All senators pass firework bill

News Sean Douglas Yesterday

Fireworks. - File photo

THE Senate on December 10 unanimously passed a bill to regulate the sale and discharge of fireworks, the Summary Offences (Amendment) Bill 2025. The bill was piloted by Attorney General John Jeremie who praised the work of the Law Reform Commission for drafting the bill. All 30 senators present voted for the bill, with none against and no abstentions.

Those speaking included Jeremie, Opposition Senator Foster Cummings and Independent Senators Anthony Vieira and Frances Lewis.

The bill was previously passed unanimously in the House of Representatives by all 38 votes in support on December 9, where it was also piloted by Jeremie, with contributors also including Diego Martin Central MP Symon de Nobriga, Port of Spain South MP Keith Scotland and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Jeremie told senators he agreed that more work was required on the bill, as he recalled Cummings' proposal for the Senate to look at firework sales permits.

At the committee stage, Opposition Senator Dr Amery Browne asked if the legislation was contemplating silent fireworks.

Jeremie replied the government is considering how to improve fireworks so as to reduce their deleterious effects, by the use of silent fireworks.

He said, "We anticipate legislative movement in that area. We are looking forward to that."

Independent Senator Francis Lewis used the opportunity of committee stage to withdraw an amendment he had earlier proposed.

Browne asked what was the effect on vulnerable populations such as the elderly and animals of allowing firework discharge for just one hour on public holidays.

Seemingly alluding to a concentrated period of noise-making, he said, "Has the government thought it through?"

Jeremie replied, "It is an improvement on the status quo which allows for the unfettered use of fireworks throughout day and night." He said by this bill the government was instead concentrating on a very narrow window of time. "It is a work in progress," the AG added.

Independent Senator Dr Desiree Murray asked how the government had come up with the permissible hour of 8-9 pm.

Jeremie replied that this time was based in research done by the Law Reform Commission. "They suggested those periods."