Second Reading THE GAMBLING REGULATORY AUTHORITY (AMENDMENT) BILL (NO. XV OF 2025) Order for Second Reading read.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Gambling Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill (No. XV of 2025) be read a second time. Let me start by reminding the House that in the Government Programme under the sub- title ‘Restoring Integrity in the Gaming Industry’, we have undertaken to restore public confidence in the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), particularly in regard to its oversight of the horse racing industry. We are committed to bring relevant amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act to ensure that the GRA operates as a trustworthy regulator of the gaming and betting industry in a transparent and accountable manner. We are honouring that pledge today. The Bill should be viewed in a much broader perspective of Government’s unflinching determination to clean our country of the activities of the mafia, under which, the MSM regime has infiltrated all our institutions and brought the image of our country into disrepute. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is worth reminding the House that under the previous government, the GRA, instead of furthering its objectives, as spelt out in the law, developed an incestuous relationship with the gambling don. The GRA became a den of notorious agents at the service of their political masters. From 2015 to 2024, the GRA totally destroyed public confidence in the gambling and the horse racing industry. In fact, it literally decimated horse racing in Mauritius. It acted more like a gambling promotion authority dishing out various licenses in every nook and corner of the island. This is how the then government went about to prevent Mauritius becoming enn nation zougader as they unashamedly said during the campaign of 2014 General Elections. But when they came in office, they did exactly the opposite! Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, over the last decade, we witnessed a gradual decline in the horse racing industry. Lack of trust, allegations of race fixing, cases of doping, animal mistreatment, pitiful state of the race tracks, infrastructure and other amenities, including, if you remember, nails thrown on the race tracks before horses started running. There was also a dramatic increase in the number of people attending the races at Champ de Mars. This situation was a direct consequence of the mainmise of the MSM government and its cronies. The Gambling Regulatory Authority, which was supposed to ensure that gambling is conducted in a fair and transparent manner, had, in fact, lamentably failed in its mission and objectives, as spelt out in the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act. How can the public forget how the mafia, through their proxies, like one Dev Beekarry, concocted a machiavellic plan to get rid of the proud historic legacy in the sports arena, that is, the Mauritius Turf Club? The MTC, we should all remember, is believed to be the oldest horse racing club in the Southern hemisphere. It is a happy coincidence, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that this Bill is coming practically 230 years after the creation of the MTC on 25 June 1812. The same Mr Beekarry, as I have already stated in the House, was also Special Adviser to the then Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, and he cumulated many other lucrative positions, such as board membership of not one, but six State-owned enterprises. He was a Board Member and Vice-Chairperson of the Gambling Regulatory Authority. He was paid an amount of Rs3.3 million by the GRA. Let me also remind the House who were the legal advisers retained by the GRA. The services of Mr Ravi Yerrigadoo were retained from May 2014 to the end of 2024. He was paid Rs4 million, including a fixed monthly retainer fee of Rs46,000. The services of Mr Krisnakantsingh Auchoybur, Barrister-at-law, were retained from February 2022 to November 2024 as legal consultant. Additionally, he acted as the Head of the Horse Racing Division and was also the Chairman of the Horse Racing Committee. He was paid Rs4.6 million, including a monthly salary of Rs130,000. If this, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, is not a clear case of conflict of interest, then we should redefine what conflict of interest means! Furthermore, Mrs Saya Ragavoodoo, Attorney-at-law, whose services were retained from May 2019 to the end of 2024, was paid Rs1.4 million. Let me also remind the House that in September 2014, I had set up a Commission of Inquiry on horse racing in Mauritius to look into serious allegations of corruption in horse racing and in connection with the gambling world. The Commission was chaired by Mr Parry. He was also assisted by Mr Gunn and Mr Scotney. A preliminary report was submitted in November 2014 just prior to the new general elections which were held in December 2014. Surprisingly, after the elections, the preliminary report mysteriously disappeared. In fact, I had taken the precaution of asking the then President of the Republic, Mr Kailash Purryag, to ensure that the new Prime Minister receives the preliminary report. He assured me that it was sent by a dispatch rider and that they had signed in the book at the PMO. Yet, the former Prime Minister said that he never received the report. Never! The interim report was eventually tabled in the National Assembly more than two years later, in 2017! Not by the MSM government, not by the Prime Minister, but by the then Leader of the Opposition, Mr Xavier-Luc Duval! He produced that report. There had been no trace of the report anywhere. No wonder the Commission of Inquiry on horse racing conveniently disappeared from the then Prime Minister’s Office. In August 2021, Weekend newspaper managed to interview Mr Ben Gunn who is a Sports Integrity Specialist, a former British Horse Racing Authority Regulatory Director, a former Gambling Commission Commissioner and a former Police Chief. I had picked these people precisely because they had knowledge, they had integrity, and they knew how to do inquiries. Commenting on the weird disappearance of the report of the Commission of Inquiry on Horse Racing, Mr Ben Gunn assured Weekend newspaper that he handed the final report accompanied by a letter directly to one Mr Dev Beekarry. The latter had told Mr Gunn that the then Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, was too busy to receive him and Mr Scotney. In his interview, Mr Ben Gunn added, I quote – “The situation in the racing industry has worsened and that’s a real shame because it looks bad for the future of racing in Mauritius.” That’s when the MSM government came in power! This is what he said. He also stated, let me quote – “The Finance Bill of the MSM government in 2021 does not reflect neither the letter nor the spirit of the Parry Report on horse racing in Mauritius because it lacks the essential and fundamental elements of independence.” Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me say a few words about the scheme that was put in place upon absolute control of the gambling industry with a clear objective of filling the war chest of the MSM. We know, the decision to abolish, of course, booking, was taken to favour a notorious bookmaker who was operating through remote control. This resulted in a substantial decrease in gambling revenue and job losses. In every country in the world, the revenue increases; in Mauritius, it decreased. The Horse Racing Division was presented in the Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 as an independent division whose purpose was primarily, I quote – “to ensure that a horse-racing organiser effectively discharges its responsibilities regarding the organisation of horse-racing in all its aspects, including safety, comfort and standards of hygiene, security, discipline and the prevention of fraud.” What happened, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, was that the HRD turned out to be nothing but a stratagem to usurp the powers and prerogatives of the horse racing organiser which was the Mauritius Turf Club at the time. HRD never acted as an independent body. It was acting only as a political agent of the MSM. Additionally, right from the moment the HRD had undertaken its operations, the Stipendiary Stewards had been subject to recurrent criticisms from the press and the public. Several anomalies were noticed by racing adepts in terms of how the races were ridden by the stewards and concerning the rationale behind decisions taken by them, which were often considered as being of a very, very questionable nature. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, while the introduction of the Personal Management License was meant to be a laudable initiative on paper, it was in practice weaponised and used as a political tool to shoot down potential GRA licensees or those who were already in possession of a license to coerce them to toe the line of the chief manipulator. They were told, “either you do that or we take away your license”. The Côte d'Or International Race Course and Entertainment Complex whose mandate was to uphold the overall infrastructure of the Champ de Mars turned out to be nothing but a scheme to favour the horse racing mafia. It should be recalled how the Côte d'Or Entertainment Complex had leased the Champ de Mars to two horse racing organisations in 2022. The sharing of the race course was a disaster due to the absence of a no proper framework. We all remember how the race track, as I said, was sabotaged during the same year, just prior to the Maiden Cup. The Mauritian public at large and the industry’s stakeholders, in particular, are looking up to the Government to relaunch the horse racing activities in a fair and transparent manner. Only when there is a perception that races are clean, the foundations can be laid for sustainability and growth of the sector. The Mauritian public is expecting Government, through the Gambling Regulatory Authority, to take strong actions to this effect. The Gambling Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill aims at revamping the horse racing industry in Mauritius. The Bill focuses mainly on the following – • Reforming of the administrative set up of the Gambling Regulatory Authority; • Reviewing the regulatory control and licensing functions of the Gambling Regulatory Authority; • Restoring the responsibility for organising racing activities of the horse racing organiser, and • Strengthening provisions regarding illegal betting, money laundering and tax evasion. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, for the Gambling Regulatory Authority to carry out its functions effectively and efficiently, it is important that the Gambling Regulatory Authority be restructured. Clauses 4 and 11 specifically set out the new administrative set up of the Gambling Regulatory Authority with seven divisions. I must say, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have circulated an amendment to clauses 11 and 12 to that effect. The Horse Racing Division is being renamed as the Horse Racing Integrity Division and will be responsible to protect the integrity of horse racing and ensure that horse racing is fair, clean, and free from corruption or malpractice. Clause 11, which we are amending, provides that the different divisions will be under the administrative control as we have amended, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. Clause 5 redefines and strengthens the regulatory licensing, monitoring and enforcement functions of the Gambling Regulatory Authority in relation to horse racing activities. The Authority will be responsible to promote public confidence in its integrity through proper standards of conduct and competence to ensure transparency and good governance, and ensure that the horse racing organiser effectively discharges his responsibilities. In addition, as provided in clause 6 of the Bill, the Board will take over the functions of the Horse Racing Division, which was not independent, and will henceforth be responsible for the proper conduct of horse racing activities. The Board will also set up and enforce standards for race courses, enforce the rules of racing, issue rules, direction and guidelines to ensure the implementation of anti-doping measures amongst others. The Gambling Regulatory Authority Board will now be responsible for licensing or registering of trainers, assistant trainers, jockeys, apprentice jockeys, equine veterinarians, other horse racing professionals, stables and equestrian centres. Clause 29 provides that the annual license fee to be paid by these categories of licensees ranges from Rs500 to Rs15,000. Amendment is also being brought in clause 20 to provide that these license holders with the Gambling Regulatory Authority will not be required to hold a personal management license. The Responsible Gambling and Capacity Building Fund under the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act aims at developing and implementing a responsible gambling programme for the public and identifying and addressing the ills associated with the gambling industry. With a view to bringing greater synergy between the Gambling Regulatory Authority Board and the Fund, clauses 9 and 10 provide that the Fund will, henceforth, be administered by a responsible gambling board, which will be constituted from members of the Gambling Regulatory Authority Board. The core functions of the horse racing organiser are being restored for the proper running of the horse racing activities. Thus, clauses 16 and 17 stipulate that the horse racing organiser will have the full responsibility for organising racing activities including preparing the rules of racing for approval by the Gambling Regulatory Authority, managing the race tracks and ensuring the safety and proper management of the race events. The rules of racing will include features such as racing calendar, fixtures list, nominations and race cards and the horse racing organiser will be under the direction of the Gambling Regulatory Authority and not the Horse Racing Division. Provision is also being made at clause 18 for the horse racing organiser to, henceforth, be the sole holder of a totalizer, that is, what we call pool betting operator license. A totalizer operator may appoint agents to manage his totalizer activities with the approval of the GRA. The annual license fee for an agent of the totalizer operator will be Rs500,000. The existing totalizer operators will be allowed to operate until the expiry of their license. With a view to combatting illegal betting, money laundering and tax evasion the following amendments are being made – (i) Leasing of horses has been used a means for money laundering. We have seen people who had nothing to do with horse racing suddenly were owning a lot of horses. Now, to stop this practice, leasing of horses will be disallowed in clause 2; (ii) Clause 19 reintroduces fixed odds betting on local races conducted by the bookmaker outside the race course to allow punters a greater access to legal bookmakers. However, bookmakers will not be allowed to operate both at the race course and outside the race course; (iii) Clause 24 makes it mandatory for all bookmakers and totalizer operators including those operating through remote communication to issue serially numbered receipts upon bets being placed to prevent any fraudulent practices; (iv) Clause 26 makes provision for an increase in the penalty for failure to submit a return to the Mauritius Revenue Authority and pay taxes electronically from Rs5000 to Rs50,000 per month and up to a maximum of Rs500,000 instead of only Rs50,000. The Bill also provides for the following amendments, namely – (a) Approval of the GRA will be required where disposal of shares in a licensee will result in a person acquiring 20% or more of the capital of voting rights instead of 10% as it is in clause 22; (b) Increase in the limit for cash transaction from Rs10,000 to Rs50,000 between a stable owner, a stable manager, stable trainer, horse owner, or a jockey in clause 25; (c) To allow a local gaming/betting company to sponsor race meetings and to do any advertising and publicity to that effect in Mauritius as in the case of a foreign gaming or betting company in clause 27; (d) License fee payable by bookmakers and totalizers in respect of horse racing in the calendar year 2025 will be reduced by 50% in view that the horse racing will start in the second half of the calendar year as in clause 28; (e) Consequential amendments to the State Land’s Act regarding the vesting of the land at Champ de Mars to a corporation which may be a statutory body or government-owned company in Clause 31. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, my Government is upholding its responsibility by putting in place the necessary legal and administrative framework for the revamping of the horse racing industry. I am confident that the measures that we are proposing will give a new boost to the sector, promote transparency, and protect the interests of the race going public. It is now up to the stakeholders to play the part and ensure that the horse racing sector develops in a transparent manner and regains its former place of pride. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I commend this Bill to the House. Mr Gunness rose and seconded.

