Senate President Albert Jackson was unable to attend the session as he was ill and Senate vice-president Norma Astwood and Government Senate Leader Lynda Milligan-Whyte were both off the Island.

So Sen. Alf Oughton (Ind) was elected to the post of Acting Senate President.

He said afterward that the session's objective had been to get through the first readings of bills so they could be debated tomorrow.

Sen. Oughton added that the Base Lands Development Act 1996 would have had its first reading yesterday but it had not been sent down from the House of Assembly after MPs adjourned debate on the bill early on Saturday morning.

This meant the Senate would have to meet at least one more time after tomorrow to discuss it and explained why the session had gone so quickly, he continued.

Meanwhile Sen. Oughton announced the arrival of the Bermuda Hospitals Board Amendment Act 1996 -- from the House of Assembly -- for its first reading.

Sen. Gary Pitman (UBP) presented the Bermuda Housing Corporation's Report for 1996 and Community Affairs Minister Yvette Swan tabled the Immigration (Special Restriction) Revocation Order and the Post Office Amendment Regulations 1996.

She said she would be seeking approval for the two papers at the next meeting of the Senate.

Sen. Pitman also asked Senators to consider Government's plans to exchange 0.0810 acres of land at Frank's Bay in Southampton for 0.0735 acres from Mr.

Morris White.

Sen. Swan sent condolences to the family of the late Anne Marie Saltus who passed away recently in the US.

Ms Saltus had moved to the US because of ill health after being very active in the Island's tourism industry, she said.