After seven hours of vigorous debate, the landmark Local Content Bill to ensure that businesses and workers here benefit from the burgeoning oil and gas sector was passed in the National Assembly last evening.
Before the 26 clauses of the bill were passed, the last hour of the debate was set aside for each clause to be considered individually before they were passed with amendments.
All fourteen of the amendments which were proposed by APNU+AFC Member of Parliament David Patterson were defeated by the government majority. However, ten of those same amendments were agreed to after they were proposed with similar wording by the Government.