Hon. Leader of Opposition! (5.20 p.m.) The Leader of Opposition (Mr G. Lesjongard) : Merci, M. le président et merci de me donner la parole d’intervenir sur ce projet de loi. Dès le début de mon intervention, je dois avouer que je ne suis pas un fana de courses hippiques mais comme beaucoup de nos compatriotes, mon enfance a été marquée par des courses au Champ de Mars. Cet après-midi, M. le président, j’interviens sur ce projet de loi en tant que législateur et j’y compte apporter ma contribution. M. le président, nous sommes en présence d’un projet de loi, c’est-à-dire, le Gambling Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill qui a pour but principal de redéfinir les responsabilités des parties concernées par les courses hippiques dans notre pays et l’objectif avoué est d’améliorer la réforme de 2022 et on aurait cru voir des améliorations mais en fin de compte, on nous sert ce que moi je qualifierai de législation troublante. M. le président, la réforme en 2021-2022 était nécessaire et courageuse, il faut bien le souligner. Il fallait mettre fin à une situation qui avait trop perduré et qui était devenue néfaste pour les turfistes mauriciens et on avait à faire face à une situation tolérée pendant trop longtemps. Du reste, rapport après rapport – rapport de Rault en 1985 et le rapport de Parry en 2015 – le constat avait été unanime et accablant. Le reste, l’institution de cette commission d’enquête, menée par M. Parry, était sous la mandature de l’actuel Premier ministre et qui, pour moi, confirme que la situation s’était grandement détériorée. Les courses hippiques à Maurice souffraient, M. le président, des pratiques illicites au détriment des turfiste qui étaient les plus grandes victimes et le rapport de la commission d’enquête sur les courses hippiques à Maurice, présidée par le britannique, Richard Parry, était accablant. Ce rapport publié en mars 2015 constatait ceci – “The Commission judges that the integrity of horse racing in Mauritius is at an all-time low. There was prima facie evidence that certain persons may have committed, and continued to commit, criminal offences against Section 146 of the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act and that there was maladministration, bordering on ‘institutional corruption’ within the Mauritius Turf Club that perpetuated an environment in which suspected criminal activity was allowed to flourish.” Le rapport, comme je vous l’ai dit, parle de malversations, de conflit d’intérêt, de collusions et des clans mafieux pour ne citer que cela. Des noms avaient même été mentionnés ainsi que des courses truquées. L’organisateur de courses de l’époque, le Mauritius Turf Club, essuyait des sévères critiques pour des pratiques jugées répréhensibles dans le rapport. C’était la situation au Champ de Mars à cette époque, M. le président et des conclusions de la commission d’enquête confirmaient la situation décrite par un ancien président du Mauritius Turf Club, Jean Michel Giraud. Dans un interview publié dans l’Express du 3 août 2014, ce dernier disait entre autres – « Les courses sont dirigées par des mafias. Ces mafias n’ont jamais été aussi puissantes. Je n’exagère pas quand l’épouse d’un jockey se retrouve avec le canon d’un pistolet sur l’attente et qu’on lui dit, si ton mari gagne cette course, tu meurs. Il me semble qu’on peut parler de mafia. Les parrains de la mafia, ils sont deux ou trois, ils sont armés, ils sont déréglés au MTC et je n’irai pas plus loin. » Il continue – « J’ai déjà reçu des menaces de mort au téléphone plusieurs fois et [il fait mention] une fois, j’ai même appelé M. Bérenger et il m’a dit – Pars de chez toi tout de suite, ces gens sont dangereux. Le Mauritius Turf Club ne fait plus son boulot. » M. le président, le gouvernement avait la responsabilité et le devoir d’implémenter les plus importantes recommandations de la commission d’enquête. Ici, j’ouvre une parenthèse pour mettre l’accent sur le fait que cette Commission, instituée en 2014 par l’actuel Premier ministre et il a fait part de cela un peu plus tôt dans son intervention, avait publié un rapport en novembre 2014 où elle réclamait une enquête criminelle en toute urgence sur des cas allégués des courses truquées, étant donné que la saison hippique tirait à sa fin et que des protagonistes concernés étaient toujours dans le pays pour être interrogés. Malheureusement, il n’y a jamais eu d’investigation criminelle comme confirme le Premier ministre. Je dis cela, M. le président parce que plus tard, je vais démontrer comment par un amendement dans ce projet de loi, taillé sur mesure et cet amendement permettra éventuellement un des protagonistes de l’époque, d’être à la tête d’une écurie de chevaux de courses. Cela étant dit, M. le président, je ne vais pas m’attarder sur toutes les recommandations du rapport Parry. Je vais aborder surtout celles qui sont aujourd’hui mises de côté ou qui seront perverties par les amendements devant cette auguste Assemblée cet après-midi. La recommandation principale du rapport Parry insistait sur la nécessité absolue de séparer le Regulatory and Governance Functions des courses hippiques des attributions de l’organisateur. Cela avait été conformément aux meilleures pratiques internationales suivant le modèle britannique. Le Gambling Regulatory Authority Act avait ainsi été amendé pour créer une Horse Racing Division indépendant au sein de la GRA. Malheureusement, M. le président, cette réforme cruciale et fondamentale pour l’avenir de l’industrie hippique n’a pas plu à l’unique organisateur de l’époque, en l’occurrence le Mauritius Turf Club. Mais je ne voudrais pas entrer dans toute cette saga de l’époque qui s’ensuivit et finalement, il y a eu la décision du MTC de ne plus organiser des courses hippiques. L’essentiel à l’époque, M. le président, était de mener à bien cette réforme. Des professionnels avaient été recrutés au sein de la Horse Racing Division qui a pris sous sa responsabilité, les fonctions régulatrices et gouvernance des courses hippiques à Maurice. Cela, M. le président, incluait le stewarding, l’élaboration des rules of racing et autres règlements mais aussi, la préparation des fixtures et des programmes de courses, le benchmarking et le handicapping entre autres. Cette division prenait aussi le contrôle d’anti- dopage et les services de vétérinaire. Tout cela impliquait un budget annuel de l’ordre de 70 millions. Mais, aujourd’hui, au lieu de consolider cette structure, fort de l’expérience acquis ces dernières années, les amendements proposés à la section 4 de la GRA Act et la nouvelle section 32, clause 3, 4, et 17 du projet de loi redonnent à l’organisateur des courses hippiques certaines prérogatives qui relèvent de la réglementation et qui constituent le levier vital de l’intégrité des courses hippiques à Maurice. Alors, avec ce projet de loi, le gouvernement ouvre la voie, malheureusement, à des possibilités de collusion et ce faisant, laisse les champs libres à des malversations. Il s’agit, M. le président, d’un recul en arrière de près de 10 ans, à l’époque où l’actuel Premier ministre avait jugé bon de prendre le taureau par les cornes et de mettre de l’ordre dans l’industrie hippique et avait commandité cette commission d’enquête. Aujourd’hui, M. le président, on est en train d’effacer presque toutes les recommandations du rapport Parry. J’ai cité plus tôt les retombées de ce rapport accablant et de ces conclusions. Et je peux dire que, malheureusement, nous retournons à la case départ et on est à se demander à qui va profiter le crime. Ce projet de loi remet en question non seulement le rapport, mais aussi l’indépendance des commissaires des courses, car c’est l’organisateur des courses encore une fois qui dictera les règles du jeu. Je me pose des questions aussi, M. le président, sur les dépenses additionnelles qui reviendront à la GRA, et de facto aux contribuables. Le budget de R 100 millions alloué à cette autorité risque de ne pas être suffisant. Pourquoi ? J’ai appris que c’est, par exemple, la GRA qui financera les équipements de photo finish à la hauteur de presque R 5 millions, lequel financement revenait toujours à l’organisateur des courses. Et cerise sur le gâteau, la GRA paiera des millions à l’organisateur, en l’occurrence une filiale du MTC, pour l’utilisation de la salle des commissaires, alors que l’organisateur a l’obligation de mettre de telles facilités gratuitement à la disposition des commissaires de courses. Je parle sous la correction de l’Attorney General. Si je ne me trompe pas, je pense que le MTC réclame toujours des dommages d’un milliard de roupies à l’État. J’espère qu’il va trouver une solution à cette affaire et qu’elle sera dans l’intérêt des contribuables. M. le président, je sais bien que de l’autre côté de la Chambre, un après l’autre, comme l’a fait le Premier ministre, sortira le nom d’une seule personne pour justifier les moyens.

