Senate could today upset Government plans to abolish hanging and flogging by blocking the bill aimed at ending capital and corporal punishment.

The three Opposition United Bermuda Party Senators are set to follow their party line and vote against the measure -- because they claim it does not offer a big enough alternative deterrent factor.

And -- if the three Independent Senators take the same view -- the bill will be sent back to the House of Assembly to be amended or held for a year until the lower house can bypass Senate.

But the ruling Progressive Labour Party -- five strong in Senate -- only needs to attract support from one Independent Senator to carry the day.

It is understood that the Independent Senators -- Senate President Alf Oughton, Walwyn Hughes and Jeanette Cannonier -- are still wavering on the issue.

It is believed some Independent Senators will wish to clarify the clause in the bill which says those convicted of premeditated murder will have to serve 25 years before being eligible for parole.

And if -- there is provision for sentences longer than that -- it may sway the Independents over to the Government side.

Sen. Oughton -- thought to be broadly in favour of abolition -- said: "You will have to wait and see. I'm not going to state one way or another.'' Sen. Hughes -- also thought to be anti-hanging -- also refused to comment on how he would vote.

He said: "I don't like to speak about my positions until I have spoken in Senate.'' Sen. Cannonier echoed her fellow Independents and refused to say how she will vote.

The bill was carried in the House last Friday by 19 votes to 13, with both sides voting along party lines, despite an insistence by the Government and Opposition Whips it had been a free vote.

But five Government MPs -- some of whom appeared to speak in favour of retention -- did not take part in the ballot.

And Opposition Whip Cole Simons said the UBP vote did not mean all members were in favour of retention -- but that some might just want to see longer or tougher prison sentences enshrined in the Act.

Also on the agenda for Senate is a bill aimed at giving the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality extra teeth -- including the right to prosecute employers who fail to provide information on hiring practices to CURE, with a maximum $5,000 fine for offenders.