session despite an alliance between the Progressive Labour Party and five dissident members of the United Bermuda Party, Sen. Lynda Milligan-Whyte said yesterday.

"The PLP wanted to embarrass the Government,'' she said. "The dissidents wanted to embarrass the UBP leadership.'' Despite that, she said Government managed to pass significant legislation including the 1996 Education Act, which passed its third reading yesterday.

And she said significant legislation on issues such as stalking and assaults within the home would be brought before the Legislature in November.

The Government Senate leader was speaking during the Motion to Adjourn in the Upper House yesterday in the last session before the summer recess.

Earlier, Opposition Senate Leader Milton Scott said he did not appreciate the "contempt'' Government, Cabinet and the Premier had shown to the PLP during the just-concluded session.

Sen. Scott, referring to attempts by the Government to push through the Telecommunications Act after the Senate had amended it and sent it back to the House of Assembly, said he objected to the Senate being viewed as a "rubber stamping'' body where it was taken for granted that legislation that comes from the Lower House would be passed automatically.

Sen. Scott also took aim at the "outdated'' rules of the Senate and said the ability of Senators to suspend rules needed to be clarified.

One example of the low standing afforded to the Senate was reflected in the "contempt'' shown to Sen. Jackson who did not have a proper office to carry out his duties, he said.

But Sen. Milligan-Whyte said it was unfair for the PLP to criticise the present Senate rules because they had a measure of flexibility which allowed both UBP and PLP politicians to use them to their advantage during debates.

She said Government believed the Senate had a serious role and was not seen as a "rubber stamping'' institution.

Senate President Albert Jackson (Ind) admitted the just concluded Senate session was a "longer than usual'' sitting, but that was evidence of Senators' intent to deal with the people's business in a serious way.

Midway through his remarks, Sen. Yvette Swan (UBP) interrupted and criticised Sen. Jackson because she said he had not made a ruling on her oral and written complaint about insults that were directed at her last week.

Sen. Jackson apologised to Sen. Swan and admitted that he did not intervene at the moment the insult was delivered.

"The practice of expressing hurting or hurtful remarks has to be seen as undesirable at this level of the legislature,'' he said. "But from my experience such behaviour is not unknown.'' Moreover, he said he hoped that as the Senate "matured further as a body'' the mode of behaviour that caused Sen. Swan distress would disappear.

"The Senate has very weighty responsibilities and the fact that we are still here, when (Members of the House of Assembly) went home a month ago, is indicative of the weight of this office,'' he said.

Sen. Norma Astwood (Ind) concurred that the "longer than usual session'' was an indication of the important work the Upper House was called to do.

And she agreed that the rejection by the Senate of the Telecommunications Amendment Act would present problems for some persons and companies.

But the broader lesson, she said, was that the amendment was put forward honestly and its intention was to protect those who intended to start new telecommunications companies.

Turning to other issues, Sen. Astwood said the Education Act 1996 was an important milestone in Bermudian history.

Sen. Neletha Butterfield (PLP) said her party was concerned about the lack of affordable housing in Bermuda, especially for single parents and the unemployment due to downsizing and cutbacks.

Sen. Butterfield also said Government needed to send a message to Bermuda's young people -- many of whom had graduated but were unsuccessful in gaining admission to the Bermuda College -- "that we care about both the achievers and non-achievers''.