by Linda Straker
- First regular sitting of Senate since opening of third session of 11th Parliament
- Approving 19 October to be included on Bank Holiday Act as permanent holiday, on agenda
- Members of Public Accounts Committee to review Government accounts
Members of the Upper House of Parliament are scheduled to meet on 10 December 2024. This will be the first regular sitting of the Upper House or Senate since the opening of the third session of the 11th Parliament.
Among the items on the agenda will be approving 19 October to be included in the Bank Holiday Act as a permanent holiday in the Grenada calendar. The amendment to the Bank Holiday Act will also see Carnival Tuesday being approved as a holiday. Previously, a half-holiday, a proclamation by the Governor-General declared the second half of Carnival Tuesday, a Bank Holiday. The Senate is also scheduled to approve amendments to 3 pieces of legislation that aim to strengthen money laundering legislation.
During the 26 November sitting of the Lower House or House of Representatives, 2 members of the Senate were appointed to the Public Accounts Committee: Senator Roderick St Clair and Senator Salim Rahaman. The other members are Opposition Leader Dr Keith Mitchell as chairman, Kate Lewis and Clarice Modeste.
All 5 members are tasked with reviewing the accounts of the Government. Among the papers tabled in the sitting are the:
- Report of the Director of Audit on the Public Accounts of Grenada for the year ended 31 December 2016
- Report of the Director of Audit on the Public Accounts of Grenada for the year ended 31 December 2017
- Report of the Director of Audit on the Public Accounts of Grenada for the year ended 31 December 2018
- Report of the Director of Audit on the Public Accounts of Grenada for the year ended 31 December 2019
The audit reports follow the Audit Act Cap. 22A of the Laws of Grenada, and Section 82 (4) of the Grenada Constitution Order 1973 which stipulates that every report made by the Director of Audit shall be laid by the House of Representatives.
