The President of the Senate granted leave of absence to Sen. the Hon. Mariano Browne, Sen. the Hon. Hazel Manning and Sen. the Hon. Jerry Narace (out of the country) and Sen. Dr. Adesh Nanan (illness). They were temporarily replaced in the Senate by Mr. Joel Primus, Mr. Foster Cummings, Mr. Noel Gayle and Ms. Lyndira Oudit respectively.

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

The Bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives on Monday December 1, 2008, was read a first time in the Senate. The Leader of Government Business moved that the next stage of the Bill be taken at a sitting of the Senate on Tuesday December 9, 2008. Leave was granted.

Six Questions qualify for oral answer. Three Questions (107, 112, 113) were answered and the remaining questions deferred. See the Order Paper for details.

One Question also qualifies for written answer.

The Minister of Finance moved the Second Reading of the Financial Institutions Bill, 2008, which was passed in the House of Representatives on Friday November 14, 2008. Eleven Senators made contributions before the Minister rose to conclude the debate. The Bill was later passed with amendments by a margin of 29 for, none against and no abstentions.

At its next sitting the Senate will consider the Elections and Boundaries Commission (Local Government)(Amendment [Tobago House of Assembly] and Validation) Bill, 2008 and adopt the Reports of the Special Select Committees of the Senate on the Tobacco Control Bill, 2008 and the Trinidad and Tobago National Steel Symphony Orchestra Corporation Bill, 2008. The sitting adjourned at 11:40 p.m.