Tuesday, November 24 2009

THERE will be no sittings of the House of Representatives or the Senate this week because of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and its forerunner events.

The Commonwealth Youth and People’s Fora were opened over the weekend. Prime Minister Patrick Manning formally opens the Commonwealth Business Forum on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Serenade of the Seas today at 9.55 am. However when the House next sits on December 4, the main item on the agenda for discussion will be the Tobacco Control Bill 2009. The bill was passed with amendments in the Senate on November 20. One of the objectives of the bill is to ban smoking in certain public places.

The Senate next sits on December 1, one day after the CHOGM ends, to debate private business.