Leave of Absence was granted to Sen. the Hon. Conrad Enill and Sen. the Hon. Dr. Emily Gaynor Dick-Forde. Senators Joel Primus and Foster Cummings were sworn in to replace Senators Enill and Gaynor Dick-Forde respectively during their absence from Trinidad and Tobago.

The Teaching Service Compensation Bill, 2008, which was passed in the House of Representatives on 4 April 2008, was read a first time in the Senate. The Bill is in the name of the Minister of Education (Hon. Esther Le Gendre, MP)

Three Papers were laid. They were in the name of the Minister in the Ministry of Finance, The Vice-President of the Senate, and the Minister of Planning, Housing and the Environment. The last paper was laid by the Acting Leader of Government Business in the Senate (Sen. the Hon. Dr. Lenny Saith).
See the Order Paper for details.

Three Questions were answered (8, 10 and 31) by Sen. the Hon. Martin Joseph, Sen. the Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George and Sen. the Hon. Dr. Lenny Saith, the latter on behalf of the Minister of Trade and Industry (Hon. Dr. Keith Rowley, MP). See the Order Paper for details of the questions.

See the Order Paper for details.

The Minister of Public Utilities (Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, MP) made a statement in the Senate about a strategic water supply plan aimed at accelerating the availability of a 24/7 water supply to the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago by the year 2012.

Debate began on the Caribbean Court of Justice (Headquarters) Bill, 2008. The Attorney-General (Sen. the Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George) moved the second reading of the Caribbean Court of Justice (Headquarters) Bill, 2008. 14 members made contributions to the Bill before the Attorney-General concluded the debate. The Bill was considered in Committee and passed without amendments. It was later read a third time and passed.

The Acting Leader of Government Business in the Senate (Sen. the Hon. Dr. Lenny Saith) indicated that on the next occasion the Senate would consider the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Service)(Amendment) Bill, 2008 which was already passed in the House of Representatives, as well as a Motion to appoint Members of the Oversight Joint Select Committees.