Government pushed through a bill setting up a day's public holiday for National Heroes Day in October and scrapping the Queen's Birthday holiday in the Senate yesterday.

The vote was won six to four with independent Senator Walwyn Hughes voting against the bill while Senate President Alf Oughton backed it. The third independent Senator — Carol Anne Bassett — was not in yesterday's session.

Opposition Senate leader Michael Dunkley said his party supported a National Heroes Day but not its timing as the June holiday had been traditional for St. George's to Somerset comet racing for the past 60 years.

He said: "While Government has consulted, many in the community believe we have missed the pulse."

A summer holiday was more useful to families than one in October when school was in and children were away, said Sen. Dunkley.

His United Bermuda Party colleague Charlie Swan suggested moving the day from the Queen's Birthday to Dame Lois Browne Evans birthday which is also in June, although he did not know when.