certainly Bermuda's longest-ever.

Neither present clerk Mr. James Smith nor former clerk Mr. John Gilbert has heard tell of a longer one.

According to them, previous marathon sessions on the Island include: In 1977, a motion of non-confidence in the Government stretched a sitting more than 20 hours, from 10 a.m. until 6.45 a.m. the following morning.

December 14-15 1990 -- A 20-hour debate on Government's education reform plan ended at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning.

In 1981, a vote of non-confidence in the Government of former Premier Sir David Gibbons lasted until 5.30 a.m.

Deputy Opposition Leader Mr. Walter Roberts said he received a report this weekend's session broke the record for the longest debate in the Bahamas.

Reports of a Caribbean record could not be confirmed.

Although some MPs remember former Progressive Labour Party MP Mr. Austin Thomas speaking for four hours, Mr. Gilbert believes Mr. Julian Hall MP also set a record with his three and a half hour speech on Friday and Saturday.

Mr. Thomas' "longest speech was only two and a half hours,'' during the 1977 non-confidence motion, Mr. Gilbert said. "He would often make one and a half hour speeches.''