(Interruptions)

Mais ne soyons pas hypocrites, M. le président. Il y a toujours eu un lien entre le monde politique et le monde hippique. Ne venez pas nous faire croire qu’il existe une seule personne issue du monde hippique qui est impliquée dans la chose politique et associée à un seul parti politique, M. le président.

(Interruptions)

M. le président, des réformes avaient été apportées, comme la création de la Horse Racing Division, pour assurer plus de transparence dans l’organisation des courses hippiques. Mais ce projet de loi, cet après-midi, remet tout sur le dos de la GRA où siège actuellement, M. le président, un nominé politique qui, il n’y a pas si longtemps de cela, animait un meeting politique vêtu de la casaque d’une écurie très connue à Maurice. M. le président, pour revenir aux amendements, la clause 18 du projet de loi, je pense, va créer un monopole. Il n’y aura qu’un seul opérateur de tote et ce sera l’organisateur des courses. Cet opérateur désigné par le gouvernement du jour sera une filiale du MTC et provision est faite pour des agents de cet opérateur. Tout cela me paraît donc taillé sur mesure pour deux opérateurs actuels qui sont connectés au MTC. Mais il y a plus grave que cela. Dans la configuration actuelle, les trois opérateurs de tote payaient à l’État des licensee fees annuels de R 3,5 millions, soit un total de R 10,5 millions. Dans la nouvelle configuration, l’État percevra R 3,5 millions de l’unique opérateur et les deux autres auront à payer R 500 000 chacun. Ce qui fait un total de R 1 million pour éventuellement faire un total de R 4,5 millions au lieu des R 6 millions qu’ils payaient à l’État. M. le président, j’en viens maintenant à l’amendement proposé à la section 101 de la loi, clause 23 du projet de loi. Ce gouvernement réintroduit le concept de Stable Manager, cette fois-ci rebaptisé Stable Owner, qui a été décrié dans le rapport Parry. Est-ce que cet amendement, M. le président, va être favorable pour certains qui avaient disparu du paysage hippique avec leur possible retour ? On peut imaginer les frasques qui s’ensuivront. Ce gouvernement introduit subtilement un modèle qui a été décrié dans le rapport de la commission d’enquête et en ses termes, je cite – “The Commission heard from various stakeholders in racing, including owners, trainers and MTC personnel that the role of Stable Manager is an anachronism which served to cause confusion over who was in charge of and responsible for a training yard. The Commission was told that there was no functional reason for the retention of that post. The Commission sees no purpose to the separate post of Stable Manager and recommends it should be abolished forthwith, leaving only one person, the licence trainer, having overall responsibility for running the training yard.” Même le MTC refusait, à un moment, de donner ce modèle de Stable Manager. Et avec raison, le club avait décidé de bannir un Stable Manager du Champ de Mars en 2016. M. le président, celui-ci était principalement pointé du doigt dans les cas de courses truquées mentionnés dans le rapport de la commission d’enquête. Ce gouvernement trouve utile d’ignorer cette importante recommandation de la commission d’enquête. Qu’est-ce qui a pu motiver, M. le président, cette décision ? Je laisse la Chambre et la population tirer ses propres conclusions. Ce projet de loi, M. le président, est en train d’affaiblir le régime d’AML/CFT mis en place pour combattre le blanchiment d’argent et prévenir que notre pays ne soit placé sur les listes grises ou noires. Est-ce qu’on est conscient qu’après les casinos, ce sont les courses hippiques qui seront ciblées lors des prochaines missions d’ESAAMLG et FATF effectuant le monitoring de Maurice sur la question du blanchiment d’argent ? Ce gouvernement s’est montré très frileux vis-à-vis des institutions financières internationales comme Moody’s, le FMI, la Banque mondiale. Alors, pourquoi prendre de tels risques dans ce projet de loi ? Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, according to the FATF, je cite – “The horse racing industry faces significant anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing risk, particularly due to the large sums of money involved, complex ownership structures and international nature of the sport. A robust risk-based approach, including enhanced due diligence, transaction monitoring and international cooperation is essential to mitigate these risks and prevent the industry from being exploited for illicit purposes. The horse racing business can represent significant AML/CFT risks due to its potential for illicit financial activity. These risks stem from the large sums of money involved in betting, ownership and sale of horses as well as the international nature of the sport.” Alors qu’il faut serrer le vice sur le blanchiment d’argent et des paris illégaux qui créent une économie parallèle, on fait le contraire à travers ce projet de loi, M. le président. On retient également, M. le président, l’amendement proposé à la section 30 de la GRA Act, c’est-à-dire la clause 15 du projet de loi, où la compagnie organisatrice des courses est exemptée de la condition existante où elle doit s’assurer que ses directeurs, managers et autres officiels soient fit and proper pour qu’elle puisse obtenir sa licence de horse racing organiser. C’est grave, M. le président, alors qu’il fallait renforcer le mécanisme pour s’assurer que les courses hippiques soient épargnées de personnages dont l’intégrité pourrait être questionnée, on dispense certains de l’obligation de prouver qu’ils sont sans reproche. M. le président, les courses hippiques, comme je l’ai souligné dès le début de mon intervention, font partie intégrante de l’histoire de notre pays, et ça rejoint ce que le Premier ministre avait dit dans son intervention. Il est le devoir de chaque gouvernement de préserver cette industrie avec des lois responsables et justes. Vous allez sans doute décrier les mesures prises par l’ancien gouvernement, c’est normal. Nous étions dans une situation où il fallait implémenter les recommandations d’un rapport commandité par l’actuel Premier ministre lui- même. Mais, nous nous étions heurtés au refus de l’unique organisateur des courses hippiques à Maurice à assumer ses responsabilités. Au-delà des turfistes, des parieurs, des écuries et des propriétaires de chevaux, il ne faut pas négliger le fait qu’il existe tout un écosystème, M. le président, qui gravite autour de l’organisation des courses hippiques à Maurice. Des employés des écuries, des bookmakers, mais aussi les petites et moyennes entreprises qui assurent la vente de nourritures et de boissons au Champ de Mars pendant les journées des courses.

