Madam Speaker, let me at the outset thank the hon. Member for putting this question, as this will give me an opportunity to enlighten the House on the way my predecessor, who was, at the material time, a notary, was functioning as a minister. Madam Speaker, the issue of an application for an EIA licence by Square Deal Multi- Purpose Cooperative Society Limited was first raised in this House on 12 June 2024 in a Private Notice question by the then Leader of the Opposition, hon. Dr. Arvin Boolell and was replied to – do you know by whom? The then Attorney General, Mr Gobin! Madam Speaker, with regard to part (a) of the question, Square Deal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited made an application for an EIA licence with regard to a proposed residential commercial morcellement at Queen Victoria to my ministry on 08 May 2024. I am informed that the documents submitted were not in order. Given that the notary certificate contained the seal of Étude Me Kavydass Ramano, notary public, and was not signed by a notary public in accordance with Section 18(1)(c)(iv) of the Environment Act 2002, but by an unidentified person.

78 On 21 May 2024, the proponent and its consultant were requested to submit a new notary certificate. Will you believe it, Madam Speaker, within 24 hours, that is, on 22 May 2024, a new certificate was signed by whom? By a notary public and was submitted to the ministry. The submission of the first document, which was not signed by a notary public, and the rapidity with which the new notary certificate was produced to my ministry is a clear indication that there was collusion between the then Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, and his notarial office, which was, at all material times, not only functioning but trading. Madam Speaker, I am duty bound to inform the House that the then Attorney General, in his reply to Private Notice Question to the then Leader of the Opposition, hon. Dr. Arvin Boolell, did mislead the House on several aspects of the EIA application and was thus party to a cover-up operation to protect his colleague, Mr Kavydass Ramano. Madam Speaker, with regard to the case of the EIA application made by Square Deal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited, my ministry is conducting an internal audit to find out whether there have been other cases of collusion between the then Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change and his notarial office. It is clear that there are reasonable grounds to refer the matter to the Financial Crimes Commission to elucidate whether Mr Kavydass Ramano has acted in breach of the existing legislation in respect of conflict of interest and public official using his office for gratification and trafic d’influence. An hon. Member: Shame!

Bizin ena lanket! An hon. Member: Met taskforce!

Bizin ena lanket!

Sa mem lin dir la ta!

Je vous remercie, Madame la présidente. Pour vous dire, je suis scandalisée. Je suis scandalisée et révoltée par la réponse de l’honorable ministre Bhagwan. Nous sommes face à une affaire d’une gravité absolue !

Mademoiselle, question please. Question!

79

Je note que le ministre prévoit de renvoyer ce dossier à la FCC pour d’éventuelles infractions pénales. Puis-je, Madame la présidente…

Voilà, question!

Puis-je demander à l’honorable ministre s’il compte également saisir la Chambre des notaires afin qu’une enquête approfondie soit menée sur le notaire R pour déterminer s’il a violé le code de déontologie, et si tel est le cas, si des sanctions doivent être prises sous le Law Practitioners Act ? Je vous remercie, Madame la présidente.

Je vous en prie.

Madam Speaker, definitely we will do everything to elucidate where there has been trafic d’influence, but we all know, and not only for la Chambre des notaires but for all those qui sont impliqués dans ce scandale.

Hon. Third Member for Mahebourg and Plaine Magnien, Mr Lukeeram! MAHEBOURG MARKET – RENOVATION WORKS – FINANCIAL CLEARANCE