Prime Minister Bruce Golding last Tuesday in Gordon House withdrew the Sexual Offences Bill. He said that a significant number of amendments had to be made following the debate and thus the bill needed to be reprinted.

"I really wanted to get this passed before we prorogue so that it could then go to the Senate, but I am wondering, and I need some guidance on this, whether in view of the voluminous nature of the amendments why we should not have the bill reprinted so that we are very clear in what we are enacting," the prime minister said.

The Sexual Offences Bill seeks to repeal the provisions of the Incest Punishment Act and certain provisions of the Offences Against the Person Act to make new provision for the prosecution of rape and other sexual offences.

It also aims to provide for the establishment of a sexual offenders registry.