Des palefreniers !

Et des palefreniers. Merci.

Quiet!

L’État, aujourd’hui, a investi massivement pour la relance des courses à Maurice, mais qui va encaisser les frais de location des commerçants ? Une question à se poser ! Rien pour les caisses de l’État, alors que vous dites que les caisses sont vides. An hon. Member : C’est vrai…

(Interruptions)

C’est vide pour les contribuables, mais vous donnez tous les privilèges financiers à un club privé, M. le président. Il est du devoir d’un gouvernement de défendre l’intérêt de toute personne qui vit de cette industrie et de continuer à améliorer le cadre légal existant. Le gouvernement a dû faire marche arrière sur plusieurs décisions prises récemment dans le cadre du Budget, et j’espère que ce sera le cas aussi dans ce contexte précis. J’en ai terminé, M. le président.

Thank you. Hon. Rookny, you have the floor for 15 minutes! (5.43 p.m.) Mr K. Rookny (Third Member for Pamplemousses & Triolet): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. Je me demande si je dois commencer par réfuter ce que le leader de l’opposition a dit ou je dois commencer par mon discours. Je vais être un peu plus sage et commencer par mon discours. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise, today, in support of the Gambling Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill 2025, a Bill which, mainly, and at its heart, is about restoring trust in one of the nation’s oldest passions – horse racing. This is not merely a technical amendment or a routine legal treat. This Bill is the culmination of years of introspection. It speaks to a journey. We began in 2007 when we created the GRA to bring order to the gambling and betting. It speaks to hard truths we faced in 2015 when a Commission of Inquiry, the Parry Commission, laid bare the flaws in how we oversaw horse racing. It speaks to the commitment of this Government and, indeed, this House, to act decisively so that the thrill of race day is once again matched by confidence in the integrity of the sport. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Mauritius’ horse racing is nearly two centuries old. Generations of Mauritians have grown up with thundering hooves on a Saturday afternoon, the cheers of the crowd, the debates over which horse is best. Our turf has produced legends in the saddle and on the training yards. But over time, we also saw the shadows lengthen over this industry. Rumours of les courses truquées, fixed races, began to surface more frequently than winners in a photo finish. Horse racing fans started to wonder if only people winning were a corrupt few operating behind the scenes. In July 2014, such was the public disquiet that a commission of inquiry was appointed. Its findings were sovereign. It put it plainly, it told us that the house of horse racing was in disarray, plagued by conflicts of interest and lack of oversight. It revealed the illegal betting syndicates were likely booming, that doping controls were falling behind and that the public had lost faith. And what did the government that came in place in 2014 do? For ten years, they did nothing, yet, the Leader of the Opposition is boasting about the same report of the Commission of Inquiry, saying that it was damning. But, until 2022, they did not do anything. The Bill before us is the latest stride in a reform process that is fundamentally changing horse racing in Mauritius for the better. Through this Bill, we are institutionalising what should be obvious, in sports as in governance: integrity is everything. This Bill bolsters the structures, making sure that the personnel have had no recent ties to the industry they regulate, that they answer only to rule of law and professional standards. It fine-tunes procedures so that decisions, whether it is licensing a jockey or sanctioning a trainer, are made without fear or favour. I want to emphasise, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that this Bill and the broader reforms are not anti-industry, they are pro-industry. A sport without integrity is a sport without a future. We need only to look at, for example, Hong Kong to understand this. Hong Kong’s racing is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise famed worldwide, and do you know why? Because people trust it. Over there, if a jockey thinks about associating with shady characters, he is banned. If anyone tries to pull a fast one, there is a high chance he ends up behind bars. In Hong Kong, they say the steward’s room never sleeps. Now, I am not saying that we are Hong Kong, not yet. But, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with this Bill, we are certainly on the right track. We have incorporated many international best practices – • independent stewardship; • advanced veterinary and laboratory protocols; • data-driven monitoring of betting and close collaboration with financial crime agencies to choke off illicit funds. We are showing that a small country like Mauritius can punch above its weight in integrity. With the structural improvements we are doing with this Bill, we are tightening licensing. Unlike what the Leader of Opposition said, we have made fitness and propriety a mantra for anyone who wants a license, whether it is a jockey’s license or an organiser’s. With this Bill, horse racing organisers will be required to be managed by companies with proper corporate governance. I also want to draw a contrast with what could happen if we do nothing or if we roll back these reforms. Let’s look at what happened in Macau. For decades, horse racing took a backseat; governance stagnated and interest plummeted. This year, Macau shut down it’s 35-year-old horse racing operations; an unthinkable outcome for us but a very real reminder that complacency can kill a sport. We refuse to let that happen in Mauritius. Horse racing is not just an economic activity here, it’s part of our DNA and just as DNA defines the core of an organism, integrity must define the core of our racing. One cannot talk about horse racing without mentioning the public – the men and women who flock to Champ de Mars or gather locally to watch the races. They are as much stakeholders as owners and jockeys. To the racing public, I say – your voices have been heard. You demanded cleaner races; we are delivering exactly that. Continue to hold us to account; if you see something, say something. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in supporting this Bill, I believe we are doing right by our past and investing in our future. We honour the legacy of those titans of our turf history, like Serge Henry by ensuring that their sport thrives in a new era of integrity. Most importantly, we honour the trust of the people who expect us to lead, to lead in building institutions that are upright and strong. Horse racing in Mauritius should never have been a partisan matter. It’s notre bien commun and I hope it continues. Let Mauritius set an example that even in the domain often dismissed as rife with vice, we can establish virtue. That even in gambling and racing, we can demonstrate good governance that others might learn from. Integrity in horse racing is really a reflection of integrity in society. By winning this race for integrity, we signal that Mauritius will settle for nothing less in any field. The finish line in this effort is not a single moment but an ongoing commitment; a commitment that I am confident we shall uphold. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, let us not pretend we are out here without scars. This Bill comes not in isolation but in the shadow of a near collapse, one that many here recall with unease. Not so long ago, under the stewardship of the former Minister of Finance, questions were rightly raised in this very House. The then Leader of Opposition, hon Dr. Arvin Boolell, stood and asked – “Who are the true gatekeepers of our horse racing legacy and who benefits from looking the other way?” The Minister, unfortunately, chose to duck rather than confront. He wrapped statistics around silence, he refused to answer directly where the remote betting systems were being connected live to the MRA. He avoided naming names but the truth was already galloping ahead of him. Everyone knew who the blue-eyed boy was. Everyone knew which connected operator was allowed to roam freely across the regulatory paddocks; untouched, unchallenged and emboldened. The result – not just a scandal, but an attempted assassination; not of a man but of an institution. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the very soul of our horse racing heritage, an industry older that our Parliament, was nearly strangled by executive complicity. We were hours away from seeing Champ de Mars turned into a graveyard of traditions and yet, one stable stood tall – the l’écurie Gujadhur, the oldest, the proudest, the one whose history is bound with the gallop of our nationhood. They refused to bow to the orchestrated collapse; they refused to be part of the regulatory conspiracy. And, in that resistance, they gave us what no legislation could provide – a heartbeat. It is in that heartbeat, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that today’s reform is born. This Bill is not about licensing or divisions or enforcement mechanisms; it is about redemption. It is about making sure that no government – orange, yellow whatever, will ever again, be allowed to gamble with our racing legacy behind the veil of ministerial privilege. And, if today, we rise to cast our vote in favour of this reform, let us remember, we are not just legislators; we are custodians of trust, of transparency, of the 200-year-old tradition that refused to die. With those words, I wholeheartedly, support the Gambling Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill (No. XV of 2025) and I commend this Bill to the House. Thank you.

