After a six-month health-related absence, Trincity/Maloney Member of Parliament Camille Robinson-Regis made her official return to Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives on January 16. The former housing minister and attorney general had been on medical leave since July 2025 following surgical procedures, during which time she focused on recovery and convalescence.
Upon her arrival at the Red House, Robinson-Regis engaged briefly with press representatives, noting this marked her first public appearance since her medical treatment. While confirming her physical presence in Parliament, she clarified she would not actively participate in the day’s legislative debates, citing ongoing concerns within her party, the People’s National Movement (PNM), regarding the proposed bills.
The parliamentary agenda featured three significant pieces of legislation: the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2026, which establishes stricter timelines for vehicle defect corrections; the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) Bill 2026, designed to implement special security measures in high-crime areas; and the Tobago House of Assembly (Amendment) Bill 2026, introduced by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to expand secretarial positions within the assembly.
This legislative session occurred against the backdrop of recent political developments in Tobago, where the Tobago People’s Party achieved a sweeping electoral victory on January 12, capturing all 15 seats in the assembly. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar had previously expressed the central government’s commitment to collaborative governance with Tobago’s administration for regional development.