Thank you very much, hon. Member. I take it for granted that the hon. Member is referring to the issuance of artisanal fishermen cards. Following the issue of a communiqué dated 13 March 2023, inviting potential fishers to apply for a fisherman card, a walk-in exercise was carried out on 20 and 21 March 2023. Accordingly, 709 fishermen cards were issued in the year 2024, out of which 192 were issued in July, 416 in September, and 101 in December, in relation to an exercise carried out well before October 2024. Madam Speaker, with respect to part (a) of the question, the House may note that applicant fishers are eligible for fishers’ cards as per the following criteria – 1. The applicant fisher shall not be less than 18 years and not more than 50 years old at the time of application. 2. The applicant fisher shall be neither engaged in gainful employment nor be in hold of a trade licence or any remunerative licence. 3. The applicant fisher shall submit a valid Certificate of Character. Any applicant fisher involved in or convicted of drug dealing is eliminated upon confirmation received from the Commissioner of Police. 4. The applicant fisher shall submit a recommendation letter from the registered fishers in whose boat he is fishing. 5. The applicant fisher shall be medically fit to work at sea as certified by Government Medical Officer. 6. The applicant fisher shall pass a swimming assessment which is conducted by the National Coastguard in the presence of Fisheries Protection Officers of the Ministry. Madam Speaker, once all the above criteria are met, the eligible applicant fisher is required to successfully complete a general fisher course conducted by the ministry so as to qualify for registration as an artisanal fisher. With respect to part (b) of the question, Madam Speaker, in light of the information circulated, the exercise was flawed as basic procedures were not followed. This calls for an in-depth enquiry, following which corrective measures will be taken.

91

Hon. Members, time is now up for Question Time! I have been advised that the following PQs have been withdrawn: B/113, B/114, B/117, B/119, B/120, B/121, B/123, B/124 and B/127. MOTION SUSPENSION OF S.O. 10(2)

Madam Speaker, I beg to move that all the business on today’s Order Paper be exempted from the provisions of paragraph (2) of Standing Order 10. The Deputy Prime Minister rose and seconded. Question put and agreed to. ᠎PUBLIC BILLS First Reading On motion made and seconded, the following Bills were read a first time – (a) The Finance and Audit (Amendment) Bill (No. II of 2025) (b) The Bail (Amendment) Bill (No. III of 2025). MOTION GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME 2025-2029 Order read for resuming adjourned debate on the following motion of the Second Member for Quartier Militaire & Moka (Dr. Ms B. Thannoo). “This Assembly resolves that the Government Programme 2025-2029 presented to this Assembly on Friday 24 January 2025, copy of which has been circularised amongst Honourable Members, be and is hereby approved.”

Hon. Second Member for Beau Bassin and Petite Riviere, the floor is yours! (4.13 p.m.)

92 The Junior Minister of Youth and Sports (Mrs K. Foo Kune-Bacha): Madame la présidente, c’est avec émotion que je prends la parole aujourd’hui, non pas parce que c’est ma première intervention de ce mandat, mais après avoir subi, enduré, dictature, censure, bullying au sein de cette même Assemblée les cinq dernières années durant, c’est une vraie joie et un réel soulagement de pouvoir m’exprimer au sein d’un véritable temple de la démocratie digne de ce nom. Et cela, grâce à vous, Madame la présidente, et à votre adjoint. Et c’est toute la population mauricienne qui, aujourd’hui, se sent soulagée, libérée et qui respire à nouveau. Madame la présidente, je profite de cette occasion pour exprimer ma profonde gratitude envers les électeurs de la circonscription numéro 20, Beau Bassin/Petite Rivière, qui m’ont fait à nouveau confiance. C’est un privilège de pouvoir servir ma circonscription ; c’est un privilège de pouvoir servir le peuple mauricien. Je remercie l’honorable Rajesh Bhagwan, figure emblématique de la circonscription numéro 20, qui a été et qui est plus qu’un colistier avec un sens du travail d’équipe hors pair, mais pour moi un mentor et une figure paternelle. Madame la présidente, après avoir été au service du pays plus de la moitié de ma vie en tant qu’athlète de haut niveau, je remercie humblement notre Premier ministre, l’honorable Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, et notre Premier ministre adjoint, l’honorable Paul Bérenger, de m’avoir donné l’opportunité de servir en tant que ministre délégué à la Jeunesse et de sport, et d’avoir placé leur confiance en la jeunesse et à la femme pour faire avancer le pays. C’est avec intégrité, humilité et ardeur que je me dévouerai au progrès de la nation mauricienne. Madame la présidente, j’ai aujourd’hui l’honneur de soutenir le programme gouvernemental qui met l’emphase sur la reconstruction de la démocratie et de la bonne gouvernance, et du développement durable, inclusif et responsable. Madame la présidente, je vais consacrer le temps de parole qui me reste à parler de la jeunesse. La jeunesse mauricienne, dynamique et innovatrice, a toujours été le moteur de transformation sociale et économique de notre pays. Les jeunes représentent l’avenir du pays ; ce sont eux les bâtisseurs de demain, ce sont eux les décideurs de demain. Cependant, Madame la présidente, ces 10 dernières années, cette jeunesse a été délaissée et aujourd’hui, nos jeunes sont confrontés à des défis sans précédent – un manque de repères, une crise de valeurs, une absence d’opportunité à la hauteur de leurs aspirations.

93 Sous l’ancien régime, les jeunes ont eu le sentiment d’être des victimes, de voir leur jeunesse dérobée. Sous l’ancien régime, au lieu de bénéficier du développement, les jeunes ont été confrontés à une augmentation des fléaux comme la drogue et la violence. Sous le ciel orange, les efforts investis par les jeunes afin d’obtenir une qualification, les sacrifices des parents investis dans les études de leurs enfants ne servaient à rien puisque les opportunités allaient uniquement à certains privilégiés, et le succès ne dépendait plus du mérite. Des sentiments se sont installés ces dernières années ; un pays où les libertés étaient réduites, un pays qui ne permettait plus à sa jeunesse de rêver. Sous le ciel orange, nos jeunes ont préféré quitter le pays pour de meilleures opportunités plus justes ailleurs. Notre gouvernement a la volonté politique et la capacité de changer tout cela, Madame la présidente ; ce programme gouvernemental répond précisément à cela. Le programme qui s’intitule ‘A Bridge to the Future’, notre pont vers l’avenir, notre gouvernement, ce gouvernement, met l’emphase sur l’avenir tandis que l’ancien régime ne s’est jamais soucié du lendemain. Raison pour laquelle, aujourd’hui, nous avons hérité d’un tel état de notre économie. Nous, nous sommes soucieux de laisser après notre passage un héritage digne à nos enfants. Ce programme est soucieux de notre jeunesse qui est au cœur même de notre vision pour l’avenir. Nous allons non seulement diversifier notre espace économique, mais aussi créer des moyens pour que nos jeunes puissent s’exprimer et devenir des acteurs véritables de leurs avenirs. Ce programme marque ainsi une rupture nette entre l’époque où la voix des jeunes était marginalisée. Et l’un des axes majeurs est l’autonomisation des jeunes avec le lancement d’un Youth Empowerment Programme, l’organisation de festivals culturels et artistiques permettra à nos jeunes de s’exprimer librement et de développer leur créativité. Le programme inclut des mesures pour faciliter la transition des jeunes vers le marché du travail de façon réfléchie grâce au Skills Master Plan qui pourra mettre fin au mismatch entre les formations et les besoins économiques. Le programme favorise l’accès à des plateformes d’apprentissage numérique, donne les moyens à notre jeunesse de s’engager en leur offrant la possibilité de s’impliquer dans des projets écologiques. Madame la présidente, l’un des aspects les plus troublants de notre époque est le déclin des valeurs au sein de notre jeunesse. Ce programme offre une réponse claire et ambitieuse à ce défi en plaçant la famille, l’éducation et le sport au centre de ses priorités, en créant les conditions pour que les familles puissent s’épanouir avec des semaines de 40 heures, le congé

94 parental et le travail flexible après la maternité. Un système éducatif plus inclusif et mieux adapté aux besoins des élèves en ramenant davantage de formations sur les compétences artistiques et sportives. Ce modèle éducatif à visage humain ; c’est une éducation qui inspire et prépare à la vie. Le sport, Madame la présidente, non seulement améliore la santé de la population, mais est aussi vecteur d’inclusion, de cohésion sociale et d’engagement civique. Le sport est un puissant outil de prévention contre les fléaux comme la drogue. Le sport représente la meilleure école de la vie. Il enseigne aux jeunes la valeur du travail acharné, la solidarité, le respect, le dépassement de soi, la persévérance, le fair-play, la camaraderie, le sens du devoir ; il enseigne aux jeunes les valeurs et attitudes dont ils ont besoin pour être de bons citoyens. Et l’objectif de notre gouvernement est de mettre le sport au cœur de la vie mauricienne. Madame la présidente, notre gouvernement apportera le soutien approprié pour que chaque jeune soit en mesure de mener une vie saine et satisfaisante, pour que chaque jeune se sente outillé pour apporter des changements positifs pour lui-même et pour le pays, pour que chaque jeune puisse s’épanouir à son plein potentiel et avoir l’occasion de devenir la meilleure version de lui-même. En conclusion, Madame la présidente, investir dans notre jeunesse, c’est croire dans l’avenir de notre nation. Donnons à nos jeunes la possibilité de bâtir une île Maurice avec un avenir meilleur, plus fort, plus juste et plus durable. Je vous remercie.

Thank you. You were well within your time. Yes, hon. Minister, Mr Gondeea! (4.22 p.m.)

