Busy week for Parliament

DESPITE the initial threat of Hurricane Beryl, now passed, this is proving a busy week for Parliament, which has sittings on at least four days.

On July 1, the House of Representatives in a unanimous vote, passed the Bail (Amendment) Bill 2024 to tighten the conditions of judicial discretion in awarding bail to murder accused and others charged with serious offences.

On July 2, the Senate debated a bill to allow the drug-testing and polygraph testing of police officers and certain other public employees, the Miscellaneous Provisions (Testing and Identification) Bill 2022. This followed some confusion on the floor, in which the Opposition said it was expecting to debate the Whistleblower Protection Bill 2022, which which the House passed on June 21, and which was in fact listed for Senate debate on July 2 on the Parliament website

On July 3, the House will sit to debate the Miscellaneous Provisions (Judicial and Legal Service) Bill 2024 and the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) (Amendment No 2) Bill 2024, both to be piloted by Attorney General Reginald Armour.

On July 4, the Senate will debate the Bail (Amendment) Bill 2024, Armour told the Senate on July 2.

On July 5, the Joint Select Committee on Finance and Legal Affairs, chaired by Hazel Thompson-Ahye, will sit at 10.15 am.

It is not yet known if the House or Senate will also sit on Friday.