Parliament Passes Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill After Overnight Debate

Parliament passed a late government amendment to the Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2026, updating the Special Operations Act to match planned local government changes, including four new districts tied to boroughs and municipal regions. The Opposition accused the Government of slipping in the measure without proper notice and voted against it.

West Tobago MP Joel Sampson backed the Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill 2026, saying smaller local government areas can improve service delivery and make officials more accountable. He argued that redistricting should reflect geography, culture and transport links, pointing to Tobago as an example of the benefits of devolving responsibility closer to residents.

The Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed the Lower House on Wednesday night with amendments, 27 votes to 11, after a debate that included repeated clashes over Opposition MPs’ comments during voting. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar accused the Opposition of political hypocrisy and defended the bill as a local government reform aimed at better services and fairer funding. She said the Elections and Boundaries Commission will report on new municipal districts within 90 days of the next local government election proclamation.

Local Government elections in Trinidad and Tobago are still set to proceed, Rural Development and Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen said while piloting the Municipal Corporations Bill, 2026. She said the reforms correct long-standing boundary distortions, preserve the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s role, and include a clause to bar councillors and aldermen from switching parties after election.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2026 will overhaul local government in Trinidad and Tobago by expanding corporations from 14 to 17 and redrawing boundaries to better match population size and funding needs. She defended the bill against PNM claims of gerrymandering, saying it corrects long-standing inequities in representation and resources.

Parliament last night added new district boundaries from the Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2026 into the Special Operations Act, aligning the security law with planned local government changes, including four new districts and boroughs. The move passed 27–12, but Opposition MPs condemned it as a rushed revival of ZOSO-style powers.

Government defended the Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Parliament, saying it preserves the Election and Boundaries Commission’s role while making it easier for independent candidates to run in local elections. The Bill would also treat councillors or aldermen who switch parties as having vacated their seats, and elevate Chaguanas to a city and Barataria, Couva, St Augustine and Sangre Grande to boroughs.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission said it was not formally consulted on the Government’s plan to create three new boroughs and has no role in changing municipal corporation boundaries. It said Parliament can alter those boundaries under the law, while the Prime Minister says the restructuring is meant to improve local service delivery and better reflect community needs.