Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697806134952.pdf (Jamaica)
MINUTES OF THE HONOURABLE JAMAICA SENATE At a meeting of the Members of the Senate held pursuant to adjournment at Gordon House in the City and Parish of Kingston on Friday, the 8th DAY OF JULY, 2011 The Senate met at 10:25 a.m. o’clock PRAYERS Prayer was said by Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.
PRESENT WERE: Senator Professor the Honourable Oswald Gaskell Harding, OJ, CD, QC, President Senator the Honourable Dwight Augustus Nelson, CD, Minister of National Security and Leader of Government Business Senator the Honourable Arthur Hugh Washington Williams, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Cabinet with responsibility for the Public Service Senator Warren Meaden Newby, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Senator Navel Foster Clarke Senator Aundre Christopher Franklin Senator Mark Jefferson Golding Senator Kamina Elizabeth Johnson Smith Senator Dennis Meadows 1 Senator Desmond Anthony Augustus McKenzie, CD, JP Senator Ian Edward McFarlane Murray Senator Noel Bancroft Sloley The Clerk laid on the Table of the Senate, a copy of the following: ANNOUNCEMENTS Ministry Paper No.
45/11 and Annual Performance Report of Management Institute for National Development (MIND) for the Financial years 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06 (Reports & Compact Disc) (Cabinet Offices) Ministry Paper No.

46/11 and Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements of Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) for the Financial Year ended March 31, 2008 (Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries) Ministry Paper No.
47/11 Cabinet Agenda Issues for June 13, 2011 (Cabinet Offices) Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements for the Financial Year 2009/2010 (12 Reports & Compact Disc) (Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture) Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements for the Financial years 2007/08, 2008/09 & 2009/10 (Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce) Early Childhood Commission Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements for the Financial years 2007/08, 2008/09 & 2009/10 (Ministry of Education) 2 Water Resources Authority Annual Reports and Audited Financial Statements for the Financial Years 2006-2007 and 2008 -2009 (Ministry of Housing, Environment & Water) National Council on Education (NCE) Annual Reports and Audited Financial Statements for the Financial Years 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 (Ministry of Education) Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements of the Integrity Commission Appointed under The Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act for the Year ended 31st December 2010 (Office of the Prime Minister) PUBLIC BUSINESS PRIVATE MEMBERS’ MOTIONS Senator Dennis Meadows, having obtained suspension of the Standing Orders, moved: WHEREAS the Jamaica Public Service Company’s (JPSCo) licence gives the company full monopoly on the distribution of electricity and to a lesser extent the generation of the same; AND WHEREAS this monopoly is proving to be inimical to the country’s development in terms of the capacity of our manufacturers to competitively produce goods and services internationally; AND WHEREAS the cost of electricity to Jamaicans, particularly the productive sector, is proving to be prohibitive thereby stifling the growth of the Jamaican economy; AND WHEREAS the Government‘s thrust to grow the economy will be adversely affected by the absence of competition in the distribution and generation of electricity; AND WHEREAS the majority of Jamaicans opine that the JPSCo exact a heavy toll on their pockets with little or no
 recourse, and view the company as being oppressive and burdensome; BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable Senate recommend the following: (i) That the Government, in consultation with the Opposition, move with alacrity to engage the JPSCo in discussions with a view to breaking this monopoly, thereby opening the market to facilitate investment, taking advantage of the many renewable sources of energy that are now available; and (ii) That the Government, consistent with its energy policy, vigorously pursue new avenues of energy generation, including nuclear energy.
(The Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable Marlene Malahoo Forte, entered and took her seat).

3 (Senator Arnold J. Nicholson entered and took his seat).

(Senator Hyacinth Bennett entered and took her seat).

(Senator Norman Grant entered and took his seat).

(Senator Sandrea Falconer entered and took her seat).

(Senator Dorothy Lightbourne entered and took her seat).

(Senator Keith Knight entered and took his seat).


Senators Sandrea Falconer, Hyacinth Bennett, Arnold Nicholson, Dorothy Lightbourne, Mark Golding, Warren Newby, Navel Clarke, Ian Murray, Marlene Malahoo Forte, and Norman Grant also spoke on the motion.
Senator Dennis Meadows moved to amend the motion by deleting Part (i) of the Prayer and substituting therefor the following: “BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable Senate recommend that: (i) a Joint Select Committee be established so that the Government, in consultation with the Opposition, may move with alacrity to engage the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo.)
in structured and respectful discussions with a view to breaking this monopoly, thereby opening the market to facilitate investment, taking advantage of the many renewable sources of energy that are now available; and;” Seconded by: Senator Warren Newby.

Agreed to.

The motion as amended, was agreed to.

ADJOURNMENT At 12:31 p.m., the Minister of National Security and Leader of Government Business, moved that the Senate do now adjourn to Friday, July 15, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. o’clock.
Seconded by: Senator Dennis Meadows.

Agreed to.

On the motion for the adjournment, the Minister of National Security and Leader of Government Business stated his intention to adhere strictly to sections (7) and (8) of the Standing Orders.

He advised the Senate that he intends to ask the President to start the Sittings at 10:00 a.m. once there is a quorum present.

4 Agreed to.

At 12:32 p.m. on the motion for the adjournment being put, same was agreed to.

The Senate adjourned accordingly.


---------------------------------------- Oswald Harding, OJ, CD, QC President 5