Hon. Etwareea! (5.56 pm.) Mr R. Etwareea (Third Member for Grand’Baie & Poudre d’Or): M. le président, l’industrie du jeu du hasard pourrait se porter mieux à Maurice. Même si je n’ai pas des chiffres précis à apporter aujourd’hui, je sais que cette industrie pourrait apporter une contribution non-négligeable à l’économie nationale en termes d’impôt, de redevance et d’emploi. Nous savons tout de même que Lottotech brasse près de R 3 milliards, SMS Pariaz R 1 milliard par année. Cette industrie comprend également les courses hippiques et ses bookmakers. Le sports betting qui est disponible en ligne est très populaire chez les jeunes, de même que les casinos qui offrent plusieurs jeux comme le Poker, la roulette ou encore les machines à sous. L’état impose 15% sur les revenues de cette industrie. Sur le plan mondial, il faut savoir que l’industrie du hasard ne pèse pas moins de 618 milliards de dollars, croît d’environ 5% par an et son chiffre d’affaires attendra 750 milliards de dollars d’ici 2034. Mais c’est ici, à Maurice, comme l’a dit tout à l’heure, le Premier ministre, que le chiffre d’affaires de l’industrie de ces jeux est en train de baisser et a baissé ces dernières années. A titre de comparaison par rapport aux chiffres que j’ai mentionnés avant, laissez-moi vous dire que l’industrie mondiale du tourisme est évaluée à 1500 milliard de dollars ou encore le PIB Suisse, un petit pays mais une grande économie était de 590 milliards de dollars en 2022. Le PIB mauricien, c’est environ 15 milliards de dollars. Nous sommes en train de parler de beaucoup d’argent. En présentant la Gambling Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill (No. XV of 2025), le Premier ministre a expliqué les enjeux généraux et mis l’accent sur la nécessité de devoir tourner la page d’une période sombre de l’histoire de l’industrie de jeux à Maurice. Cette période où tout le pays, y compris l’hippisme étaient gérés de sorte que les affairistes du régime précèdent replissaient leurs poches à n’en ont plus finir et où les règles de jeux s’appelaient népotisme, corruption, abus de pouvoir, blanchiment d’’argent, Jean Michel Lee Shim, Dev Beekarry. Est-ce qu’une commission d’enquête ne s’impose pas pour voir comment ces personnes et d’autres ont amassé leurs fortunes durant ces dernières années ? La question est posée. M. le président, c’est une véritable écurie d’Augias qui nécessite aujourd’hui un remède de cheval pour un nettoyage de fond en comble. Je soutiens donc les amendements proposés at the Gambling Regulatory Authority Bill, dont l’objectif principal consiste à remettre de l’ordre dans l’ensemble de l’industrie des jeux. Dans l’immédiat, le cheval de bataille consiste à remettre l’industrie hippique sur de nouvelles bases. La reprise de l’activité hippique cette année coïnciderait avec le bicentenaire du Mauritius Turf Club, l’organisateur historique des courses. Ce sera un cadeau d’anniversaire à tous les Mauriciens. M. le président, pour préparer mon intervention de cet après-midi, j’ai parlé autour de moi et j’ai constaté sans surprise que beaucoup de Mauriciens sont attachés aux courses hippiques. Pour les uns, c’est l’amour du cheval – cette bête majestueuse que l’homme a domestiquée. Ils sont des milliers à se rendre, semaine après semaine, aux mythiques Champ de Mars pour prendre part à une activité sportive unique pour la journée de la fameuse Maiden Cup. Ils se déplacent en famille. Certains d’entre nous se souviendront des jouets artisanaux et d’autres bric-à-brac achetés au Champ-de-Mars et des kalaminndas mangés ce jour-là. Pour les autres, les courses sont une activité économique et financière. Pour les propriétaires des chevaux, c’est un investissement. Il y a aussi ces petits amateurs passionnés de courses pour qui, avec R 400,000 ou R 500,000, ils procurent une participation. Tout ce monde attend un retour sur l’investissement. Je ne parle pas ici des dizaines de marchands de briyani, de dal-pouri, des barbes à papa, des beignets et d’alouda qui gagnent aussi leur vie. Tout ce monde confondu, les Mauriciens aiment miser un kopeck, voire plus, dans l’espoir de doubler, tripler et pourquoi pas centupler leurs mises. Personnellement, je n’ai jamais fait de paris et donc je ne fais pas partie de ces 100 % des gagnants qui ont joué. Mais je connais beaucoup de petits parieurs, tristounets un jour, un peu heureux un autre jour ! M. le président, tant mieux pour ceux qui ont gagné, même si on sait qu’à la fin, les petits parieurs honnêtes sont toujours perdants. Mon propos ici concerne plutôt ceux qui n’ont pas gagné, mais ceux qui ont tout perdu. Gagner et perdre, c’est la règle du jeu. Mais il y a ceux qui perdent plus que leurs mises. Ils vont jusqu’à perdre leurs salaires, leurs biens, leur dignité et parfois même leurs vies. C’est en cette toile de fond que je salue la section 11A du projet d’amendement en discussion. Elle introduit un Responsible Gambling and Capacity Building Fund. C’est nouveau. C’est innovateur. Ce programme financera des programmes de conscientisation sur les risques liés aux jeux du hasard. En effet, les jeux du hasard, bien que divertissants pour certains, présentent des dangers significatifs, notamment l’addiction. Le jeu peut créer une telle dépendance que le joueur se met à jouer de façon compulsive. Le jeu peut entraîner des pertes financières importantes menant à l'endettement, à la pauvreté, à des difficultés financières pour soi-même et pour sa famille. Je suis en train de parler, peut-être, pour une poignée de personnes, mais n’oublions pas que la maladie, l’addiction peut être contagieuse. C’est dans ce contexte-là, M. le président, que ce fond est utile. Il serait très utile aussi que le fond mette en place un mécanisme pour identifier en amont les personnes qui se dirigent vers l’addiction, les traiter et stopper la descente aux enfers. En instituant une division spécifique aux courses hippiques, l’État reconnaît qu’elle requiert une plus grande attention. L’article 4(b)(ii) entend – “(…) ensure that horse racing is fair, clean and free from corruption or malpractice.” L’article 4(b)(iv) parle de – “Promote the welfare and leisure of the race going public.” M. le président, le plus souvent, ce sont les personnes ayant des bas revenus, parfois désespérées, qui prennent des risques disproportionnés. On connaît des personnes qui, après une journée passée au Champ deMars, n’ont plus d’argent pour payer le ticket d’autobus pour rentrer chez elles. On connait d’autres qui s’endettent pour aller jouer. Un épicier m’a raconté avoir noté que l’un de ses clients diminuait systématiquement ses achats, so ration hebdomadaire, au profit de jouer un peu plus de Loto. L’article 6 (2) (b) de la section 11A prévoit justement ce fond du GRA d’identifier et de traiter tous les mots liés au jeu du hasard. Ce ne sera pas une tâche facile, mais cette loi jette les jalons pour parvenir à des jeux responsables. La clause suivante évoque Capacity Building in Police des Jeux pour combattre les paris illégaux si courants dans nos villes et nos villages. M. le président, il faut effectivement promouvoir l’idée de jouer de manière responsable, notamment en évitant de jouer pour se refaire après sa perte. N’oublions pas qu’il ne sera jamais facile de détecter des joueurs addicted lorsque ces derniers jouent dans les chambres des jeux online. M. le président, vous en souviendrez, on en a parlé tout à l’heure, d’une période où on nous traitait de nation zougader. Je n’irai jamais jusque-là. Ce serait une insulte à notre intelligence collective. En revanche, sans aucune intention de m’ériger en gardien du temple de la morale, et en conclusion, je dirais que la mise sur pied de ce fond pour promouvoir un jeu du hasard responsable arrive à point nommé. Parce que malgré tout, l’appât du gain facile ou l’envie de mettre fin à son désespoir financier en misant ses derniers sous, ou encore la tentation de la vénalité, peuvent nous conduire à une dérive irréparable. Il était donc temps d’agir. Merci.