Madam Speaker, as Nelson Mandela once said – “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” Today, I stand before this august Assembly filled with hope for a brighter Mauritius. It is with immense gratitude and humility that I rise to address this House for the first time, committed

95 to serving our nation with integrity and dedication. Before delving into the core of my intervention, allow me to express my profound appreciation. First and foremost, I extend my deepest gratitude to the hon. Prime Minister, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, whose unwavering support has been instrumental in my journey. His trust and resolute leadership have not only shaped our nation’s democratic and cultural landscape but have also guided me in assuming this great responsibility. I am equally grateful to the hon. Deputy Prime Minister, hon. Paul Bérenger, for his support and confidence in me. To serve as the Minister of Arts and Culture is both an honour and a solemn duty, one that I embrace with commitment. It is my firm resolve to ensure that our artists, cultural workers and the creative industries finally receive the recognition, respect and support they have long been denied. To my family, my voters and my constituents, your support has been the foundation upon which I stand today. I also take a moment to pay tribute to my mentor, the late Dr. James Burty David, a political giant whose wisdom, vision and dedication to the people of Mauritius have shaped the person I am today. Madam Speaker, I also extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and the hon. Deputy Speaker on your appointment. Your leadership marks a new dawn for our National Assembly: one of free, vibrant and fair debate. Madam Speaker, I cannot stand here today without acknowledging the real architects of this historic transformation – the people of Mauritius. On 10 November 2024, they stood united and made their voices heard. They rejected stagnation, broken promises and a government that had been disconnected from their needs. They voted for change; they voted for freedom. They chose a government of action and leadership that listens. The overwhelming victory of the Alliance du Changement is not just a political triumph. It is a victory for democracy, good governance and the collective aspirations of our people. A UNESCO expert report identified a major flaw obstructing our cultural economy – a lack of institutional commitment. In a section titled ‘A Vicious Circle’, the report noted that, and I quote – “The vast majority of those we consulted in cultural industries/sectors thought that whatever we wrote in this report would not be implemented or acted upon in any way by the Ministry of Arts and Culture.” Madam Speaker and hon. Members, allow me to extrapolate. My observation is not just about arts and culture; it is a symptom of a deeper disconnect between the government and

96 the people of Mauritius. A disconnect that the electorate sought to eliminate in the last general election. A responsibility this government has vowed to uphold: real change. Sanzman will only be meaningful if we deliver on it. Madam Speaker, the potential of cultural industries for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) was explicitly recognised at the Mauritius international meeting for SIDS in 2004. Professor Nurse summarised it best when he stated – “The cultural sector plays a dual role as an arena for identity formation and an economic sector with growth potential, including its role as a key driver of the new digital and intellectual property economy. It is not just a commercial arena; it is an artistic and social space where spiritual values, emotional meaning and bodily pleasures are displayed, enacted and represented.” Madam Speaker, this summary is two decades old. When the Labour Party left government in 2014, major cultural projects were taking shape following these expert reports. The past decade, however, has seen stagnation, if not regression, in the field of arts and culture. It is now my ministry’s responsibility to reverse this course with resolve. Cultural policy in Mauritius has historically been viewed as mere expenditure by the government and as a welfare subsidy by the public. Another UNESCO report highlighted that funding has often been allocated based on ethnic religious considerations rather than strategic cultural development. This has led to fragmented policy making and a lack of urgency in fostering a cultural economy. Madam Speaker, this Government will change this standard. As outlined in the Government Programme 2025-2029, we will – (i) Champion the cultural economy as a pillar of sustainable development. This will require inter-ministerial collaboration beyond Arts and Culture, including business, trade, finance, education, tourism and sports; (ii) Conduct an audit of our national heritage and cultural assets. This will evaluate public engagement and infrastructure needs for the cultural economy development, and (iii) Establish a national Arts Open Commission. For the first time our creative sector will have a structured, transparent and forward-thinking policy aligned with international standards. Madam Speaker, tourism is evolving. Travellers now seek deeper cultural immersion rather than brief resort experiences. Until now, our tourism model has relied on short cultural

97 showcases like a few minutes of Sega. However, a growing segment of visitors desires authentic, immersive experiences, something achievable only with the right infrastructure. By infrastructure, I mean not just heritage sites but also the preservation and transmission of cultural traditions, as highlighted by Professor Nurse. While heritage is central to tourism, our sites lack the global recognition like those in Europe, China or India. To change this, we need a holistic approach, one that integrates folk culture, a thriving creative industry and community engagement. After all, we cannot share what we do not fully embrace. My ministry will collaborate closely with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority to give our cultural tourism sector a nouveau souffle. This vision also requires a secure, harmonious social environment demanding cross-ministerial cooperation. The previously cited report made a damning statement about our built heritage, and I quote – “Mauritius is neglecting its cultural tourism potential and allowing its built heritage to disappear. Port Louis, once among the thousand hemispheres' most magnificent cities, may not retain its heritage for another decade.” If cultural tourism is to thrive, Port Louis must be seen as the jewel in the crown, not a crime-ridden eyesore. This is a wake-up call. The success of events like the 24/7 festival organised in 2009 by the Municipal Council of Port Louis, under my administration as Lord Mayor, in collaboration with the Human Resources Development Council, proved that Mauritians have a deep attachment to their capital city. Yet, our public cultural landscape remains insufficient, calling for urgent revitalisation to meet the aspirations of our people. Madam Speaker, I need not remind the House that more than 20% of our GDP depends on tourism, a sector that heavily impacts the environment due to its traditional reliance on the sea, sand and sun model. Developing cultural tourism can help reduce this pressure on ecosystems. I will seek close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment to ensure a sustainable approach. Madam Speaker, museums, theatres and cinemas were once vibrant cultural hubs in our country. However, the rapid shift in technological infrastructures has significantly contributed to their decline, eroding social interactions and diminishing public engagement. Over the past decade, our public-cultural infrastructure has fallen into neglect. Iconic venues like the Serge Constantin Theatre remain inaccessible and in dire need of renovation. The inability of the previous government to revitalise the Mauritius Cultural Centre stands as a glaring failure.

98 This Government is resolute in its commitment to restoring and modernising these spaces, positioning culture as a central pillar of national development. Our vision is to establish Mauritius as a cultural leader in the region, and we will take decisive steps to rekindle our cultural identity. Madam Speaker, this is l’Alliance du Changement; this is our vision. It is high time for the arts and culture sector to get back its lettres de noblesse. Pa kouma Rocco ti pe fer avek sa minister la kot boku staff ti pe rod sove. Madam Speaker, this is not a trivial issue. In a nation historically driven by economic pragmatism to the point of cynicism, arts and culture have been, for the past ten years, treated as an afterthought, viewed as a pleasant but non-essential pursuit. Yet, arts and culture are the very soul of a nation, and nurturing this soul requires a collective commitment. The rise of digital isolation is eroding human connection, even fostering incivility. I believe artistic and cultural education is key to a thriving nation. Public spaces that encourage cultural engagement are not luxuries; they are necessities. While we have cultural infrastructure, its revitalisation demands strategic funding. We must shift from government dependence to self-sustainability, leveraging public-private partnerships. A structured cultural calendar will enhance visibility and accessibility, ensuring the arts become a vital force in our society. Madam Speaker, the audiovisual sector holds immense potential for Mauritius. We must invest in training and education to uplift this industry through close collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Additionally, the Mauritius Film Development Corporation will undergo a dynamic restructuration to address two key priorities – i. enhancing film literacy and exposure for both Mauritian and international productions, and ii. fully unlocking the industry’s potential through targeted training and skills development. As part of the Assises des artistes initiative, we will introduce measures such as master classes, compulsory internships, digitalised training materials and increased representation of the Ministry of Arts and Culture and MFDC within the Economic Development Board. The rich linguistic diversity of our society remains largely untapped in film production. Script writing and translation present significant economic opportunities that remain

99 underdeveloped. These elements must be integrated into our education system at an early stage. The National Arts Open Commission will be tasked with reviewing the existing framework and implementing necessary reform to meet industry needs. More broadly, media literacy in education is a pressing concern, and we will work with the national curriculum framework to address this gap. A thriving creative industry requires more than talent. It requires education, training and professional development. Unfortunately, the previous government neglected capacity-building initiatives, leaving our artists unprepared for global competition. Under the Government Programme 2025-2029, we will prioritise capacity building by developing specialised training programmes in film production, music, digital media, graphic design and cultural event management. Through international partnership, we will provide mentorship opportunities, world-class expertise and a global exchange programme for local artists. This programme will foster an investment-driven economy, promote innovation and creativity and establish arts and culture as a genuine pillar of national development. Madam Speaker, a key measure in the Government Programme 2025-2029 is the expansion of the Cultural Rebate Scheme to encompass all artistic disciplines and the creation of a directory of musical heritage in the Indian Ocean. These initiatives will not only support local artists but also position Mauritius as a vibrant cultural destination on the international stage. Previously, the Rebate Scheme was limited to film production, leaving other artistic sectors without adequate support. By broadening the scheme, we will ensure that musicians, theatre producers and visual artists, among others, receive the necessary incentives to sustain their careers. This will open avenues for monetisation and professional growth. Madam Speaker, the failures of the past decade are unacceptable. The previous government’s policies were poorly designed, ineffective and failed to deliver tangible results. The so-called Status of the Artist Act 2023 was lauded as a landmark reform but ultimately amounted to nothing more than a failed promise. This will change! Under the Government Programme 2025-2029, we will introduce legislation that aligns with international standards, such as those established by the United Nations for cultural workers. This will provide genuine recognition, legal protection and financial security to artists, performers, event organisers and technical professionals.

