Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said that the Constitution (Amendment) (Tobago) Bill, 2011 will be laid in Parliament during this session.

Speaking during the budget debate on Wednesday, in the Lower House of Parliament, Tower D, Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, she disclosed that the Attorney General had retained the services of Russell Martineau, SC, who is in the process of drafting a Tobago Land Bill.

Persad-Bissessar focused on Tobago in her contribution to the budget at the Parliament.

Her People's Partnership Govern-ment, she stressed, was committed to developing Tobago as opposed to the People's National Move-ment.

She chided Opposit-ion Leader Dr Keith Rowley for failing to make Tobago a priority and noted that during his own budget contribution he did not speak of any plans for the sister isle.

Persad-Bissessar said her Government had a vision for Tobago which is outlined in the People's Partnership manifesto.

Internal self government and security of land tenure, she said, were two promises made to Tobagonians which would be kept.

Government, she said, had completed the recent consultations on the Green Paper on Inter-nal Self-Government for Tobago.

She said over 10, 000 copies of the Green Paper were printed and distributed through public offices in both islands and the report compiled by Dr Hamid Ghany and his team was submitted to the Cabinet.

Persad-Bissessar noted that a Parliamen-tary majority is required to pass the bill with respect to self-government for Tobago and urged Opposition to lend their support.

"This bill will be geared towards strengthening Tobago's internal self governance and create a platform for economic growth and development," she said.

Persad-Bissessar said that for too long Tobagonians have been pleading for titles to their lands.

"For too long, I have heard the cries of our brothers and sisters in Tobago because they are unable to legally own their most precious asset—the land on which they live," she said.

The aim of the Tobago Land Bill, she said, will be to regularise the issue of land title.