Thank you. Hon. Minister, Dr. Boolell! (6.06 p.m.) The Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries (Dr. A. Boolell): Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I feel sorry for the Leader of the Opposition because he had no choice, but to pay heed to his master’s voice. He has been desperately trying to be in defence of the indefensible. We know who brought horse racing into disrepute. I will call it the ‘McMafia’! ‘McMafia’ was encouraged by a government who was desperate, because it was a corrupt and filthy government, and who had one choice: to make money. The gentleman who had refused to drop the name on the radio stated openly that he was the Adviser of the then Prime Minister and he made a hefty contribution of more than Rs12 million! That is what we call the petty cash. As to the hefty sum that was contributed, it is from here to eternity. Galore! A huge sum! Now, you want to know the reasons as to why they had to sideline the Mauritius Turf Club. The Leader of the Opposition has stated that we are bringing this Bill at our own leisure. Amendments to the Bill have been well thought of and well-crafted by the Attorney General’s Office. There is a clear objective of the Bill, moved by the hon. Prime Minister: to revamp horse racing activities. This is a Bill which is transparent and which is not occult. Transparency rules the way. With the amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority, the powers and responsibilities of the horse racing organiser are finally being restored and the GRA will have its own enforcement team to investigate cases of illegal betting. One has to put a question – and a very simple question, why is it that the GRA under the previous regime did not have this power? And it was not an unfettered power but the power to make sure that illegal activities would not be allowed. There is no place for illegal activities aided and abetted by the previous regime. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Bill makes provision to re-introduce off course bookmaking on local races. We have to ask the question, who had the monopoly or strong hold if not J.M.L.S., the blue-eyed boy of the MSM? And he had a stronghold on anything and everything that relates to activities of horseracing. But then who had the courage to come to enlist the services of people and doubt in horse racing to say that it is high time to sort out a mess if ever the mess was prevailed. In September 2014, we were in power and the Prime Minister told Commissioner Parry and his assessors, loud and clear to be a ruthless, to be tough and nobody should be spared. But unfortunately, we left government in December 2014, but then, are we surprised that none of the 23 recommendations made by the Commission of Enquiry had been implemented by the decadent and filthy regime of the MSM and who dared to initiate the reform? The Prime Minister and this Government, we are initiating the reform. On the 14 September 2014, the Prime Minister’s Office announced the creation of the Commission of Enquiry on Horseracing in Mauritius. As has been stated by the Prime Minister, the then President of the Republic appointed Commissioner Richard Parry to chair the enquiry with two other assessors. But a copy of the interim report, of the executive summary was submitted and it made good reading and I put the question: why did the MSM do nothing about it? A copy of the findings of the report was submitted not only once, only twice but three times to the Office of the then Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth. The first time that President Kailash Prayag to Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth at Le Réduit as was stated by Prime Minister. Another copy was despatched by the President’s Office to the Office of the Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth but who took the report? It was taken by the Special Adviser of the then Prime Minister, Mr Beekarry. And what was the undertaking given by the then Prime Minister on 24 February 2015 in a question – I do not know whether the question was put by our friend who is now Leader of the Opposition? I think you put the question and what was the reply: they were going to fight Mafia that has brought horseracing into disrepute. It is McMafia laughing at Mafia. And what a big laugh! A laughing stock indeed. The 23 recommendations were dumped in their political dustbin and they did nothing. MTC was sidelined to favour Mafia and as from 2015, the McMafia mob has ruled horseracing and this is a fact and this is reality. And, the Government under the stewardship of our Prime Minister is all out to clean the stables. The amendments to the Gambling Regulatory Authority are long overdue. The recommendations of the Parry report are being implemented. There are some would argue that there should have been a Racing Authority as Gambling Regulatory Authority has wide power but the law is an ass and if further amendment has to be brought, it will be done. Under our Government, transparency and accountability is the practice. The Board has competent persons; the Chairperson does not overrule, like under the previous government, it was not only the Chairperson but it was the Deputy Chairperson who overruled because he was at the beck and call of J.M.L.S. Their palms were greased with dirty, stinking money. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Board of Stewards of MIC has to deliver and the Board of GRA has to be on constant watch, to monitor and scrutinise. It has to make sure that the shadow of Mr J.M.L.S., does not surreptitiously exercise control over the Board of Stewards. Section 6(c) of the new subsection in (f) and (g) provide a zone of comfort that it has to err constantly on the side of caution. There is no departure, Section 2 of the Principal Act lays the foundation with new definition. The Authority rules the waves; it has wide power clearly defined in Section 3 of the Principal Act amended and we are ushering public confidence. The public confidence in the integrity of horseracing industry is now being restored and the Chief Executive though has no voting right has to do such other things as may be necessary to attain the objectives of the Authority and this has been clearly spelt out in Section 13 of the Principal Act amended. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, under the cover of a few shortcomings and misgivings of the MTC. The regime was hellbent, as I have stated earlier, to destroy an institution, a hallmark of the process of democratisation over the years. The agenda was to bankrupt MTC and to efface racing industry in Mauritius which was 200 years old. Horseracing activities were delivered on a golden platter by a corrupt filthy regime to the adviser whose name is as you say on the wall – the writings are on the wall. In exchange and why? Because it was done in exchange of a more than fistful of dollars. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am not saying that MTC was a saint walking in. It had its fair share of largesse for big spend at one time but horseracing, as stated by our friend, is a place of leisure first and foremost, and safety should be sovereign. The GRA Act was introduced in 2007 under the Labour-led government to bring transparency and accountability in horse racing and amendments have been brought to consolidate the main objectives of the Gambling Regulatory Authority. But as I have stated and it is good that I reinforce what I have stated earlier. From 2015 to 2024, MSM and its cronies had a field day, racing each other to swell their pockets from the proceeds of crimes. Horserace fixing and gambling scandals were rife and those guilty of fixing horse races cannot get away. The fall of jockey Roy at the meeting of 10 August 2024 when his horse was about to cross the finish line, was a clear case of fixing and he was not the only culprit. Who could forget of sabotage, when there was alternative horse race meeting between MTC and the PTP at Champ de Mars. Sharp nails as the Prime Minister stated, were spread on the race course to break the psyche and to discredit MTC but the culprit got away. Why? Because McMafia’s rule was supreme, money talks and cruelty to animals were least of their concerns. Horses at Petit Gamin are being ill-treated, were ill-treated at the JMLS Equestrian Centre and several colleague MPs drew the alarm bell. The Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries reacted and prompt actions were taken by our vets. Enough is enough. First, there should be no cruelty to animals. As of now, there are 175 horses under the care of MTC and around 550 horses owned but not always cared for. A sizeable number of horses will be imported during the year. Welfare of these horses is natural justice and where are the vets? The Circle of Membership of the Vet Council will widen to create legitimate opportunities for qualified vets. Well qualified vets are waiting to be registered. The Vet Council cannot operate as a private members club. MTC has only two vets. Government has earmarked Rs5 millions for construction of an animal hospital and there is a need of urgency to construct an incinerator at La Vigie. I will not rule out a public- private partnership between the GRA and MTC or any private sector. The Department of Veterinary Services will act as an enabler. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as the then Leader of Opposition, I put three PNQs from June to August 2024 on gaming and horse racing scandals of gigantic proportions in relation to – (i) investment certificate allocated to Global Equestrian Ltd; (ii) in relation to licences and outlets linked to each – of course – betting licences with remote communication indicating if the betting software thereof were linked live to MRA, and (iii) the People’s Turf Club (PLC) Ltd and its subletting agreement with Côte d’Or International Race Course and Entertainment Complex Ltd. I put those questions and replies given to me were bluff and I called the bluff of the then Minister of Finance. Blatant lies were told in this very House to protect the interest of the blue-eyed boy of the MSM. His outlets were never linked live and God only knows how much money was washed, rinsed, dried and spin-dried in their laundromat. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is said several persons were on the payroll of the blue-eyed boy of the MSM. In the Police Force – and I will not drop names but people who know, know whom I have in mind – at the PMO, at the MRA, the Horse Racing Division and Mr D. B., during the COVID crisis gave approval for SMS Pariaz to place bets by punters on international horse racing. But who gave SMS Pariaz the monopoly to place bets on international soccer matches? I am sure the gentleman whom I am referring to, knew that he had a field day under the garbage rule of the MSM. The Appeal Committee of the GRA is politically tainted with appointees of the previous regime and I press upon all of us to see to it that the shadow of the MSM should not even be seen or perceived to be seen at the GRA. And I have been told by GRA that it has recently put an end to these illegal practices. As the then Opposition, we denounced vehemently the corrupt regime. Hon. Bhagwan, hon. Richard Duval and many of us put questions to tear them apart. As of now, we are yet to know who threw nails on the race course to maim our beautiful horses. Under whose instructions, for God’s sake? The culprits have to be found out and they should be found out. We are in Government and we will see to it that GRA delivers. It has a well-qualified CEO and the Board has to ensure integrity of horse racing and transparency of betting. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am told that a new server will replace the Central Electronic Monitoring System. It will provide the facility to connect a bigger number of GRA licensees, including casinos, gaming houses, bookmakers and totalisers, and this is transparency. This is accountability and there is no as we say ‘underbelly activity’. It is all transparent and the reason why the new server will replace the Central Electronic Monitoring System is precisely to be accountable and to be transparent. And the licensees will be monitored strictly and all betting transactions updated in real time without undue delay. This is why we have to say the days of remote communication are over. No more remote communication. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, anti-money laundering and combatting of financing transaction is paramount…