100 Madam Speaker, one of the most pressing concerns for artists today is the inefficiency of the Mauritius Society of Authors (MASA). This institution was intended to protect intellectual property rights and ensure fair compensation for artists. However, it has failed in its mandate, leaving artists underpaid and frustrated. For years, artists have encountered delays in receiving royalties, faced bureaucratic hurdles and suffered from a lack of transparency in fund distribution. This Government acknowledges that the status quo is unacceptable. We will review MASA to ensure it truly serves artists rather than acting as an administrative burden. Strong enforcement of intellectual property rights is essential for a thriving, creative industry, and we will not allow insufficiencies to stifle artistic growth. To conclude, this Government Programme is a bridge to the future, a future where arts and culture drive economic growth, where artists are valued professionals and where creativity is an engine of progress. This is the Government of change. This is the Government of progress. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Hon. Members, we will break for 30 minutes for tea! At 4.43 p.m., the Sitting was suspended. On resuming at 5.21 p.m. with the Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

Hon. Baboolall! You have the floor! Mr C. Baboolall (First Member for Montagne Blanche and GRSE): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. It is with profound humility I rise and stand before this august Assembly today for my maiden speech. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me firstly congratulate you and Madam Speaker for your nominations in this 8th National Assembly Session. May I also take this opportunity to congratulate the Prime Minister, Dr. the hon. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, and the Deputy Prime Minister, hon. Paul Bérenger, who have both led us to this victory where the country can breathe again, et comme on disait, pour une nouvelle indépendance. Their visionary leadership and commitment to the nation’s progress have been instrumental in our collective success. Let me also congratulate all the elected Members of Parliament and my two colleagues, Dr. the hon. Ramtohul and hon. Saumtally, for representing the vibrant and

101 diverse constituency of Montagne Blanche and Grand River South East, our cherished Constituency No. 10. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, my journey to this esteemed Chamber has been guided and supported by numerous individuals to whom I am very grateful. I would like to express my gratitude to my leader, to my family, to my parents, who instilled in me the values of integrity and perseverance; to my wife, whose encouragement has been a constant source of strength; and to my children, Karishni and Rishaan, who inspire me to work towards a brighter future for all the children in this country. I also thank all my friends and especially the people in No. 10 for having believed in me. I also cannot forget my late brother, Barrister Girish Baboolall. We were called to the Bar in England on the same day, and he has always been an inspiring soul, and I know his blessings are with me. I have also lost, during the electoral campaign, another brother, Josué Dardenne, from Trou d’Eau Douce, who has worked tirelessly for the Alliance du Changement, and even when he was ill, he came to the Polling Day to vote, and this was his last visit he paid to Trou d’Eau Douce. He will always be missed and remembered. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Constituency No. 10 holds a unique place in my heart and our country’s demography. It is here, in the east, that Mauritius greets the first light of dawn. My constituency is an area of unparalleled natural beauty where we have the Grand River South East Waterfall, Île aux Cerfs and the Thakurbari Temple. This constituency shines as a beacon of cultural richness and historical significance. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am proud to have been born and raised in No. 10, home of a tapestry of faith and history. From the sacred chants of Maheshwarnath Mandir in Médine to the timeless wisdom of Aroul Migou Kovil in Clemencia; from the holy prayers of Musjid e Noorani in Bel Air to the hallowed hymns of St Esprit Church, we are a living testament to Mauritius pluralism, which keeps reminding us that unity in diversity is our greatest strength. I thank you, No. 10, and I will always devote myself to the best of my ability. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the father of the nation, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, was also born in No. 10. He went to school in Bel Air, where his teacher, Madam Siris, gave him unconditional support. This Government will make sure we have our Mauritian dream again for the generations to come. Unity in diversity should be our motto. As we look ahead, the Government Programme 2025-2029 outlines a bold vision for our nation’s future. ‘A Bridge to the Future’ is a blueprint for justice, equity and innovation.

102 Key reforms are on the horizon, aiming at enhancing economic resilience, promoting sustainable development and improving the quality of life of all Mauritians. Today, we stand at the threshold of transformation. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the next 25 years, a small island state like our country has to aim to become a global leader in sustainable development and innovation, targeting a high value-added services sector alongside sustainable development and political stability for our youth to be willing to stay in the country and come back home. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, one of the key pillars of our economy is the tourism sector. Preservation of heritage sites as cultural landmarks are engines of sustainable tourism. Our traditional model of the tourism sector is likely to be obsolete in the next 25 years. We need to act now with the collaboration of all stakeholders such that we can ensure that this economic pillar innovates and sustains its development. We will need to leverage our relatively better environmental climate to generate returns for our country and our people. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, we should also look at education and innovation. Establishing well-classed educational institutions and research centres can foster innovation and attract talent from around the globe. This will drive advancement in various sectors, including technology, health care and environmental sciences, including the blue economy. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, we should not forget that our main resource is our people. We have to invest in our people. Nationally, we will need pioneer reforms to combat climate change, empower SMEs and build a digital economy. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the recent 60-0 electoral victory is a resounding mandate from the people reflecting their desire for change and progress. This victory belongs to the unity of our alliance: to hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Paul Bérenger, whose decades of wisdom and courage have shaped Mauritius’s political conscience – you are our guiding star; to the Prime Minister, Dr. the hon. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, the rassembleur, whose ability to unite diverse voices under one banner is unparalleled – you have reignited hope. Together with our other esteemed leaders of Rezistans ek Alternativ and Nouveaux Démocrates, they have forged a path of inclusivity and shared purpose. The historic 60-0 victory is not merely a number; it is a roar from the people, a rejection of corruption scandals and moral decay that plagued the MSM regime during the last 10 years. The Kistnen murder case, the Silver Bank scandal where public funds were plundered, and the MIC's shameless distribution of taxpayers’ money to petit copain-copine; these are stains on our democracy. To sum up the

103 last regime, I will say we had a fake Speaker, we had a fake Prime Minister and we had a fake government. But, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as stated by the Deputy Prime Minister, hon. Paul Bérenger, ‘Lepep admirab knew what had to be done.’ They sent Pinokio and all his chatwas in zanana’s Titanic on a one-way farewell trip. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, now we turn the page. Under this Government, accountability will replace impunity. Transparency will replace secrecy. Our Government is committed to charting a different course. We pledge to uphold the highest standards of integrity and implement groundbreaking reforms that will restore faith in our institutions. In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will stand before you deeply aware of the responsibility entrusted to me by the people of Constituency No. 10. As the sun rises each morning in our beloved constituency, let us remind ourselves that we are guided by light and that this Government will honour the people’s trust. Together, we will build a nation where integrity reigns, where every citizen thrives, and where freedom is valued. Let Mauritius be Mauritius again, where the Mauritian dream exists! Long live l’Alliance du Changement ! Long live the Republic of Mauritius! Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. May God bless Mauritius!

Thank you, hon. Member! You were within your 10 minutes. Now I call upon hon. Minister Dr. Sukon! You have the floor. (5.31 p.m.)

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand in this august Assembly to share my thoughts on the Government Programme. First of all, let me thank Dr. the hon. Prime Minister, who, in 2012, entrusted me with the establishment of the Open University, and today, he has given me the responsibility of the entire higher education sector. I thank him wholeheartedly. But I know that the trust of a Prime Minister is not a privilege; it is a responsibility, and I can assure him that I am going to dedicate myself to ensure that the sector is taken to greater heights.

104 I wish to thank the hon. Deputy Prime Minister, my senior colleagues in the Cabinet who are always here to support us, all the MLAs for their support, and for the great victory. When I look at the Government Programme, it reminds me of what Nelson Mandela had said – “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” And this Government Programme, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, indeed has the ingredients to make Mauritius Mauritius again. The victory that we had, 60-0, is, as my colleagues have said, a historic victory. I would like to relate one story. During the campaign, after returning home around 3 a.m., the next morning very early, I got a call – « Doc, j’ai bien besoin de vous parler. » « Qu’est-ce qu’il y a ? » « Non, j’ai bien besoin de vous parler. » « Bien, dis-moi ! » « Non, moustass pou rent dan dilait!» So, I rushed there, and the person who was in front of me, as if he had seen a ghost, I asked what happened. He showed me a statistic from Pulse Analytics, stating that in Constituency No. 7, MSM is going to obtain 80%, and I started laughing. He looked at me, and I said – “My friend, I have been teaching statistics for 30 years. I have seen very bad statistics, but this one is fiction. Scam!’’ Later, I came to know that this scam has come up with a price tag of Rs45 million; courtesy of the famous, or I must say infamous, MIC, where bad planning meets big money. So, as has been said by Abraham Lincoln – “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” I think that this victory is a victory for the people, despite the fact that l’Alliance Lepep and MSM have been distributing lenses to distort the vision of the people. We have been supporting the people, and the people, and rightly so, decided to change their thoughts in

105 order to see the truth with clarity. The question that I have often been asked – why join the Labour Party? I must say that each time the Labour Party has been in government, our education system has been flourishing because we believe that education is not simply about accumulating knowledge but about igniting the curiosity and the creativity in each one of our students. I, myself, come from a family of five children. My four elder sisters were sent to star schools. I was the little one. Out of pure love, my father said – “The little one, he learns; he doesn’t learn; it does not matter. Send him to the primary school of the village.” The school is in my constituency – the Plaine St Cloud RCA School. No star school, just a school where I learnt that success is not where you start; it’s how determined you are to rise. So, if you look at the history that each time the Labour Party has been there – I take the example of 1970. We had the MIE; despite the financial crunch at that time, it was decided to set up the MIE, the MGI. Even the University of Mauritius was officially inaugurated at that time. In 2012, two universities had been established, the Open University and Université des Mascareignes. I can tell you that today, Open University – I was there – has the highest enrolment and is nearly financially independent. The world today is focusing on inclusive education, but let me remind the House that already in the 70s, we had the Junior Secondary School that provided a balance between academic and technical education. So, I am sure that this government is going to take education to even greater heights. If you look at our tertiary education sector, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, today, we have around 50,000 students enrolled. 60% of them are enrolled in the public universities, one quarter in private, and the remaining are studying abroad. However, the gross tertiary enrolment ratio has stagnated at around 49% over the last decade. And what is worrying is that many of our public higher education institutions are in financial turmoil. True it is that we have 43 institutions registered with the Higher Education Commission with around 2,800 foreign students, but to give you one example, one of the main public universities, if I look at the Annual Report ending 30 June 2023, had a deficit of Rs111 million, making a cumulative deficit of Rs2.1 billion over the last 10 years. This is unacceptable; we will have to turn around this situation. And here, I trust the academics, the

