Madam Speaker, I seek your indulgence. I will give the salient features in my reply and the comprehensive one will be circulated.

I am so sorry. You were replying to the question I B/22?

Yes, I am replying to the question, but what I am saying is that I seek your indulgence. I will give the salient features in my reply, and the comprehensive one will be circulated.

Okay!

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Following the grounding of the MV Wakashio on 25 July 2020, a Solidarity Grant was put in place to provide financial assistance to all victims. Registered fishers, applicant fishers, fishmongers, holders of commercial pleasure craft licence, skippers, and beach hawkers were thus each paid only Rs10,200 per month from August 2020 to March 2021, that is, an average of Rs80,000 only during the period of 8 months. The sum disbursed was unfortunately grossly inadequate.

20 Following public outcry and protest march, the Japan P & I Club, the sole organisation in Japan underwriting Protection and Indemnity Insurance to both ocean-going vessels and Japanese coastal vessels and the insurer of the Cape Size Vessel, agreed, unfortunately, to pay only USD 2,650,048 as full and final compensation to the 999 registered fishermen, applicant fishers, and fishmongers. Though the fishers, the applicant fishers, and fishmongers were entitled to more, they were each only paid Rs113,000 in December 2021 as additional compensation for loss of earnings. Madam Speaker, I am informed that as at date, Government has disbursed approximately Rs838 million of taxpayers’ money for various expenses in connection with the shipwreck. It is unacceptable that as of now, only Rs60 million, that is, 7.4% of expenses claimed, has been reimbursed so far by the insurers. Madam Speaker, I personally raised the matter with the Japanese Ambassador during a meeting I had with him on 05 December 2024 and registered my official complaint on the loss of income suffered by the victims. I impress upon the Ambassador to ask the Japan International Cooperation Agency to expedite the projects identified to empower the fishers. It is unfortunate that the ship owner Okiyo Maritime Corporation has entered a case before the Supreme Court to set a limitation fund under the international convention on civil liability for bunker oil pollution that is a bunker convention to the sum of approximately Rs720 million instead of Rs2.3 billion claimed. I hope the Supreme Court will not take long to give its ruling. It is unfortunate, Madam Speaker, that none of the former Government Ministers nor the Prime Minister deemed it fit to depone before the Court of Investigation on the MV Wakashio to look into the grounding, which is the major ecological disaster. It is only now that this pertinent case is being given the great seriousness of purpose. The Attorney General and his office are exploring all possible avenues in relation to legal matters. The State of Mauritius, as plaintiff, will fight for its legitimate rights, and the victim should be entitled to all plaintiffs. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

21

Thank you. The hon. Second Member for Mahebourg & Plaine Magnien, Mr Apollon! ELECTRIC CREMATION INCINERATORS – NON-OPERATIONAL & REPAIR WORKS