Parliament’s debate on two pieces of legislation pertaining to the airport redevelopment project has been postponed by one week, according to Randy Horton, the Speaker of the House.

MPs were due to return to the House of Assembly on Friday, taking up the legislation that was suspended on December 2 after protesters blocked the gates of Sessions House.

Parliament will indeed resume on Friday, Mr Horton said, but will proceed with other legislation, allowing MPs extra time “to read through and consider the Draft Project Agreement in advance of the debate”.

Mr Horton said that he had hosted a discussion yesterday between Bob Richards, the Acting Premier and Minister of Finance, and David Burt, the Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister of Finance.

He said the aim was to “chart a way forward for debate on the Airport Development Concession Act 2016 and the Bermuda Airport Authority Act 2016”.

Mr Horton added: “Both pieces of legislation relate to the redevelopment of LF Wade International Airport.

“The Government, Canadian Commercial Corporation and Aecon have agreed to release and to provide hard copies of the Draft Project Agreement to all parliamentarians in advance of the legislation’s debate in the House of Assembly.”

That debate is now set for February 10, allowing MPs “sufficient time”.

The move means that the Budget Statement has been pushed back a week to February 24, with the Opposition now expected on March 3.

Since the Budget must be approved by March 31, the Committee of Supply debate may have an extra session to meet that deadline, Mr Horton said.

“We look forward to healthy, robust and respectful debate when the House resumes its business on Friday,” he said.

It came not long after a police press conference to address the possibility of protests on Friday was cancelled.

The announcement came as a police press conference on any protests to be held on Friday was cancelled.

Meanwhile, David Burt, Leader of the Opposition, said that Progressive Labour Party MPs had not received “critical financial details” about the project despite assurances from Mr Richards.

He reiterated calls for full disclosure of all contract details before the debate in the House.

Bob Richards, the Minister of Finance and Acting Premier, said the rescheduling would allow Opposition MPs more time to review documents related to the project, but challenged the criticism of the Opposition.

“Despite this unprecedented level of transparency, the Opposition Leader continues to cry foul even though he is in possession of virtually every detail of the draft agreement and relevant project information,” he said. “I would simply urge him to get focused on the project, not the politics, so we can move Bermuda forward.

“The decision to reschedule the debate to February 10 followed a series of meetings this week and last with the Speaker and the Opposition Leader to calm community tensions before the resumption of Parliament.”