106 non-academics, the researchers, the regulators and the staff working in this sector to turn around the entire situation in the higher education sector. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we look at what happened in 2013, Mauritius was the first country that welcomed an IIT outside India. The IIT Research Academy was established in 2013. What happened in 2015? The previous government sent them back. Can you imagine? What is more dishonest on the part of the previous government and a shameful act is that on 12 September 2013, the hon. Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, inaugurated a plaque at Bel Air Campus. In 2015, we were told to remove that plaque. Shameful act! Disrespectful, because you never do that! The Bel Air Campus remained closed for several years. In 2015, they asked the University of Mauritius and Open University to close that. There were hundreds of students there; the students had to be displaced. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am not here only to dwell on the past but to talk about our plans for the future as stated in the Government Programme. The Government Programme talks about three important aspects. Internationalisation – Internationalisation has been proven to play a pivotal role in helping universities worldwide. When you talk about internationalisation, it takes various forms. First, we are trying to brand higher education. Mauritius is known for the sand and the sea; we want Mauritius to be known for its higher education. It is peaceful; that is the first thing. Any parent abroad willing to send his child to study will realise that Mauritius is peaceful. That is one of our strengths. We have a good standard of living and a good quality of education. People do not realise that our academics are right among the best. We have academics who are ranked among the best in the world in their field. Only yesterday, I was at the University of Mauritius where we had professors from abroad working together with our academics. It is well established that enrolling international students is a financially strategic move for universities worldwide. In this context, what we are doing is having a strategic plan for the higher education sector, having a strong brand for higher education in Mauritius and holding a higher education summit. To launch the study in Mauritius campaign and websites, forge alliances with leading universities and research centres and facilitate accreditation processes. I must here say previously, if you had a top university coming with the

107 programme, it had to be submitted to HEC, and HEC would ask that university to review the curriculum, which they would not do. Many universities lost such programmes and such partnerships because of this. So, we are reviewing the accreditation process. We are also enhancing the quality assurance framework for our courses by forging alliances with quality assurance agencies worldwide. We are encouraging higher education institutions to generate funds. We are asking professors: ‘Please, there is no harm. You are teaching at your wand. But we would like you to use your time to start your centre, to generate revenue, to do consultancy and to bring income to the university.’ We are also making an appeal to the industry. Unfortunately, no university in the world can afford to have the equipment that is there in the factories/industry. Therefore, we are making an appeal to the industry to open the doors so that our students can go there and learn so that they are eventually ready for the job. We are also encouraging our academics to think beyond publication. Very often, our academics are happy; they have done their research, published it in a good journal, and they are happy. We are encouraging them to move the horizon, transform it into a business, and turn it into a patent. We are also developing partnership and innovation hubs to link academia and industry both here and abroad and prioritising and supporting research for impact in fields such as climate change, food security, AI, and water resources and management. We are promoting an incubator system so that we have young talents supported in order to develop their business and employ and create jobs. The future of education is digital, inclusive and lifelong. We are planning to integrate micro-credentials, AI-powered learning and flexible e-learning pathways. You would realise that most of our public universities do not have a proper Learning Management System (LMS) and a Student Information Management System. So, we are trying to ensure that they have the proper equipment to be able to deliver the programmes. We are also working to expand technical and vocational education and create clear pathways to higher education. Unlike the previous government, which failed to engage with education leaders on a regular basis, we are taking necessary actions. We are establishing key national committees. First, the National Committee on Research Strategy in order to take research strategy forward. We are inviting researchers. In fact, we had put a bar on it, researchers with a high H-index, but we have opened it now to welcome researchers who have been publishing in good journals to join in order to take the research strategy forward.

108 We have a committee on the internationalisation of high education. It cannot happen overnight; we are late! Even if we start the branding today, it will not happen overnight. But we have started immediately a committee on internationalisation to look at all the aspects. A committee to look at the branding and global positioning of our high education sector and a national committee on TVEC advancement. I am also working together with Business Mauritius in order to set up a National Advisory Committee on curriculum development. We have been talking about the mismatch between demand and supply of labour. We cannot eliminate that mismatch, but we can reduce it together. So, we will have a national committee on curriculum development together with people from the industry. The question they have to answer is if tomorrow you have to recruit someone, someone who has followed this course, would you recruit that person, yes or no? If not, how can we amend the curriculum? We will also have a common internship platform to allow students from all the universities to apply on that common platform. On this side of the House, I must say that inspired by the hon. Prime Minister and hon. Deputy Prime Minister, we do not want to go where the path may lead; we want to go instead where there is no path and leave a trail, as said by Emerson. So, to conclude, let me express my deepest gratitude to my two colleagues, hon. Dr. Prayag and hon. Me Pentiah, and to all the constituents of my constituency for their support. I would also like to thank my family members, my wife and my sons, and all my supporters, all my friends who keep on providing their support. Together, we can build a future of progress, unity and transformation. Finally, to my mom and dad, who had the vision to see me here. Thank you for your blessings; I am here. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. I commend the Government Programme to the House.

Thank you, hon. Minister. Hon. François, you have 10 minutes! (5.51 p.m.) Mr F. François (Second Member for Rodrigues): 13 minutes; 3 minutes from my colleague! Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. La patience, la résilience, le silence et le discernement sont les maîtres mots que nous avons pu mesurer lors des élections nationales de 2024. Le choix du changement ici à

109 Maurice et le choix de la correction à Rodrigues nous incombent une grande responsabilité collective pour le pays et pour son peuple souverain. Batiseur linite nou nation, kreolite nou Repiblik, pran to plas! M. le président, ceci dit, je vous félicite pour votre élection au poste de Deputy Speaker ainsi que Madam Speaker. Au nom fraternel du peuple de Rodrigues et de l’OPR, je félicite le Premier ministre, le Dr. Ramgoolam ; le Deputy Prime Minister, l’honorable Paul Bérenger ; le leader de l'opposition, l’honorable Lesjongard ; les leaders, l’honorable Subron et Duval ; l'Attorney General, l’honorable Glover ; les ministres, Junior Ministers, et l’ensemble des élus de cette auguste Assemblée. Je remercie l’honorable Dr. Thannoo pour sa motion de remerciement. Je félicite ma colistière, l’honorable Marie Roxana Collet, deuxième femme élue de l’OPR après feu Zita Jean Louis en 1987. What can I say? Let us keep the OPR candle burning forever and dare not let it fade! Je remercie mon grand leader honorifique Louis Serge Clair pour la confiance qu'il a placée en moi en tant que nouveau leader de l’OPR. Je remercie toute ma famille pour son soutien inconditionnel. Bon travail par le Commissaire électoral, Monsieur Irfan Raman, et toute son équipe. M. le président, dans la confiance, le peuple de Rodrigues m’a élu pour une quatrième fois, un quatrième mandat consécutif depuis 2010. J’ai écouté, j’ai entendu, j’ai compris et nous avons tiré des leçons. Quelle victoire historique pour l'OPR face à une alliance gouvernementale instable. Un fait sans précédent dans l'histoire politique du Rodrigues autonome. Merci à la force collective du peuple, dirigeants et militants de l’OPR, en particulier bann madam. Nou inn’ koriz l’Alliance Libération. L’OPR, fidèle à ses principes démocratiques, travaille toujours avec le gouvernement central du jour dans l’intérêt de la République et de Rodrigues, tout en respectant son autonomie, peu importe le parti ou l’alliance politique au pouvoir. Je tiens à remercier sincèrement le Premier ministre, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, et le Premier ministre adjoint, Paul Bérenger, pour avoir honoré l'OPR et Rodrigues au sein de ce gouvernement. L’OPR souligne les contributions des différents gouvernements nationaux au développement de Rodrigues. Cependant, de nombreux défis demeurent et des investissements considérables sont indispensables. Mais avec qui à la tête de Rodrigues ? Le gouvernement central et Rodrigues autonome, conformément au respect du principe de

110 subsidiarité territoriale, doivent inspirer la confiance mutuelle. Le manifeste électoral 2024 de l'OPR s'engage à faire avancer la République et l’île Rodrigues autonome, affirmée et respectée, car, il y a urgence de – • Sauver Rodrigues et son autonomie, • Redonner espoir au peuple, en particulier à la jeunesse, et • Rétablir la confiance et la dignité de Rodrigues. Nous souhaitons orienter Rodrigues vers une autonomie fiscale, énergétique, une souveraineté alimentaire, la modernité et l’innovation. L'OPR propose de grands projets nécessitant un engagement ferme du gouvernement central, notamment – • Améliorer la connectivité avec la construction de l’aéroport de Plaine Corail et la modernisation du port de Port Mathurin. • La construction de deux barrages à Fond Anse Baleine et Pavé La Bonté ; un deuxième câble optique, et un projet complet de traitement des eaux usées. • Renforcer la complémentarité économique entre Rodrigues et Maurice, par exemple, en instaurant un marché préférentiel. • Assurer l'inclusion de Rodrigues dans les principaux projets de développement nationaux, notamment, la santé et la lutte contre le changement climatique. • Réformer la loi sur l'autonomie et le système électoral en adoptant une représentation proportionnelle améliorée pour garantir la stabilité. • Présenter trois candidats pour Rodrigues aux élections législatives. • Réduire le coût de la vie et de créer l’égalité. Enn sase lanti a Port-Louis bizin mem pri a Port Sud-Est ek Rivière-Coco dan Rodrig, et • Un « Projet de loi et un Plan spécial d’égalité pour Rodrigues – Horizon 2050 », visant à équilibrer le développement économique et progrès social.

