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Mincy Report to be debated in the House today

The Mincy Report will take centre stage in the final House of Assembly sitting of the summer today.Community Development Minister Michael Weeks will lead a motion urging MPs to take note of Government’s efforts advancing recommendations from the document, which said more than half of young black males drop out of school early.Government has also indicated it could go ahead with the Architects Act, which is designed to enhance the oversight and regulation of architects and was tabled in the House last Friday.This bill would see the Architects Registration Council replaced with a board and sets out a regulatory regime to protect local qualified architects. A register of professionals would be maintained by the Registrar General and the board would be empowered to establish and publish a code of professional conduct.Minister of the Environment Walter Roban did not announce details of the bill after he tabled it in the House; One Bermuda Alliance MP Shawn Crockwell yesterday expressed concern at the speed it is going through Parliament.“It was just laid on Friday and we have not decided if we will agree to debate this order on such short notice,” he said.“Because the bill hasn’t been laid for the minimum period of seven days the Minister must have our agreement in order to debate it on Monday.“If we object then it should not be allowed to be debated. If we object this could force the Government to sit for an additional session before rising for the summer recess.”Mr Crockwell said his party colleague Cole Simons is consulting with architects to get their feedback. The first item on today’s agenda is the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Amendment Act, which sets up a new immigration appeals board independent of Government.One Bermuda Alliance MP Patricia Gordon-Pamplin is due to press ahead with her motion that a Bermuda Tourism Authority be appointed to address falling visitors’ arrivals.