Parliament Authorises Liability Protection For Members Of The Planning Appeals Tribunal
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By Alric Lindsay
In the Second Sitting of the Fourth Meeting of the 2023-24 Session of Parliament today, July 23, 2024, the Parliament authorized the issuance to members of the Planning Appeals Tribunal of a deed of indemnity guarding against the potential liability of members of the planning Appeals Tribunal.
Jay Ebanks, the Honourable Minister of Planning, Agriculture, Housing, Infrastructure, Transport, and Development, brought the motion to authorize the issuance of the deed of indemnity.
Explaining the reasons for bringing the motion, Ebanks said that his ministry “observed that qualified and experienced individuals are increasingly hesitant to serve as directors of corporations and members of boards… due to the growing risk of litigation costs associated with their role and responsibilities.”
He added that some persons are reluctant to serve “unless they are protected by comprehensive liability insurance or indemnification.”
He continued:
This move is necessary to ensure that we can attract and retain the competent individuals to these important roles.
Mister speaker, as required by section 8 of the Public Management and Finance Act… we must obtain a resolution from Parliament to grant an approval to the deed of indemnity.
After discussion, the motion was passed, and no members of Parliament voted against it.