111 Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, now, allow me to comment on a few aspects of the Government Programme that inspire a realistic direction, vision and optimism for our Republic, alongside special attention to the needs and aspirations of Rodrigues. With the advent of e-politics and e-democracy, I appreciate that the Republic will transition to a people-centric system – e-citizen governance. This could be through a virtuous cycle – by eliminating bureaucracy and fully digitalising services. I commend hon. Minister Dr. Ramtohul’s speech, in spearheading a new AI strategy and identity to transform our Republic across key sectors, based on the principles of e-inclusion and e-democracy. Dr. hon. Ms Thannoo also highlighted the need for a system change. I will refer them to the insightful book by a Mauritian scholar in Australia, my friend, Dr. Soobhiraj Bungsraz, entitled ‘Upgrading Political Systems with Purposive Technology: A Performing Democracy – 2024th Edition’. The book suggests that purposive assistive technology can enhance political systems, democratising and upgrading them through productive and collaborative engagement. The framework leverages technology to create e-democracy and e-politics, enhancing the productivity of parliamentarians – we, here, parliamentarians –, the effectiveness of parliamentary decision-making, and promoting democratic sustainability. In 2019, we proposed an e-democracy preparedness with an e-politics framework to enhance Rodrigues’s political system through a Political Intelligence Application. A prototype of the application has already been developed for a pilot test by NDU and the then Rodrigues-CAB Office, recently closed. The proposed constitutional amendments and nature rights amendments align with our, as I said, OPR manifesto 2024, and the visionary proposals made by hon. Joanna Bérenger, and myself, during the 2020 Climate Change Bill debate. Since 2022, no major drainage projects have been implemented in Rodrigues, despite approvals by LDA and financial clearances obtained. There is urgency to address this issue. Hon. Dr. Gungapersad, we are looking forward to the Assises de l’éducation, as Rodrigues seeks an educational reform and model that align, and adapt with our socio- economic realities. The Government should prioritise strengthening Rodrigues' public health services by first of all, redeveloping Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) existing master plan, providing

112 essential equipment like a CT-Scan, emphasising cancer prevention, and training for health personnel. I will also urge for a health service and clinical audit for Rodrigues. Hon. Nagalingum and hon. Mrs Foo Kune-Bacha, our youth, as a driving force of our Republic, should be prioritised and constitutionally institutionalised, for all government actions and initiatives in their favour, and also to cultivate a new generation of patriots. Rodrigues requires the construction of a new police headquarters and a modern courthouse. Mr Sam Lauthan and also, hon. Dr. Gungapersad, this morning, appealed that the rise of synthetic drug trafficking must also be urgently addressed by all stakeholders to protect Rodrigues. Kiltir lamor napa so plas dan Rodrig! An hon. Member: Ni à Maurice !

Ni à Maurice ! Très bien ! Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, since 2022, water distribution frequencies in Rodrigues have worsened, from at least once a month to twice a year. The way forward is water production to sustainably substantially produce at least 10,000 m³ daily, rather than just 3,000 m³. OPR projected a comprehensive potable water production plan through the Rs1 billion from MIC. Avant de conclure, permettez-moi d’aborder brièvement la situation socio-politique actuelle de Rodrigues – je ne vais pas être long – en lien avec son autonomie et le discours programme, en me référant aux paragraphes 6, 10 et 39, en matière de confiance, d’éthique, de bonne gouvernance, et de l’utilisation judicieuse du budget. Je partage certaines préoccupations pour Rodrigues mais, je constate la non-cohérence et des contradictions diamétralement opposées entre certains discours et la réalité des actions locales – une médaille à deux faces. Mon peuple souffre gravement, M. le président. Nous ne pouvons rester silencieux, car cela serait complice de cette souffrance. OPR – nou le seki bon e bien pou Rodrig. Rodrigues va mal. Rodrigues est en déclin : népotisme, désordre, l’instabilité, boycottage et chantage politique interne, démantèlements et menaces dans la fonction publique, dégradation de l’utilisation de la finance publique, contrairement à l’OPR qui a beaucoup accompli avec des ressources limitées. Un audit complet de la gestion des finances est nécessaire.

113 Rodrigues traverse des crises sans précédent : lake partou, pénuries d’eau, carburant, alimentation animale, l’insécurité d’emploi, l’injustice sociale – aucune maison sociale n’ayant été construite ces trois dernières années. C’est une insulte à l’intelligence du peuple et une haute trahison envers notre autonomie, pour laquelle nous avons lutté pour montrer la capacité de Rodrigues. L’OPR dit non à la voyoucratie politique. M. le président, messieurs le Premier Ministre et Premier ministre adjoint, en âme et conscience, bizin met enn frin. Gouvernman rezional pe krisifie lavenir Rodrig. They have to go! Le peuple de Rodrigues et l’OPR, nous demandons la dissolution de l’Assemblée Régionale de Rodrigues le plus vite possible afin de convoquer des élections anticipées pour la confiance, la stabilité et la sérénité. Donnons au peuple l’opportunité de corriger ce qui est corrigeable – Correction épisode 2. Le gouvernement central a un rôle protecteur pour garantir l’avenir de Rodrigues. L’OPR assume sa part de responsabilité et fait appel à toute la population. L’espoir pour Rodrigues réside dans un grand retour de l’OPR comme voie de la confiance, nécessitant un nouveau pacte d’engagement vers un nouvel horizon. Pour conclure, M. le président, je dis, dans l’unité, rétablissons la confiance, préservons nos acquis, renforçons notre autonomie pour une Île Rodrigues autonome, affirmée et respectée. Nou pei, nou pep, nou destin. Je vous remercie.

Merci! Can I call upon the hon. Juman! (6.03 p.m.) Mr E. Juman (First Member for Port Louis Maritime & Port Louis East): Merci, M. le président. Je remercie l’honorable Dr. Ms Thannoo pour la motion. Cela me donne l’occasion cet après-midi de participer au débat. Je vous félicite pour la présentation et for your maiden speech. Je remercie le Premier ministre de m’avoir témoigné sa confiance et de me donner l’occasion de me présenter pour la deuxième fois à la circonscription no 3 comme candidat, et je dois vous dire, M. le président, qu'il y avait un certain moment, le PMSD était allié avec

114 nous. Le PMSD voulait à tout prix avoir un ticket au No. 3, mais le Premier ministre m’a dit – « Pas de question de te bouger du No.3 et si fale pena l’alliance. » Et je dois remercier le Deputy Prime Minister et le ministre Dr. Sukon, le ministre R. Duval pour la confiance qu’ils ont placée en moi, me donnant l’occasion de représenter l’Alliance du Changement dans ma circonscription. Et je dois dire, M. le président, c’est avec beaucoup de fierté que je m’adresse à la Chambre au nom de la circonscription no 3 et je peux vous dire, M. le président, sur dix électeurs qui ont voté aux dernières élections, plus de huit électeurs ont voté pour moi et mes collègues. Vous réalisez que plus de huit électeurs ont voté pour l’Alliance du Changement alors que les représentants du gouvernement sortant n’ont pas même eu deux électeurs sur dix qui ont voté pour eux. C’est un vote du changement massif. Je dois dire que la responsabilité aussi est énorme sur nos épaules, mais avec le Premier ministre et le Deputy Prime Minister et tout le monde ensemble, je suis sûre qu’on va s'atteler au travail et qu'on va réussir. Mais je dois dire aussi, M. le président, que pendant la campagne électorale, on a beaucoup parlé. Moi, j’ai fait campagne, moi-même j’ai dit, et mes collègues ont souhaité, parce qu’on sentait qu’il y avait un problème dans le pays. Ici, je vous dis qu’on a voté pour le changement. Le changement, maintenant, ça se sent, ça se voit. C’est palpable. Grâce à vous, M. le président et Madame la présidente, vous avez restauré la démocratie au sein de cette auguste Assemblée. C’est cela le plus important. Le changement, ça commence ici et c’est visible. Et aussi, je dois dire que, pendant la campagne, j’ai dit qu’on allait baisser le prix parce qu’on sentait qu’il y avait un problème. On va baisser le prix de l’essence, le prix du diesel, on va faire beaucoup de choses pour alléger, pour soulager la population. Mais malheureusement, M. le président, je ne savais pas, nous ne savions pas ce qui nous attendait. On croyait vraiment, sincèrement, moi je disais sur tous les médias, meetings, partout je disais – on est au bord du précipice. Le pays est au bout du précipice, mais après le 09, on se retrouve au fond du précipice. Ce n’est pas au bout, c’est au fond du précipice. Non, plus au fond du précipice, mais on est recouvert de débris. Maintenant, on doit déblayer les débris. On doit sortir du précipice. On ne savait pas ce qui nous attendait. Vous réalisez, M. le président, R 5,300 millions investies pour écouter nos conversations téléphoniques. Vous réalisez R 5,3 milliards ? Rien pour la maintenance de ces

115 équipements, R 350 millions par mois ? Est-ce que vous réalisez, M. le président, CWA – on a entendu ce matin que, pour un contrat d’un milliard de roupies, on a alloué, on a donné aux petits copains de gauche à droite, on a dépensé R 1,8 milliards et qu’aujourd’hui un an après, on n’arrive même pas à payer les contracteurs. On n’arrive même pas à payer les fournisseurs de matériaux à la hauteur de centaines de millions de roupies. Et eux, ils posent des questions. Posez des questions sur pipe replacement, sur SME, des centaines, des milliards de roupies dépensées, pas de compte. Voilà où nous en sommes aujourd’hui ! Cluny, l’exemple vivant R 75 millions. Vous voulez que je continue, M. le président ? Overtime – aujourd’hui, overtime au ministère de la Santé – voilà le ministre peut nous confirmer – R 1.2 milliards. Des médecins, les personnels hospitaliers qui ont travaillé pendant la Covid pendant six mois, un an, n’ont pas encore eu leur overtime, leur dû. Voilà ! Et we expect them to give us service. Un an, deux ans, trois ans d’overtime dû. NPF, NSF, vous savez il y a quatre mois de cela, ici, on m’a traîné de force, on a demandé à tous les policiers de venir me retirer de cette Chambre ? On m’a traité – “Carry him away! He is dangerous! Too dangerous for this House. Carry him away!” On m’a humilié! “Collect this man!” Yes, I was dangerous. I was dangerous for the then Prime Minister. I was dangerous for the then Speaker. I told them that they all would be swept away very soon, and today we all know where they are. Hope they are listening to me. The then Prime Minister had said – « Li ti dir li servi larzan lepep kumadir so kas. Li depans kas lepep kuma so kas’. M. le président, si c’était son argent, est-ce qu’il aurait loué un bâtiment à la hauteur de R 4.6 millions par mois, laissé vide pendant des mois, pendant six, sept, huit mois à Monsieur N. G. Si c’était son argent, aurait-il fait ça ? Si c’était son argent, est-ce que la SBM aurait buy back loan from SBM pour Maradiva ? Et si c’était son argent, est-ce qu’il aurait donné 1 milliard de roupies de gauche à droite de la MIC ? M. le président, il y a 2-3 semaines de cela, j’ai posé une question à l’honorable ministre, mon collègue, l’honorable Shakeel Mohamed. R 2 milliards dus – des personnes qui ont loué des terrains à bail avec l’État, pas géométriques –R 2 milliards qui auraient dû être

