Senate dress-down

Members of the Upper House yesterday removed their jackets, not in contravention of the standing orders of the Senate, but to cope with the heat that prevailed inside the chamber. President of the Senate Tom Tavares Finson suspended the standing orders to allow the members to dress down. For the second consecutive day, the central air conditioning unit in Gordon House was inoperable due to low voltage in the Parliament building. For nearly four hours, lawmakers were made to sweat as they braved the heat, determined to pass the Children (Guardianship and Custody) Act, 2016. After extensive deliberations, the bill was passed with 22 amendments. The legislation amends the Children (Guardianship and Custody) Act to give effect to policy decision to implement the terms of the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.