Human Rights Commission and the scope of the 1981 Human Rights Act.

But Opposition members, National Liberal Party leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell, and the two Independent MPs all agreed that the amendments did not go far enough.

Among the most welcomed of the amendments was the one which makes Government and its officials subject to the Act.

Other amendments passed included: Removing the right of employers to demand to know job applicants' sex, marital status, and number of children; Outlawing sex discrimination in sports administration; Requiring employers to help find jobs for the disabled; and Protecting people from harassment by landlords, employers, and employees.

Community and Cultural Affairs Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons, who brought the amendments to the House, described the amendment which subjected Government to the Act as a "landmark''.

"I certainly look on this as a milestone,'' he said, adding that he intends to return the House on a number of other things "fairly speedily''.

But Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said he was surprised to hear the electronic media heralding the amendment as if it was the abolition of slavery.

"The Human Rights Act replaced the Race Relations Act,'' he said. "This Bill is the next step, but we're still fumbling in the dark to provide good protection of the majority from the minority.

"Today is not the milestone it could have been because two things that needed to be done are still on the drawing board.'' The Opposition, joined by Mr. Darrell, stressed that the Commission must be totally independent of the political system to be truly effective, and the amended Act should have "primacy'' over all other legislation except the Constitution.

Opposition MP Mr. Julian Hall said there was no reason why the Act could not have primacy over all other legislation, except the Constitution and perhaps the Immigration and Protection Act.

But Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness said this would need careful consideration because there may be something in previous legislation that the Human Rights Act should not affect.

He also noted that when Canada brought in a clause of primacy, there was a two-year grace period to see if there was any law that should be respected over the Human Rights Act.

Shadow Community Minister Mr. Reginald Burrow's withdrew the party's amendment on primacy when the House agreed to add that that amendment would come into effect in 1995.