Madam Speaker, I am informed that a request for financial clearance has been submitted by the District Council of Grand Port on 29 August 2024 amounting to Rs5.1 m. for the construction of stalls and also to undertake lighting works at the Mahebourg market. Moreover, the then Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development did not accede to that request, and instead, the Council was informed that it should consider using the existing metal stalls in the upgrading market and meet expenses amounting to Rs2.1 m. pertaining to lighting works from within its current budget. Madam Speaker, I wish to highlight that the previous Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development did not consider it important and useful to provide the necessary funding to all the local authorities, including the District Council of Grand Port, with respect to the maintenance of their amenities. The outgoing government invested Rs12 m. in the upgrading of the external structure of the Mahebourg market and did not consider it necessary

80 to provide an additional sum of Rs5 m. to construct the new stalls and do some lighting works. The new market was also inaugurated in toute vitesse without any new stalls, lighting, and fire certificate just before the last general elections by the former Minister of National Infrastructure and Community Development. Madam Speaker, I wish to highlight that I effected a site visit at the Mahebourg market on 21 January 2025, whereby I asked the representative of the District Council of Grand Port to adhere to all fire safety norms as well as to expedite matters for the obtention of a fire certificate and to conduct a proper survey and submit a detailed breakdown for all the works that need to be carried out at the said market, including associated costs, following which my ministry would seek additional funds from the Ministry of Finance to complete the project. Moreover, I have laid emphasis on the fact that this project will have to be completed at the earliest possible as it is long overdue.

Yes.

Merci, Madam Speaker, et merci, l’honorable ministre. Concernant la deuxième partie du marché qui a été rénovée comme vous avez si bien dit dans votre réponse, ils ont fait l’inauguration avec la télévision et tout, mais malheureusement, le lendemain c’est fermé parce que ce n’est pas complété à 100%. Le ministre peut-il voir avec le District Council pour débloquer la situation, laisser les maraichers commencer à travailler avec leur propre table, parce que le seul issue qui n’est pas encore fait c’est les tables. Cela cause un gros problème pour le marché de Mahebourg. Si le ministre peut voir cela assez rapidement pour laisser travailler les maraîchers de Mahebourg. Merci.

Madam Speaker, as I have just said, the new market does not have a fire certificate. So, by the time we adhere to the fire certificate, we may put up new stalls where the vendors can sell their commodities in a safe and clean manner.

Thank you, hon. First Member for Port Louis North and Montagne Longue! PSEA – GRANTS ALLOCATION – PRIVATE GRANT-AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS