Reply (The Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reforms): Clause 1.2 (c) of Article 1 to the Code of Conduct for National Assembly Elections 2024 stipulates that “holders of public office shall not exercise their office or utilise or allow public resources to be utilised, in such a way as to become the subject of complaint for having been used to further or foster partisan purposes. They should discharge their public duties reasonably, fairly and impartially”. Following the dissolution of the National Assembly and issue of the writ of elections on 04 October 2024, the attention of Supervising Officers of Ministries/ Departments and all public entities operating under the aegis of the respective Ministries/Departments was drawn to the provisions of the Code of Conduct and the restrictions regarding the exercise of delegated powers from the Public Service Commission, during pre-election period by way of a Circular dated 08 October 2024 issued by the then Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service. In addition, these instructions were re-inforced through PSC Circular Notes No. 5 of 2024 and No. 6 of 2024 issued on 08 October 2024 informing Responsible Officers of Ministries/Departments that – (i) the PSC, in the context of the National Assembly Elections, decided that the powers delegated to them under section 89 of the Constitution for appointment in respect of specific grades in their respective Ministries/Departments should not be exercised with effect from the date of the Circular, and (ii) following the dissolution of the National Assembly, action should be stayed on the issue of all Public Advertisements and/or Circular Notes in respect of filling of vacancies. I am informed that no recruitment exercise has been carried out after the issue of the writ of elections on 04 October 2024 by the Public Service Commission, the Disciplined Forces Service Commission and the Local Government Service Commission. I am also informed that following appointment exercise carried out prior to the issue of writ of elections i.e from July 2024 to September 2024, 281 officers have joined the public sector after the issue of the writ of elections. I am duty bound to point out to the House that, in effect, in a matter of days prior to 04 October 2024 i.e the date of issue of writ of elections, no less than 281 persons were issued

130 letters to join the Public Service which took effect post 04 October 2024. That is after the writ of elections were issued. Furthermore, I am informed that there are 6 cases where offers of appointment were made after the 04 October 2024 as follows – (i) Ministries/Departments – 4 (ii) Parastatal Bodies – 2 I am to inform the House that the Attorney General’s Office is being consulted for advice as to the way forward regarding these cases. Concerning the budgetary expenditure involved, all the posts were funded in the Budget of the respective Ministries/Departments and other public entities concerned. The list of recruitment exercise which took effect after 04 October 2024 by grades and organisations involved is being placed in the Library of the National Assembly. RODRIGUES – COMMODITIES’ SHIPMENTS – DEMAND NEEDS