A new bill which would allow a Government quango to grant longer leases to developers thereby paving the way for the redevelopment of Dockyard will be debated by the Senate today.

The legislation, which has already been given the green light by the House of Assembly, would let the West End Development Corporation (Wedco) grant 120-year leases as opposed to ones for just 21 years.

The Corporation?s plan to transform two run-down buildings in the Victualling Yard at Dockyard by adding 56 houses for sale has been stalled because of the lease straitjacket.

Three other pieces of legislation will also be discussed by the Upper House relating to extending leases. These are the Department of Works and Engineering Amendment Act, the Bermuda Housing Amendment Act and the Baselands Development Amendment Act.

Among the other items on the agenda for the Upper House is a bill that would extend summer time in Bermuda by four weeks. The US has already decided to increase its Daylight Saving Time (DST) by one month from March, 2007. If the Senate rubber-stamps the Time Zone (Seasonal Variation) Bill, the same thing will happen in Bermuda.

Premier Alex Scott has said the new law would keep the Island in step with the US and make sure confusion is not created for airlines, businesses and the tourism industry.

The Senators will go on to discuss a bill stripping the Public Transportation Board (PTB) of quango status and moving it into the Civil Service as the Department of Public Transportation.