The Vice-President of the Senate indicated that the President of the Senate was out of the country and that leave of absence was granted to Sen. Prof. Harold Ramkissoon, who was out of the country.

The Vice-President read correspondence from His Excellency, the President with respect to:
the seat of Mr. Basharat Ali being declared vacant;
the appointment of Dr. Lennox Bernard as a Senator; and
the appointment of Senators on a temporary basis.

Mr. Don Sylvester and Mr. Albert Sydney were appointed to temporarily replace Senators Hamel-Smith and Ramkissoon respectively.

The Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) (Amendment) Bill, 2012: The Bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives on September 12, 2012 was read a first time in the Senate. The Attorney General sought leave to move the next stage of the Bill be later in the proceedings. Leave was granted.

The Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training presented a Petition on behalf of the University of the Southern Caribbean of Royal Road, Maracas, St. Joseph. The Clerk read the Petition.
The Question was put and leave was granted to the petitioners to proceed.

Five Papers were laid. See the Order Paper.

Three Reports were presented. See the Order Paper

One Question qualified for Oral Answer but was deferred until the next sitting.

The Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) (Amendment) Bill, 2012: The Attorney General moved the second reading of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) (Amendment) Bill, 2012. Sen. Faris Al-Rawi was the first to enter the debate, followed by Sen. Elton Prescott, SC, Sen. Fitzgerald Hinds and Sen. Helen Drayton. 12 Senators made contributions before the Attorney General rose to conclude. The Bill was considered in Committee and was approved without amendment. It was then read a third time and passed by a margin of 25 for, 5 against, no abstentions. It thus received the required special majority.

The sitting was adjourned at 10:51 p.m.