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Will PLP turn up for today’s session?

MPs are set for a busy session in the House of Assembly today in what will be the final sitting of Parliament before the summer break.

But The Royal Gazette has been unable to confirm whether Opposition MPs will return to the chamber after they boycotted last week’s session.

The walkout was in protest at Governor George Fergusson’s decision not to authorise a Commission of Inquiry into historic land theft. Progressive Labour Party leader Marc Bean last Friday said that his party’s MPs would not return to Parliament “until we have a solution to this issue”.

“There’s no way that we can participate in what amounts to a sham and a farce and it’s a continuation of 18 months of farcical behaviour in the House of Assembly,” Mr Bean added.

And on Wednesday the Opposition leader urged Britain to dissolve Parliament and call a general election.

However, with a number of key Bills listed on today’s Order of Business, there has been speculation that the Opposition could be tempted to end their boycott. Party sources last night declined to comment on whether the Opposition will show up for today’s session.

Long-awaited Public Access to Information legislation will finally be debated, paving the way for Bermudians to obtain information about Government and public authority operations in what Premier Michael Dunkley described as a “great step forward”.

Once the legislation and regulations are passed, it is hoped that PATI will be fully operational by April 2015.

Also on a crammed Order of Business list is The Labour Relations Amendment Act 2014. The Act, which reclassifies public transport services as essential, making any wildcat action illegal, is scheduled to get its second reading, as is the Opposition’s Decriminalisation of Cannabis Act.

An update on gaming legislation, planned celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Bermuda College, Middle School academic audits, and new energy initiatives are just a few of the issues to be addressed in a stack of statements to be delivered by Government Ministers.