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One week after completing debate on the landmark Sexual Offences Bill, the Senate is scheduled to start debate on another very important piece of social legislation, the Child Pornography (Prevention) Bill, when it meets today (Friday, July 24). The Bill, which was tabled by Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, confronts the commercial sexual exploitation...

The landmark Sexual Offences Bill, which reforms and amalgamates various laws relating to rape, incest and other sexual offences, was finally passed by the Senate on Friday (July 17). The Bill will repeal the Incest (Punishment) Act, as well as several provisions of the Offences Against the Person Act. It also provides for the establishment of a Sex Offenders Registry,...

The Senate welcomed former Resident Magistrate, Marlene Malahoo Forte, as its newest member, after she was sworn in at Gordon House on Friday (July 17). President of the Senate, the Hon. Oswald Harding, joined the members in welcoming Mrs. Malahoo Forte, adding that he looked forward to her contributions to the debates. Opposition member, Senator K.D. Knight, said he believes...

Members of the Senate, on Friday (July 10), debated and passed a Bill entitled the Trade (Amendment) Act, 2009, which seeks to increase penalties applicable to breaches of the Trade Act. The Trade Act provides for, among other things, the regulation of trade in goods, including the conditions of distribution, purchase and sale; and the importation and exportation, except under...

The Senate has passed the Factories Amendment Bill, paving the way for the implementation of heavier fines for breaches of provisions of the Factories Act and its Regulations Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, who piloted the Bill on Friday (July 3), said that investigations by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security have revealed...

Government Senator, Dennis Meadows, has suggested limitations on the types of cases for which persons could be listed in the Sexual Offenders Register proposed under the Sexual Offences Bill. "I suggest we look at levels of registration, and what degrees of registration should be accessible to the public," he said, noting that the levels of registration should vary according to...

Debate on the Sexual Offences Act 2009 began in the Senate Friday (May 22), with Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, making the opening contribution. The Bill, passed in the House of Representatives on March 31, seeks to amalgamate the various laws relating to incest and other sexual offences, and includes provision for a Sex...

Jamaica has to stop borrowing to fund its annual budget deficits, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service Senator the Hon. Don Wehby, told the Senate on Friday (May 15). "We have reached a stage in our history, where the continuation of funding deficits by borrowing or printing money must stop. We must move to...

Plans for the establishment of a new body to investigate public complaints against members of the Security Forces and agents of the State took a significant step with the adoption by the Senate of the Report of the Joint Select Committee on the Independent Commission of Investigations Act, 2009. The Bill was tabled in the Senate on May 30, 2008....

The Senate on Friday (May 8) adopted the Report of a Joint Select Committee of Parliament, which reviewed legislation for the establishment of an independent commission to investigate complaints of abuses by the security forces. Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, said the Committee, after hearing submissions from stakeholders, felt that the Commission should be...

The Senate on Friday (April 3) passed the Conch (Export Levy) Act, which, when enacted, will allow the Government to impose a duty on conch intended for the overseas market. Exporters of conch will be required to pay US75 cents per pound of conch during the 2009 season and the levy will be increased to US$1.00 per pound in 2010....

Debate on a Bill to amend the Financial Administration and Audit Act(FAAA) to make the appointment of audit committees in Government departments mandatory, and to establish an Audit Commission to ensure their effectiveness, was suspended in the Senate Friday (April 3). Minister of Justice and Leader of Government Business, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, suspended the debate to allow the Senate time...