The President granted leave of absence to Sen. Prof. Patrick Watson, Sen. Dr. Lester Henry and Sen. Prof. Harold Ramkissoon. Mr. Shane Mohammed, Mr. Daniel Dookie and Mrs. Parvatee Anmolsingh-Mahabir were appointed to temporarily replace Senators Watson, Henry and Ramkission respectively.

The Children’s Life Fund Bill, 2010, which was passed in the House of Representatives on November 12, 2010, was read a first time in the Senate. The Bill is in the name of the Minister of Health.

Five papers were laid. See the Order Paper and Supplemental Order Paper for details.

Two Bills were introduced, the Securities (No.2) Bill, 2010 and the Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons (No. 2) Bill, 2010.

Debate resumed (from November 9, 2010) on the Petrotrin Pensions (No.2) Bill, 2010. Sen. Fitzgerald Hinds and Sen. Daniel Dookie made contributions before the Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs rose to conclude. The Bill was considered in Committee and passed without amendment. It was then read a third time and passed. At third reading a division was taken, the result of which was 29 for, none against, no abstentions.

The Minister of National Security moved the second reading of the Firearms (Amendment) Bill, 2010. Sen. Faris Al-Rawi was first to enter the debate, followed by Sen. Elton Prescott, SC, the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs, Sen. Terrence Deyalsingh, Sen. Helen Drayton, Sen. Danny Maharaj and Sen. Shamfa Cudjoe. Debate on the Bill was suspended.

At the next sitting, the Senate is expected to debate the Interception of Communications Bill, 2010, once passed in the House of Representatives. Before adjourning, greetings were extended to members of the Muslim community on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha.