President challenges Govt on poverty eradication as Parliament opens

Port-of-Spain: President George Maxwell Richards has called on the government to do more to eradicate poverty in this country, as he delivered the feature address at the ceremonial opening of the Parliament.

The President, addressing both house of Parliament, said that the country is yet to accomplish the kind of income distribution that makes for a more evn standard of living throughout the country.

"Poverty eradication is still, or ought to be, high on the agenda," he said, adding that any sustained programme to eradicate poverty must have at its core community development and appropriate government policies.

He says the government must create links between knowledge generation and enterprise development and said there is no time for reduction in infrastructure.

"Focus should therefore be placed on improving infrastructuralservices as a foundation for technology, includingh public utilities such as power, telecommunications, water supply, public works, transportation and environmental protection," the President said.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told the Parliament that the new legislative agenda would include Dangerous Dogs legislation and new laws to crack down on squatting.

The new session of Parliament sees the return of former prime minister Patrick Manning who was suspended after being found to have breached the privileges of Parliament's over claims that the prime minister used funds gained illicitly to construct her private home.