You got two minutes to go.

Yes. Well, if I have two minutes, then I have to conclude. Photo finish! But let me say that the corporation which is to be set up has its raison d’être and before I conclude, I will single out one unsung prelude. The name has been mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Giraud who dared to challenge a narcissistic system. And I also salute the bold position taken by Mr Gujadhur, owner of a stable, to denounce vehemently the illegal activities aided and abetted by the corrupt regime. Mr Gujadhur was lambasted for being a strong proponent of reform of horse racing activities. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the horse racing organiser of the GRA has delivered licences to MTC. The latter has been reinvented and has to live up to public expectations. After all, MTC made history and has a new lease of life to be a showcase of horse racing. Thank you very much.

Thank you, hon. Member! Hon. Attorney General! (6.26 p.m.) The Attorney General (Mr G. Glover, SC): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, le leader de l’Opposition a concédé qu’il ne connait pas grand-chose à la chose hippique. I commend him for his honest admission. Ceci étant, j’ai été donc estomaqué d’entendre le leader de l’Opposition oser faire le procès de ce gouvernement et du Mauritius Turf Club. En se faisant, il a essayé de défendre l’indéfendable, de couvrir les frasques de ceux qui avaient pris en otage le Champ de Mars pour faire des sous, rien que des sous ; pour que celui qui a avoué publiquement financer le parti du leader de l’Opposition puisse faire plus d’argent.

(Interruptions)

Le leader de l’Opposition a essayé de faire une distinction entre Stable Manager, Stable Owner en disant qu’il y avait de la confusion. Laissez-moi conforter le leader de l’Opposition. Clairement, la loi lui a échappé parce que c’est l’entraineur et l’entraineur seulement qui est responsable de ses chevaux et de son écurie. Et le leader de l’Opposition ne nous a pas dit pourquoi le fameux PTP a quitté le Champ de Mars en octobre 2024 si tout était si rose sous le soleil de Port Louis. Pourquoi la COIREC du MSM a laissé filer le PTP et laissé le Champ de Mars dans un état lamentable ? Ces questions, M. le leader de l’Opposition, sont des questions auxquelles vous n’avez pas répondues. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, before we turn to the details of what this Bill does, restoring horse racing to its former glory in Mauritius, it is worth remembering the desolate landscape left behind by the then all-powerful gambling mogul, aided and abetted as said by my colleague, the Minister of Agro-Industry, by a complacent Board of the GRA whose directing mind was none other than the well remunerated Senior Advisor of the then Prime Minister. In 2022, on the eve of the racing season, the then racing organiser was saddled with an extraordinary list of conditions to comply with by the GRA to obtain its licence. The Mauritius Turf Club dared to voice its opposition to that course of action. The result was an on-the-spot arrival of a competitor. The Champ de Mars was then shared over a year. That came after 2021 where the public could not attend races for reasons that are quite extraordinary over the whole year, and all bookies could not operate. The only one who could operate fixed-odd betting was SMS Pariaz. A monopolistic situation of a betting operator, which was condoned by the then GRA. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the revenue of a horse racing organiser stems from betting primarily. When betting is reduced, there is, obviously, less money to be obtained. After a 2020 season hampered by COVID-19 and an even worst 2021 season, the financial status of the then horse racing organiser was desperate. The conditions imposed in 2022, along with the sharing of the race horse, when all the off-season maintenance had already been incurred by the historic horse racing organiser, were all calculated to bring the latter to its knees. The one to reap the reward was the gambling mogul. He became the all-powerful master of horse racing. In 2023, when the MTC decided to say enough was enough, he enjoyed the fruits of a complete State capture of the horse racing industry. All this was possible by the very many amendments brought by the previous government from 2014 to 2024. The GRA’s operating arm, the Horse Racing Division (HRD) became a political tool. We thus had a state within a state. The HRD of the GRA was, in fact, running the show. We thus had in our law, a regulator within a regulator. We were left with a sport, a passion for most Mauritians, which had become only a shadow of its former glory. This, 210 years after the MTC was born to federate all Mauritians. All manner of tradition had been swept aside, and the mantra, as I said earlier on, was money, money and always money. The sport of kings had been desecrated by an unholy alliance of politicians and a ruthless businessman. Fans spoke of traditions they saw slip away. This was the time when one person was enriching himself on the corpse of a tradition of more than two centuries. This was a reign of doubt, doubt about doping, doubt about controls, doubt about unpaid wages, doubt about meddling. All this clouded public trust, as such, in every Stewards Enquiry. In short, confusion reigned where clarity was needed, and accountability was scattered where it should have been singular. All to profit the one and only at the expense of the many. It is precisely this mess that this Bill now seeks to sweep aside by providing a more transparent and cost-effective body, where the board of the GRA – and no one else – would remain the sole body responsible for all decisions. Thus, the main object of this Bill, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, is the repeal of Part IIIA of the GRA Act, that is, the abolition of the Horse Racing Division. This HRD was established in 2021 with the purported objective of inter alia regulating, controlling and monitoring the organisation of horse racing activities in Mauritius. But then, they provided the HRD with a horse racing committee which was set up itself to administer and manage the HRD. Comprend qui comprendra! The HRD was itself, as I have explained, an authority within the GRA. It was created to be distinct from the GRA. But how can a body within the GRA be administered and managed by a separate committee rather than the board of the GRA? The reason I am raising this issue, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, is the legal consequences of such an absurd situation. No legal action could lie against the HRD. Any matter done by the HRD was legally considered to be done by the GRA. If the HRD failed in its duty, you could only sue the GRA, and not the HRD. Except that the board of the GRA had nothing to do with the decisions of the HRD! With the introduction of this amendment Bill, we are now doing away with this absurdity. The Horse Racing Integrity Division – and I stress on the word “integrity” – is being set up as one amongst the other divisions of the GRA, and it will fall squarely under the umbrella of the authority. It will have such functions and powers as the board of the GRA will determine, and it will be the GRA, as opposed to the HRD, that will regulate, control and monitor the organisation of horse racing activities in Mauritius. I have learned from some quarters, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that the Chief Executive of the GRA is, through this Bill, apparently, being given wider powers than the board of the GRA. I would like to reply that this is not the case at all. In fact, the general powers of the Chief Executive were scattered in several provisions. For the sake of clarity, these same powers have now been brought under the umbrella of one provision. With the Bill before this House, section 13 (3) has been remodelled. Let me reassure the House that the powers of the Chief Executive have not been enlarged, inasmuch as the Chief Executive remains the Head of the Authority for administrative and operational matters, and at any rate, will have to abide by any policy decision taken by the Board of the GRA. However, to make this even clearer, an amendment to the Bill is being brought today to provide that the Chief Executive shall, in the discharge of his functions under section 13 (3) of the Act, be subject to such directives as he may receive from the board. In fact, it is the powers of the board that are being enlarged with the taking over of the HRD. All the powers previously conferred to the HRD will now rest with the board. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me at this juncture to supplement the exposé of the Prime Minister with three additional points that, taken together, demonstrate why the Bill before us is necessary and, above all, workful. Firstly, integrity measures that reach from stable door to finish line. The Bill imposes a continuous chain of integrity obligations on every actor on the sport. Clause 6 (2) empowers the Gambling Regulatory Authority Board to set and enforce standards for race horses, issue anti-doping directions, license every professional from trainers to veterinarians, and run its own disciplinary proceedings. This is the legal backbone of a clean racing product demanded by the turfistes and partners alike. To give those rules teeth, Clause 30 inserts Part II of the Fourth Schedule, requiring a bank guarantee of Rs3 million from each licensed trainer or registered stable. This represents money ring-fenced to meet wage and stakeholder liabilities if things go wrong. The Bill further modernises anti-money laundering thresholds by raising transaction reporting trigger from Rs10,000 to Rs50,000 thus, maintaining vigilance on keeping horse racing clean whilst recognising today’s economic realities. Secondly, enabling a fair and sustainable business model. Sound regulation of horse racing must be matched by a business model that can pave its own way. Two clauses achieve exactly that. Clause 18 requires the future totalisator operator to be the race organiser itself. Revenues and responsibilities now travel together. Free riding – no pun intended – ends! Clause 19 requires bookmakers to choose either on-course or off-course operations, closing longstanding conflicts of interest. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, law will not be enough to implement this goal, but our statutes must facilitate the objective. We cannot have a racing organiser constantly having its business model threatened by the authorities, constantly being blackmailed in pleasing the government of the say. Thirdly and finally, safeguarding a national treasure – the Champ de Mars. Horse racing is more than business. It is heritage. Clause 31 amends the State Lands Act so that control over the Champ de Mars may be vested in a government-owned corporation under clear terms with COIREC’s rights and liabilities transferred seamlessly. The land stays in public hands, but the entity granting the lease, consistent with this Government’s decision in November 2024, will have the security needed to invest in track maintenance, safety upgrades and spectator facilities. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we protect the Champ de Mars, we protect, quite literally, the ground on which generations have stood together in sporting fellowship. By passing this clause, we choose to conserve the site that belongs to the memory of the nation. This Bill is also pragmatic, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. Transitional provisions, for example, cater for existing tote licenses until their expiry. All stakeholders who have already been hard at work, will be rewarded with a prospect that these legal reforms will give further impetus to the timetable for the new season so that what we legislate today can be felt on the turf as soon as possible. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, integrity is being enforced, a business model that sustains itself and a heritage protected. These are the threads that build wheels into a single, coherent statue. I, therefore, invite hon. Members to support this Bill and give the thousands of women and men who live, work and dream around our racing industry something priceless – certainty and probity. The rules are now clear, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the field is levelled and the future is worth betting on. I commend this Bill to the House.

