The Hire-Purchase (Amendment) Bill 2026 was passed yesterday in the National Assembly amid sustained protest by opposition members, with Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues being the only speaker on the legislation.
The opposition MPs continued chanting and thumping their desks as they demanded the resignations of Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar over the MV Barima tragedy.
The bill, which was first tabled by Rodrigues at the June 5 sitting of the Assembly, amends the Hire-Purchase Act 2022 to remove ambiguity over the courts in which claims and other proceedings may be filed.
The amendment expressly permits any claim or proceeding arising under the Act to be instituted in either the High Court or a magistrate’s court, regardless of the value of the claim and notwithstanding any other provision of the legislation.
According to the bill’s explanatory memorandum, the amendment removes the monetary limits imposed by the Summary Jurisdiction (Petty Debt) Act and other summary jurisdiction legislation from claims and proceedings brought under the Hire-Purchase Act.
It is also intended to allow the parties to a hire-purchase agreement to choose either the High Court or a magistrate’s court where it is practical and convenient, including a court near the parties’ residences or places of business.
“This amendment facilitates the filing of proceedings under the Act in either the High Court or the magistrate’s court where it is practical and convenient so to do, or where the parties to the hire-purchase agreement live or have their place of business,” the explanatory memorandum stated.
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