116 dans la caisse de l’État aujourd’hui, ne sont pas là. Et de ces 2 milliards, R 900 millions dus depuis plus de deux ans. R 475 millions Pack & Blister, aujourd’hui cinq ans après, on n’a ni respirateur, on n’a ni l’argent. Les respirateurs sont stockés en Italie et on est en train de payer des millions de roupies par mois, on est en train de payer des avocats pour des frais légaux en Italie – ni respirateurs ni l’argent. R 300 millions, médicaments périmés, voilà ce que le ministre peut nous confirmer après. R 300 millions, médicaments périmés. R 20,2 milliards manipulées sur la dette publique, R 20,2 milliards. Aujourd’hui, la dette publique est arrivée à R 608 milliards. Le Premier ministre nous avait promis ‘one trillion economy’, avec eux c’est one trillion debt. Voilà, ça c’est la réalité. Je peux continuer, ça c’est l’argent…

You got only two minutes left!

Only two! M. le président, aujourd’hui, à lekol gourvernman Emmanuel Anquetil à Roche-Bois, les factures de téléphone n’ont pas été payées depuis 2015. Il aurait fallu que l’honorable Dr. Gungapersad vienne au poste pour les payer. Maintenant, les enfants ont accès à l’internet et ils ont leur téléphone. Vous réalisez que le taux de réussite dans l’école de Roche Bois est à 15 %. Voilà le crime qu’ils ont commis contre leur peuple. Voilà ! On a un grand chantier, M. le président. Le Premier ministre et le Deputy Prime Minister sont en train de travailler. La drogue est en train de ravager notre pays. Il faut redonner confiance à nos institutions. C’est ce qu’on fait aujourd’hui. Il faut redonner confiance à nos institutions. Il faut booster la morale de nos fonctionnaires pour rehausser le niveau de service au sein de notre fonction publique. Partout, c’est gangrené, M. le président. On a un gros travail à faire. Mais ce n’est pas impossible avec le soutien de tout le monde. Derrière le Premier ministre et le Deputy Prime Minister, derrière nous, ce n’est pas un 60-0. J’en profite pour dire merci à mon électorat et merci à la population. Il faut nous faire confiance ; il faut nous soutenir ; il faut être derrière nous. On est en train de jeter les bases, pas pour demain, pas pour cinq ans, mais pour les prochaines 25-30 ans. Peut-être moi, peut-être beaucoup parmi nous ne serons pas là. Mais ce n’est pas cela qui est important. C’est l’avenir de ce pays qui est important. On est en train de travailler dans cette direction. Que Dieu nous bénisse ! Je suis sûr qu’on va réussir. Merci, M. le président !

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Thank you! Hon. David! (6.14 p.m.) The Junior Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries (Mr F. David) : M. le président, je me joins naturellement à l’élan de félicitations qui a entouré votre élection ainsi que celle de la présidente de notre Assemblée nationale. Notre nouvel hémicycle sous votre présidence a retrouvé ses lettres de noblesse après que ce temple a été souillé par un régime autocrate soutiré par un arbitre arbitraire, qui, au lieu d’être le gardien de ce temple, s’était transformé en gardien de but pour protéger le roi soleil et sa cour ! Fort heureusement, M. le président, la monarchie est tombée et la démocratie a été restaurée. J’aimerais rappeler à cette Chambre et à celles et ceux qui m’écoutent, comment le Monarque a été renversé. Le roi soleil a été détrôné grâce à cette arme : un stylo, une plume ! Le 10 novembre dernier, des milliers de Mauriciens se sont rendus dans les 305 centres de vote avec leurs propres stylos dans la poche, dans les sacs, parfois autour du cou, au bout d’une chaine. Avec ce stylo, ils ont tiré un trait sur le règne MSM. Avec ce stylo, ils ont décidé d’écrire une nouvelle page de notre histoire avec notre Alliance du Changement ! Je comprends enfin et mieux aujourd’hui l’expression – The pen is mightier than the sword. Avec le soutien de la population, M. le président, nous avons brisé la dictature. BLD. Nous avons BLD. Et, aujourd’hui, M. le président, alors que je me tiens debout devant vous dans cette Assemblée, alors que, pendant les cinq dernières années, avec mes 24 collègues de l’opposition de l’époque, nous sommes restés assis. J’étais, pour ma part, assis à la place de l’honorable Apollon. Nous étions assis, mais nos idées et nos valeurs étaient debout. Et, aujourd’hui, M. le président, permettez-moi, en tant que président de l’aile jeune du Parti travailliste, de dire ma joie, de dire ma fierté, de voir 10 membres du Young Labour aujourd’hui devenus membres du Parlement. Et, avec les membres de la jeunesse militante, membres de la jeunesse résistante, membres de la nouvelle jeunesse démocrate, nous mesurons la chance qui est la nôtre aujourd’hui de cheminer aux côtés des géants de la politique comme le Premier ministre, le Dr. Ramgoolam, comme le Premier ministre adjoint, l’honorable Bérenger, comme l’honorable Bhagwan, comme l’honorable Dr. Boolell. Ces grandes figures de la politique ont

118 marqué l’histoire de ce Parlement alors que plusieurs parmi nous, et moi y compris, nous étions encore sur les bancs de l’école. Et, aujourd’hui, expérience et jeunesse cheminent ensemble pour écrire une nouvelle histoire, pour construire un pont vers l’avenir. A bridge to the future ! Thème de notre programme gouvernemental pour les cinq prochaines années. À vrai dire, M. le président, il nous reste 56 mois. Mais avant de développer rapidement un ou deux points de notre programme, de débattre sur la motion de l’honorable Dr. Mme Thannoo que je félicite, permettez-moi, M. le président, de saluer et de remercier les électeurs de ma circonscription, la première circonscription du pays, la circonscription Nº1 Port Louis West/Grande Rivière Nord-Ouest, pour la confiance qu’ils m’ont accordée en faisant de moi pour la deuxième fois consécutive leur premier député. Avec humilité, je mesure ce que cela représente comme responsabilité. Je sais aussi à quel point leurs besoins sont immenses, que leurs attentes sont nombreuses. J’ai envie de leur dire à travers la caméra qu’avec mes deux collègues, la ministre Navarre-Marie et le ministre délégué Parapen, nous avons déjà commencé à travailler ensemble pour changer votre quotidien, pour changer votre environnement, pour changer votre avenir. M. le président, notre programme gouvernemental, dans son volet ‘A New Economic Model’, précise à la page 11 que notre vision inclut ‘Better Exploring and Exploiting the Potential of the Ocean Economy’. Et là, je dois vous dire, M. le président, que l’ancien régime MSM s’est noyé dans un océan de néant. Alors que le gouvernement Travailliste avait déjà, en 2013, sous le leadership du Premier ministre de l’époque, Dr. Ramgoolam, qui est à nouveau Premier ministre aujourd’hui, et ses alliés, avaient produit après plusieurs concertations, après un travail de fond, en décembre 2013, ce document : The Ocean Economy – A Roadmap for Mauritius. Et, dans ce document, les dirigeants de l’époque avaient déjà détaillé, présenté les Ocean Economic Clusters, comme la recherche des minéraux sous-marins, les projets d’aquaculture innovants, les biotechnologies marines, les deep ocean water applications, ou encore les énergies renouvelables de la mer. Le gouvernement MSM aurait très bien pu avoir repris ce document, mettre de l’orange partout, mettre du soleil aux quatre coins, s’approprier le projet et faire comme s’il s’était intéressé à l’économie bleue, à l’économie de notre océan. Mais, M. le président, même cela, ils n’ont pas été capables de le faire. Aujourd’hui, après plus de 10 ans de retard accumulé, c’est notre gouvernement du Changement qui va développer ce nouveau secteur économique

119 grâce à la vision du Premier ministre, avec la détermination du ministre de l’Économie bleue en collaboration avec d’autres ministères et sur la base de nouvelles consultations avec toutes les parties prenantes : la société civile, les ONG, les partenaires sociaux, le secteur privé, les universitaires, les scientifiques, les experts internationaux notamment à travers des Assises de l’océan qui seront tenues au cours du deuxième trimestre de cette année. M. le président, il est impensable, aujourd’hui, de se dire qu’alors que nous sommes entourés de 2,2 millions de kilomètres carrés de zone économique exclusive, notre population mauricienne n’a toujours pas un accès équitable et durable aux poissons. Un Mauricien, M. le président, consomme en moyenne 28 kg de poissons à l’année, ce qui fait une consommation annuelle pour la population d’environ 30 000 t, et tenez-vous bien, M. le président, sur ces 30 000 t, la production locale n’est que de 10 000 t. Nous sommes contraints, alors que nous avons la mer, un océan, des poissons tout autour de notre pays, d’importer 20 000 t de poissons chaque année de la Chine, de l’Indonésie, de la Turquie ou encore du Sri Lanka. Nous ne produisons qu’un tiers de ce que nous consommons, alors que nos bancs de pêche à Saya De Malha, Nazareth ou encore Albatross, parmi tant d’autres, regorgent de plusieurs milliers de tonnes de poissons non exploités. Aux Seychelles, où je devais me rendre la semaine dernière pour la signature d’un accord sur un plan régional de pêche avec les autres pays de l’océan Indien jusqu’à ce que Garance en décide autrement, c’est précisément l’inverse. Les Seychelles produisent deux tiers de ce qu’ils consomment. En ligne, M. le président, avec notre discours programme, nous allons changer cela, notamment en démocratisant la pêche semi-industrielle, et en priorité pour les pêcheurs et les opérateurs mauriciens. Quant aux bateaux de pêche étrangers qui pêchent dans nos eaux sur une licence mauricienne délivrée par notre ministère de la Pêche, nous allons leur imposer qu’ils débarquent tous leurs poissons à Port-Louis, et pas ailleurs. Comme l’a rappelé l’honorable ministre, le Dr. Boolell, dans son intervention le 7 février dernier, nous prévoyons la construction d’un véritable port de pêche et la mise en place d’un grand marché aux enchères des produits de la mer. M. le président, le temps m’est bientôt compté et je vois le regard pesant…

You are already out of time!

