in Magistrates' Court yesterday to currency exchange violations totalling almost $20,000.

Sonia Marie Evans, 38, a Jamaican mother of six living in Florida, and her sister, Andrea Clare Symes, 33, a mother of two living in New York City, both admitted trying to export $19,470 in US funds on May 15.

Sgt. Rex Osborne, prosecuting, told Senior Magistrate, the Wor. Will Francis that both Evans and Symes were searched by US Customs officials at the Airport as they attempted to leave the Island.

"When Customs officials asked Evans how much money she was carrying she said that she only had $500 on her,'' Sgt. Osborne said.

"A search of her luggage revealed a quantity of cash, which when counted, amounted to $9,450. Symes told the officer she had $5,000 on her, but when she was searched, the $5,000 was found, plus another $5,020 in cash.'' Both women told Police that they had come to Bermuda to collect the money for a business venture. Symes said that she had been asked by Evans' husband Claude to pick up the money here.

Lawyer Mr. Archibald Warner, defending, told Mr. Francis that the women had come to Bermuda to collect a refund of $20,000. He said that the money was currency that had been brought into Bermuda as a deposit for a concert that had never taken place.

Mr. Francis remarked: "That (sending cash back and forth) is a weird way of doing business. Had the promoter never heard of wiring money?'' Mr. Warner said that the nature of the promoter's business was a "by and large `cash up front' business.'' Mr. Francis set bail at $1,500 and ordered Evans' and Symes' travel documents retained by the court.

Today Mr. Francis will sentence the women, and decide if the money should be forfeited to the Crown.

STUBBS BILL SET FOR THE SENATE SEN The Stubbs Bill to legalise gay sex will be given its first reading in the Senate today after a comfortable 22-16 passage in the House of Assembly last week in a vote of free conscience.

Sen. Norma Astwood Ind. has agreed to introduce it.

She expected it would be debated by Senators next Wednesday with other orders of the day on the agenda for today.

UBP backbencher Dr. John Stubbs said he expected his bill to pass the Senate, though not without some opposition.

Senators meet for the first time today since the break.