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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...

A Bill to amend the Constitution, to increase the maximum number of constituencies from 60 to 65, was passed in the Senate on Friday (March 27). Minister of Justice and Leader of Government Business, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, who piloted the Bill, said that the country's electoral population has grown tremendously, with approximately 1.3 million persons registered to vote. She informed...

President of the Senate, Dr. Oswald Harding, has expressed appreciation for the technical and cultural co-operation, and the various bilateral agreements between Jamaica and China. "I [would] like to see the growth and development of cultural exchanges between our peoples," Dr Harding said at today's(Feb 12) meeting with Vice President of the People's Republic of China, His Excellency Xi Jinping,...

The Senate today (Jan. 6) passed the Carriage by Air (Montreal Convention) Act 2009, thereby implementing the provisions of the Convention for the unification of certain rules for international carriage by air signed in Montreal, Canada on May 28, 1999. Leader of Government business in the Senate and Minister of Justice, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, explained that the Montreal Convention replaces...

The Senate on Friday (Dec.19) approved an amendment to Section 9 of the Retiring Allowances Legislative Service Act, to facilitate payment of a pension to Parliamentarians, who opt out of the pension scheme for civil servants, by requesting and securing contribution refunds. Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Senator Dwight Nelson, who piloted the...

The Senate today (Dec.19) voted 10 to seven in support of the retention of the death penalty as part of Jamaica's justice system. Three members were absent. The move by the Senate follows the House of Representatives' 34 to 15 majority vote on November 25, to resume capital punishment, as specified in the Offences Against the Person Act. At the...

The Coroners (Amendment) Act 2008, which establishes the Office of the Special Coroner, was passed by the Senate on December 5. "This office is mandated to deal specifically with inquests arising from incidents where persons have died and there is reasonable cause to suspect either violent or natural death, sudden death, the cause is unknown and the security forces or...

The Senate yesterday (Nov.7) approved a motion recommending that the Government create a National Commission on the Family, to conduct appropriate studies in order to ascertain the status, and definition of family in Jamaica and its emotional, economic, health and legal protection needs. Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Senator Warren Newby, who moved the...

The Senate yesterday (Nov.7) approved a motion recommending that the Government create a National Commission on the Family, to conduct appropriate studies in order to ascertain the status, and definition of family in Jamaica and its emotional, economic, health and legal protection needs. Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Senator Warren Newby who moved the...

A Motion calling on Government agencies, farmers' organisations and related bodies, to give full support to the nation's farmers, in their quest to increase food production, was approved by the Senate, on September 12. Moved by Opposition Senator, Norman Grant, the Motion is seeking to prevent, or break the vicious cycle of poverty and food insecurity that could arise, as...

A Bill to amend the Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Act, which seeks to expand the categories of broadcasting licences available under the Act and also to recognize independent programme providers as licencees within the cable framework, was passed in the Senate on July 25. Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, who piloted the Bill, informed that it...