…et bienveillant de la Chief Whip, je termine ! À travers ce méga ministère de la terre et la mer, M. le président, avec l’honorable ministre, le Dr. Boolell, nous avons la responsabilité des pêcheurs, des planteurs, des

120 éleveurs. Nous nous occupons des fruits de la mer, de la pomme de terre, de l’importation du bétail, de la production de miel, du développement de l’industrie cannière, de la lutte contre la pêche illégale, du carbone bleu des océans, de l’énergie verte de la biomasse, de la conservation des parcs et forêts, de la problématique des chiens errants et du combat contre la maltraitance animale. Une dernière phrase ! Un immense changement nous attend, attend le pays. Ce changement longtemps rêvé par notre nation, aujourd’hui incarné par nous, le gouvernement du changement. Soyons donc les catalyseurs de ce changement, les accompagnateurs de cette transition écologique, énergétique et numérique. Soyons les bâtisseurs de ce pont vers l’avenir. Un avenir pour réussir, un avenir pour unir et un avenir pour grandir. J’en ai terminé, M. le président.

Thank you. Dr. the hon. Minister Gungapersad! 20 minutes! (6.26 p.m.)

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. In a testament of hope, Martin Luther King Jr. said – “You know my friends, there comes a time when people get tired of being trampled over by the iron feet of oppression. There comes a time my friends, when people get tired of being plunged across the abyss of humiliation, where they experience the bleakness of nagging despair.” Prior to 10 November 2024, the country was facing the situation of despair. This country was being trampled over by the iron boot of the MSM government. Whether it was inside this Parliament or outside, whether it was in day-to-day life or, whether it was on social platforms, on Facebook, this MSM government oppressed the population. Then, two leaders of this country, they put their heads together, their hearts together, in order to unlock the destiny of this country. I have named the present Prime Minister, Dr. the hon. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and the present Deputy Prime Minister – two stalwarts, two great leaders of this country. For five years, as a Member of this Assembly, under another Speaker who was a loud speaker. This man, each time we had a session, literally humiliated us. Leave aside young Parliamentarians and new Parliamentarians like me, but also stalwarts like hon. Paul

121 Raymond Bérenger and stalwarts like hon. Rajesh Bhagwan and hon. Dr. Arvin Boolell! What did they not do in this Parliament to communalise this country? Sitting accommodation so that on MBC you will see only a few faces – myself thrown at the back purposely, hon. Ritesh Ramful sent somewhere, hon. Woochit sent somewhere else. Understand what I am not saying. What picture did they want to project to this country? They wanted to demonise certain people. What message were they sending outside to this country? Like this Prime Minister, Dr. the hon. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, often says, 'Imagine for one minute—forget one minute, it is too long, 60 seconds—for one second. If that government were inside this Parliament today and we were a few again, what would they not have done?' What had they not done to us to break our morale? And it is important. At this point in time, I read one of the most famous verses of Rabindranath Tagore to this House. Earlier, I would not have done it that much because there were not enough people in this Parliament during the last mandate so that you could talk about philosophy, literature, and great minds. Who would listen to you? Laptop eklate? Karo sab? Karo sebo? Savat dodo? Rocco? Serf?

(Interruptions)

You heard a Prime Minister, the previous Prime Minister – I am not going to name him – inculte as compared to the present one, a cultured man, a man who reads, a man who knows what international diplomacy is, who is constructing a bridge with the world. This is what we want; this is the change we are talking about. You just listened to a few orators ’today. Hon. Fabrice David, it was 03 February 2020 – that is not a coincidence – you and I, we had our maiden speeches on the same day, and again today, one after the other like two brothers, destiny bringing us again. Let me read what Rabindranath Tagore wrote in the 35th stanza of his Nobel-winning Gitanjali. You know it; the well-versed of this House will know it, but I am reading it for the new generation. I want it to be in the Hansard for the future, and let us meditate on what Tagore said. Having been the previous rector of Tagore, this is a book I have carried since then, and I do not know how long – “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth;

122 Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is lead forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action – Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.” This is what we want for Mauritius. We do not want a Mauritius which is fragmented, which is ‘broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls’ of communalism. This is what was happening in this country. The way hon. Ehsan Juman, the way hon. Shakeel Mohamed, the way hon. Patrick Assirvaden were treated or ill-treated – I do not know, by that government – when they were coming and unearthing scandals in this House, it took a communal touch. Just like hon. Reza Uteem would come and talk about figures, they would give that a touch of communalism. What didn’t they do to the ladies who were hon. Members of that time? Four days before International Day of Women which we are going to celebrate, let me congratulate Madam Speaker for being a lady who has poise and the way she presides over the affairs of this Assembly. In absentia, if we could applaud that lady for the way she is handling the affairs. That said, let me put a comma. What about the lovely ladies, hon. ladies of this House? Vous êtes la fierté de l’île Maurice.

Merci, Mahend!

What hasn’t hon. Stephanie Anquetil bore and endured; hon. Mrs Navarre-Marie, hon. Mrs Foo Kune-Bacha and hon. Ms Joanna Bérenger? What didn’t they do to break their morale? I salute you, ladies, because you stood a loud Speaker; you stood oppression. In spite of being trampled over, you resisted, and you showed the way, and today, you are here. What were they not saying during their speeches – the different Members of that government? They thought that at one point, they were going to be eternally here. We understand our friends are leaving for Iftaar. We wish them all the best and to pray for all of us, for humanity. An hon. Member: Thank you.

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What were they not saying – humiliating, session after session, those who were present, but especially the present Prime Minister. I was named several times. 13, I have counted. A person like me! I come 7th, I think, in the list after hon. Bhagwan, hon. Bérenger, hon. Shakeel Mohamed, and hon. Patrick Assirvaden. An unruly, uncultured person trying to monitor us. Can you imagine what it is, all the education going to dogs, inside this Assembly at one moment? What were they teaching the population outside? Somebody today asked me, ‘Why couldn’t you be a bit harsher towards the former Minister of Education?’ The culture I come from and the education I have taught me how to respect women, and I will do that.

Bravo Mahend!

Jean Anouilh said something, and it is good for those who are involved in domestic violence to note it. Jean Anouilh said, il ne faut pas battre une femme – même avec une fleur. I am a disciple of Jean Anouilh. How come this country, this Parliament, when the former Prime Minister, peeping Tom – I do not know what type of pleasure he was getting in order to see what the present Prime Minister had or did not have. I cannot understand. I was saying, he had placed a radar surveillance camera opposite the house of my good friend, hon. Osman Mahomed, and you imagine it with Moustass Leaks. He was trying to peep, to hear; I do not know what was happening in this country. For this, posterity, the future, will recognise these two leaders who stood against the tide of time, who stood against all adversities, and who rallied their soldiers, and we said, Yes, let us get into that journey. I commend hon. Richard Duval; he looked at the interest of the country, and he came forward; the interest of the country came before the family ties. I commend the members of Rezistans ek Alternativ, you had to stand the test of time, and you said yes to this alliance. And together, experienced ones and young ones, we stood as candidates. In my constituency—the mention was made by hon. Patrick Assirvaden – one Mr Prakash Maunthrooa, in Petit Raffray, said, ‘Nou pou détruire le mythe Gungapersad.’ Humbly, I am saying it. Humbly, I am standing here. Come on, destroy! You are destroyers; we are builders! On est des bâtisseurs! I said it during the campaign: my two co-candidates, colistiers, everywhere I would have political meetings, I said, I have one dream, and that

124 dream is to hold in my right hand the hand of hon. Nitish Beejan and on the left, hon. Ram Etwareea. Parole donnée, parole sacrée et c’est réussi grâce à la circonscription no. 6. Merci à la circonscription no. 6 pour m’avoir élu pour la deuxième fois. Mersi sirkonskription nimero 6 pour avoir fait confiance a trwa zanfan sirkonskription, a de zanfan Goodlands e enn zanfan Fond du Sac. Merci, l’île Maurice, pour nous avoir fait confiance. When I am saying it, definitely like some of you, I also am missing my father today, my hero figure who left us four days after the elections. Now, this MSM thing—c’est important de comprendre son fonctionnement. Et ça n’a pas terminé. Avez-vous écouté la conférence de presse du présent leader de l’opposition? Je ne sais pas quel poste il occupe au MSM. Qu’est-ce qu’il dit? Letan margoz inn’ vini. Popilasion aksepte manz margoz me pa pou manz fos koze MSM! This is what this population wants. This population, c’est une population aguerrie. Une population qui a compris ce que ce gouvernement, l’ancien gouvernement MSM, a fait. Can you imagine how many people’s lives have been destroyed? Can you imagine how it operates? Can you imagine how it has toyed, how it has played, with institutions? Can you imagine how it has sullied the reputation of people? Can you imagine how it has humiliated great professionals? Hon. Dr. Farhad Aumeer is not here in this Assembly. You come and try to attack a professional like him and many others? It is important for this population not to forget the multiple wounds inflicted on the soul of Mauritians. What we now want is a new Mauritius. What we want is a new tryst with destiny, like Nehru would have said it. What we want is a real change. The best change comes inside our heart, whether it is the heart of the MMM, whether it is the heart of the Labour Party, whether it is the heart of Nouveaux Démocrates, whether it is the heart of Rezistans ek Alternativ or whether it is the heart of anyone. We want a change. We want humility to be restored in this country. We want to marry Artificial Intelligence and emotional intelligence. Aristotle rightly said it – “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all!” That government had a Rs1,000 note for every problem of this country. He had different Rs1,000 notes to distribute in order to quell any resistance you had against him. They were just spreading; they were sharing money everywhere. The real problems were swept under the carpet. Today, each minister, each junior minister, and each MP, when we move the carpet, we realise tonnes of dust have accumulated. Name a ministry where there is

