object, accusing Hosein several times of impugning her.
She claimed that Hosein had said she knew of Government contracts that were given out.
Singh said he did not hear Hosein make that statement and called on Robinson-Regis to “have a seat”.
Singh stated that he had not heard any imputation being made by Hosein.
Robinson-Regis insisted that “I will not take it,” while remarks were being hurled across both benches.
Apologise and withdraw
As words flew, Singh called on Robinson-Regis to apologise and withdraw for remarks she made towards Toco/Sangre Grande MP, Defence Minister Wayne Sturge.
Singh said he had heard Robinson-Regis but would not repeat her words, which he described as “vile and offensive”.
Singh threatened to invoke Standing Order 55, which concerns disturbances of the House, cross-talk and tedious repetition.
“Make your choice,” Singh said to Robinson-Regis, as she continued to object.
“I have been impugned by Barataria/San Juan,” Robinson-Regis said.
She went on to apologise in accordance with the Standing Orders, “despite the fact that I have been impugned”.
“I apologise and withdraw but I will not be impugned by any member of this House,” Robinson-Regis stated.
Singh maintained that he had heard “absolutely no hint of any imputation that you did anything wrong”.
He suggested that if any imputation was made, that Hosein withdraw it and move on.
Hosein responded that Robinson-Regis was free to “file a privilege motion against me”.
He stated that if Robinson-Regis was unaware that Leonce had received government contracts, “she really didn’t know what was happening in the government”.
Hosein said Robinson-Regis had disclosed in a Joint Select Committee (JSC) meeting that former minister Foster Cummings had received millions of dollars in State contracts.
San Fernando East MP Brian Manning asked if Hosein was prosecuting a case in the Parliament, and remarked “hush yuh clown, hush”.
Hosein went on to ask why the Opposition bench was “so jumbie”, as these were the facts.
Robinson-Regis questioned the relevance of Hosein’s remarks, which Singh said was quite clear as Hosein was entitled to lay some context and underlying factual basis to the need for the bill.
