Alterations to Bermuda's Human Rights Act have been passed by the House of Assembly paving the way for the possible outlawing of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Community Affairs Minister Dale Butler originally tabled his Human Rights Amendment Act last year, but because of the delay in it being dealt with by the House it has effectively balked a private member's bill from backbencher Ren?e Webb seeking to bar discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

On Friday the Human Rights Amendment Act 2006 was presented to Parliament and passed its first, second and third readings. It will now go to Senate for ratification leaving the way clear for Ms Webb's bill to be heard.

Ms Webb was off Island during the sitting of the House and her bill, which was also included in the order of business, was held over for a future date.

The amendments brought by Mr. Butler change the language used in the Human Rights Act 1981 with a defendant now being defined as a respondent, it also extends the grounds of discrimination for harassment in the workplace.

There was concern expressed by Shadow Transport and Race Minister Jahmal Simmons that Human Rights Commission annual reports had not been brought to the House of Assembly for "many, many years" thereby deny MPs the opportunity to see documentation about the state of human rights in the country.

Mr. Butler said he accepted full responsibility for the delay in Human Rights Commission reports being brought before the House. "Action will be taken and I apologise for being unable to gather these reports. I accept responsibility for being unable to get these reports tabled, although I'm not totally responsible for writing these reports. Action will be taken," he said.

In response to calls from the Opposition asking if he would resign, Mr. Butler said he had an "F" grade on his report card but he did not view it as a resigning matter.

PLP MP George Scott expressed the opinion that some of Bermuda's human rights problems and harassment in the workplace had roots in the different cultural backgrounds of guest workers from other parts of the world who were used to practising different standards of acceptable behaviour.

At the start of the session Speaker of the House Stanley Lowe had considered whether, under House rules, the bills of Mr. Butler and Ms Webb were too similar to be dealt with individually ? which could have resulted in one being disbarred.

However, he said he was satisfied that although there is some overlap between the bills, their contents are not the same and they may therefore both be dealt with. Under the rules of the House of Assembly, the House cannot debate two separate sets of amendments to an Act at the same time. The Speaker ruled that Ms Webb's bill must wait until after the Minister's.

And in relation to another matter the Speaker added that Ms Webb would have to either amend the wording or strike off a motion she proposed which reads: "That this Honourable House establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission based on the South African model, to assist in healing the country of the vestiges of racism."

This is because such a commission would mean expenditure from the public purse ? something only Ministers can put forward.