Thank you. Dr. the hon. Prime Minister! (6.40 p.m.)

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. I want to thank all hon. Members who participated in the debate. Let me respond to a few things that the hon. Leader of the Opposition said. He mentioned, to start with, the interview that Mr Jean Michel Giraud gave to L’Express. I did not know Mr Jean Michel Giraud then. But when I read the article, I asked him to come and see me in my office, and I asked him whether he can expand on what he said in the interview. And ‘if it was true’, I said to him, ‘then we will have to institute an enquiry’, because it revealed so many things. In fact, I should congratulate Mr Giraud, whom I did not know, as I said, to have had the courage to give that interview in l’Express, in spite of threats that he told me he got. And this is what triggered my decision to have a Commission of Inquiry by three well-known British people who know about turf in horse racing in the UK: Mr Parry, Mr Gunn and Mr Scotney. And then, the Leader of the Opposition said, ‘But you know, the report was made, but there was no conviction’. Of course, there was no conviction, because the MSM came to power and hid that report in a drawer. The report never came out. I said it just now, when the new government was sworn in, I made it a point. I was telling my good friend, the hon. Deputy Prime Minister, he was the Leader of the Opposition. There was an article which appeared in both Weekend and L’Express, and knowing him – he was the Leader of the Opposition – I knew that a question would come and, in my mind, I said, we must make sure that the new Prime Minister at the time, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, get the report. So, I rang the President of the Republic of the time, Mr Kailash Purryag, I told him: ‘Have you given the report? And can you make sure that the new Prime Minister gets the report in his hand because there will be a question, maybe a PNQ? I don’t want him to answer that he never saw the report’. And, I can tell you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the former President of the Republic ensured that the report was sent to the PMO. I said it in my speech that Sir Anerood Jugnauth refused to see it because he had no time and it is Mr Beekarry who got the report. The PMO got the report. As I thought it would happen, the Leader of the Opposition then, asked a question. The former Prime Minister stood up and said – “Report? What report? I never got any report!” A lie! It was a blatant lie! The report was hidden, closed in a drawer. That is why nobody was convicted then. Nothing happened because of this. And ask yourself the question. And he said – « À qui a profité ces crimes ? » Let me tell him, let me repeat, apart from the money that they got from racing to finance their campaign – we know that as well – war chest, apart from that, les petits copins. Mr Beekarry, who also sat on six State-owned enterprises, was also board member and vice- Chairperson on the Gambling Regulatory Authority. And he got how much? Rs3.3 million. À qui profite le crime ? Voilà les noms ! An hon. Member: Ala li la, la réponse !

Mr Ravi Yerrigadoo, he was paid Rs4 million including a fixed monthly retainer fee, that is, whether he did something or did not do anything, he would get Rs46,000. Third one, Mr Mr Krisnakantsingh Auchoybur. He acted as the Head of the Horse Racing Division and he was also the Chairperson of the Horse Racing Committee. He was paid Rs4.6 million including a monthly fee of Rs130,000. Mrs Saya Ragavoodoo was paid Rs1.4 million. We are talking about the people who were put there as stooges and they were taking orders how to run races; orders were being given to them and they were just pocketing the money. So, you should ask yourself, hon. Leader of the Opposition. He said that the MTC refused to participate in horse racing. Ask yourself why? Why would they stop une écurie, comme l'écurie Gujadhur, qui était dans les courses depuis combien de centaines d’années ? Elle a refusé d’être otage de la MTC. Elle a dit plutôt, « je vais refuser mais je recommencerai si jamais il y’a un nouveau gouvernement qui met de l’ordre dans la GRA ». Et, c’est ce qui se passe maintenant : il est retourné. Il y a eu recul, recul de dix ans oui, c’est à cause d’eux. Comme le Deputy Prime Minister disait, c’est le monde à l’envers. Il ose aujourd’hui venir nous donner des leçons. Eux, qui ont comme si démoli la MTC, viennent nous donner des leçons. Mais je crois que l’Attorney General a bien expliqué et avec les petits amendements qu’on amène pour assurer que tout se passe dans la transparence. Je remercie les membres pour leurs contributions. Merci. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I commend the Bill to the House. The Deputy Prime Minister rose and seconded. Question put and agreed to. Bill read a second time and committed. COMMITTEE STAGE (Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair) THE GAMBLING REGULATORY AUTHORITY (AMENDMENT) BILL (NO. XV OF 2025) Clauses 1 to 10 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 11 (Section 13 of Principal Act amended) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stands part of the Bill.”

Mr Chairperson, I move for the following amendment in clause 11 – “in clause 11, in the proposed subsection (3), by deleting the words” in the discharge of his functions” and replacing them by the words “subject to such directives as he may receive from the Board”; Amendment agreed to. Clause 11, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 12 (New section 13A inserted in principal Act) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Mr Chairperson, I move that clause 12 be deleted. Amendment agreed to. Clause 12, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 13 to 32 ordered to stand part of the Bill. The title and enacting clause were agreed to. The Bill, as amended, was agreed to. On the Assembly resuming with the Deputy Speaker in the Chair, the Deputy Speaker reported accordingly.

Hon. Prime Minister! Third Reading On motion made and seconded, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill (No. XV of 2025) was read the third time and passed.