The President read correspondence from the Speaker of the House informing of the decision of the House to continue the work of the Joint Select Committee on the Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Bill and the Cybercrime Bill. Both Committees will adopt the work of the previous session and report to Parliament by March 31, 2017.

Tributes were then paid in the Senate to Mr. Clive Pantin who served as a Minister of Government in the 3rd Republican Parliament (1986-1991). The Senate then observed a minute of silence.

The Appropriation (Financial Year 2018) Bill, 2017, which was passed in the House of Representatives on October 23, 2017, will be read a first time in the Senate. The Minister of Finance will then move that the next stage of the Bill be taken later in the proceedings.

12 Papers were laid. See the Order Paper.

The Minister in the Ministry of Finance moved the second reading of the Appropriation (Financial Year 2018) Bill, 2017, the budget for fiscal 2018. Senator Wade Mark was first to enter the debate, followed by Sen. Taurel Shrikissoon, the Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, and Sen. Dr. Dhanayshar Mahabir.