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Amendments to the Financial Administration and Audit Act and the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act were passed in the Senate on Friday (March 12), as part of measures to implement a fiscal responsibility framework in Jamaica. Leader of Government Business and Minister of Justice, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, who piloted both Bills, stated that the fiscal responsibility framework will provide...

The Senate has approved changes to the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act, which will allow non-unionised workers access to arbitration at the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT). Only one amendment was made to the Bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives in October, 2009. It was piloted through the Senate on Friday (February 26) by Minister of...

The Jamaican Senate paid tribute to the life and works of the late Vice-Chancellor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies, (UWI), the Hon. Professor Ralston "Rex" Nettleford O.M., during its sitting on Friday (February 5) at Gordon House, Kingston. Professor Nettleford died at the George Washington Hospital, Washington D.C. on Tuesday (February 2), hours before he turned 77,...

The Senate, on Friday (Jan. 22), passed the Government Dematerialisation Act, 2010, with 27 amendments, during its sitting at Gordon House in Kingston. The Bill, which was tabled and piloted by Leader of Government Business, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, seeks to make it compulsory for every investor or owner to convert Government securities held into dematerialised or electronic format,...

The Cybercrimes Act, with sanctions for the misuse of computer systems or data and to facilitate investigation and prosecution of such crimes, was passed on Friday (December18) in the Senate. Leader of Government Business and Attorney General, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, explained that the Act provides criminal sanctions for unauthorised access to and use of computer systems and data...

A Bill seeking criminal sanctions for the misuse of computer systems or data was tabled in the Senate on December 5, by Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, Q.C. The Bill is entitled: 'An Act to Provide criminal sanctions for the misuse of computer systems or data and the abuse of electronic means of completing...

The Senate, yesterday (December 4), passed the Registration (Strata Titles) Amendment Act, with a total of 29 amendments. Deliberations on the Bill concluded, with three additional amendments, one week after debate commenced in the Upper House. Prior to Friday's sitting, the Bill had been deliberated on and passed in the Lower House on October 27 with 26 amendments. The Registration...

Debate on a Bill seeking to amend the Registration (Strata Titles) Act, passed by the House of Representatives in October, began Friday (November 27) in the Senate. The legislation, which is being piloted by Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, seeks to address several concerns surrounding the ownership of condominiums or apartment buildings, including payment...

The Senate has approved a motion urging the Government to intensify its policies and programmes supporting the growing and consumption of locally grown foods. The motion also urged the Government to establish a bipartisan multi-stakeholder task force, aimed at identifying the causes of the continuous increase of imports over the last 25 years and to make recommendations that can lead...

Proposed amendments to the Customs Act, which will reduce opportunities for importers to under invoice or undervalue imports in order to avoid paying full duties, cleared another hurdle Friday (October 23), when the Senate passed the Bill. Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, who piloted the Bill in the Senate, said that the legislation, which was passed...

The Senate has approved amendments to the Holidays with Pay Act, which will enable workers to take disputes concerning rights to leave and other holiday pay entitlements to the Resident Magistrate's Courts. The amendments were previously approved by the House of Representatives in September, where they were originally tabled by the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles....

The Senate today (September 25), approved three additional amendments to the Child Pornography (Prevention) Act 2009, which was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 22. The Bill was first passed in the Senate on Friday, July 24, with seven amendments. It then went to the Lower House, where it was further revised and passed with an additional...