125 no problem! Name an institution where we don’t have a problem! For ten years, that little, diminutive Prime Minister asked the question kot monn fote ? Kot tonn fote ? History will tell you! I hope he has enough time to sit back and reflect on what harm he has done. One week before the 57th Independence Day, let all of us reaffirm our faith in our motherland and our brotherhood. Let us trample those walls that they had built against brothers of different communities. Let us embrace each other in love! This is what the new vision of the educational policies of this government is. We are not only going to feed or to educate the brain; we are going to look after the heart also. The children of this country, whether they form part of the elite or whether they are slow learners, we want to embrace them as our kids. This is why some people outside are not understanding it when we came with this philosophy of three credits. We are not saying go and get three credits. Some of our kids will not be able to get five or six credits. Some of our children are not endowed. That is why we were so much against the Extended Programme. We have brought in its place the Foundation Programme. After three years, these kids are going to get a certificate. Can you imagine how many children have suffered because of the MSM government? Let me tell the population. Over the past three years, 5,927 students have failed the Extended Programme and have left the system without a PSAC or an NCE Certificate. Congratulations to this government, to the Prime Minister, to the Deputy Prime Minister and everyone who has supported this project. Give me a few more minutes just to mention the figures.

You are already over…

5,824 students…

One more minute to conclude, please!

… did not get the opportunity to get into Lower 6, thanks to that government. This year, we have around 2,500 students who are joining Lower 6. This is the vision of this government. We have to care for one and all. This government definitely has a lot of challenges. We know people outside want results. But a tree does not bear fruit overnight, especially on land that has been mercilessly destroyed by the toxicity of the MSM government.

126 We have faith in this population. We have faith in everyone. We say thank you to everyone who has supported us. More will join us when they know that we are genuine in our mission. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Hon. Members, we are going to break for one hour. This is what has been arranged. At 6.48 p.m., the Sitting was suspended. On resuming at 7.52 p.m. with Madam Speaker in Chair.

Please be seated. I think we have the quorum, we can start. So, now, hon. Bachoo!

Madam Speaker, to start with, let me congratulate you and the Deputy Speaker for having been elected in the House. The late Jugnauth’s government damaged our economy to such an extent that we were nearly on the verge of bankruptcy and on the verge of obtaining junk credit rating status. The least mistake we commit will lead us towards the slippery slope of economic chaos. Madam Speaker, during the electoral campaign, we were campaigning against the high cost of living, we were campaigning against the depreciation of the rupee, and we were campaigning against the purchasing power, which was going down day by day. We were campaigning against the rupee, which was depreciating day by day. From December 2019 onwards, the rupee was depreciated by up to 22%, followed by the cumulative inflation rate of 33% from December 2019 to September 2024; that was a massive loss in the purchasing power of the public. To add to it, the decision of the Bank of Mauritius, at that time, to print billions of rupees also led to the decline of our economic situation. The situation was so bad that today we have to pay for the consequences. Madam Speaker, what did we inherit from the previous government? We have inherited a coffer, which is empty; they have left practically nothing! We have inherited fraud, corruption, nepotism, and at the same time, oppression at all levels – unlawful arrests. They were looking for all those who were against them – even if you are not against them, if you are not with them, it means you are against them. Those were the days when people could not sleep at rest. I still remember those days; we were out of power, we were in the Opposition,

127 and we were harassed unnecessarily. There was not a single day that passed that, as former members of government, we were not harassed. They did not spare anybody, whether they were parliamentarians, trade unionists, lawyers, Facebookers, or even internet users—none were spared! To get the favours of the government, one had to crawl before them. I still remember there were a few ministers at that time; they were having meetings at night, holding meetings in Quatre-Bornes, and particularly three of them were hitting at and blackmailing officers, compelling them to make statements against the former ministers, and they were even blackmailing service providers. I still remember those difficult days. Madam Speaker, everything was not lost, though we knew that was a dangerous moment, a dangerous period. I still remember, again, those turbulent times when you had no right to speak to any other person. You were scared because if they happened to catch you talking to anybody, they could suspect you and make allegations against you. Those were the difficult, hard, and dangerous days, but everything was not lost because, as we know, there were people who stood against them. A person, no less than the leader of our own party, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who was not then the Prime Minister, was not in the Opposition; he was not even a Member of Parliament, but he stood against overwhelming odds. We still remember those difficult days when he had to go to Casernes centrales repeatedly—heaps and heaps of allegations were levelled against him—but still, he was able to stand against those overwhelming odds. We remember that these turbulent times gave us, at times, incredible opportunities in order to prove ourselves. In all adversities, there is in its depths a treasure of spiritual blessing secretly hidden. He did not run away from his responsibilities; he did not hide in his shell, he did not go underground, and he did not retreat into bunkers, but he came out forcefully, he strove, he sweated, and ultimately, he succeeded. Today, he is the Prime Minister of this country, and this is an example that we can all follow. That reminds me of Tagore, he says – “Give me the strength to never disown the poor or to bend my [head] before insolent might.” And, in fact, he did not bend his head before insolent might. Madam Speaker, today, we have got two leaders in this House. Both of them have gone through difficult times and hard times, and today, they are here; they are the trust of the national cause, they are the symbol of the nation, and we are proud to have two such persons

128 who are leading this country. Because of this, we are going to prosper, and we are going to do very well in the near future. Though we had difficult times, we had hard times, and I still remember those days, those horrible hours, and terrific hours when even I was being harassed—my parents, my relatives, my own family, and the way we were being harassed. I still remember the day when I was almost dragged to Casernes Centrales, not one, two, or three, but many times. At times, forcefully, I was compelled to make certain statements in Casernes centrales. I have not yet forgotten that evening, at around 4:50, when I was supposed to be put behind in Moka Detention Centre, but I had told them that there is no power on earth that can touch me because I had not committed any mistake, and by the grace of God, they could not touch me. Four allegations and four charges were levelled against me, but the DPP struck out the case. The then Commissioner of Police appealed against the decision of the DPP to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court struck out the case. Those were the difficult days, and when we go down memory lane, at times we shudder when we think about those difficult moments. Madam Speaker, as we say, it is better to be a lion for a day than to become a sheep for a whole life. We have a lion among us.

(Interruptions)

Madam Speaker, it is better to die standing rather than live your whole life on your knees. Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam has not done that, and for that, he deserves all the praises that he merits because he did it; he worked for it – nobody expected it. Whenever you talked to people, in those days, nobody even dreamt that a day would come when the Labour Party would be back in power, and today, we are back in power. We have good leaders. Good leaders are those who lead the country; bad leaders are those who mislead the country. Good leaders are those who guide the people; bad leaders are those who misguide people. Good leaders are those who serve the nation; bad leaders are those who make the nation serve them and who amass wealth and fatten themselves. This is what they have done, and that is why today they are out of power. Madam Speaker, 2014 to 2024 was the darkest period of Mauritian history, and automatically, after darkness the dawn follows, and this is what we have seen today. They have looted the country; that is why they have been booted out. These people have used political power to amass wealth and climb the social ladder, and they have fattened

129 themselves; they have built their fortune on the misfortune of the common men. I can say, on this issue, that that is why we say the lesson that we have learnt is that power is poison; it corrupts our conscience, it hardens our heart, and it confounds our understanding. We have to exercise power with vigilance. This is a lesson that we have learnt in our life. When we go through memory lane, we think of the 10 years that have passed; this is a lesson that we have learnt: to never be so arrogant in life because one day you will have to pay for the consequences. Madam Speaker, we are free today. The day when we got the elections’ results, something strange happened. Everybody at that time felt that we were free; they did not get anything in return, but they felt the freedom. That is why I am going to quote the same quote that my hon. friend had quoted a few hours ago, about Tagore, and the way he describes in what atmosphere our country should come up – “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action Into that Heaven of Freedom, my Father, let my country awake.” This is a prayer to the Lord to let our country awake; where there is freedom, there is no restriction. This is what we have given to the nation, and that is why, today, we are proud that we have got a nation; we have got a country where there is freedom; we can express ourselves. Madam Speaker, we have to say, given that now we are in power, we must have courage and conviction; we must have superb values. We have to be firm in our conviction,

130 but we have to be friendly. We have to be tough in our work, but we have to be tender towards those people who are laissés-pour-compte, those who deserve our attention and our care. We have to be courageous, but we have to be compassionate towards our countrymen who are, in fact, passing through difficult economic moments today in our country. We have passed through difficult days; we should stop believing in failures. We now have to believe in results. We should forget about prejudice; we should learn lessons from them. We should stop talking about problems; we have to look at possibilities about how we are going to help our nation. Let us not be a prisoner of the past; let us be an architect of the future. That is what I believe. Madam Speaker, we have got a caring government because, as I said, we have got two good leaders, those who have passed difficult moments. We have learnt, as I say – “In all adversities, there is always, in its depths, a treasure of spiritual blessings secretly hidden.” Let us care for our children. We have to care for our babies, we have to care for our youth, we have to care for our mothers and fathers, our laissés-pour-compte, and those who are deprived of the basic necessities of life, and since we have taken over, we have to provide them with a clean environment amidst the dangerous viruses that are spreading everywhere. Even amidst difficulties, amidst hardship, we have to provide them with a clean environment. Madam Speaker, we are born to serve and to share but not to grab and grieve. That is why we say we have to help each and every one, everybody who deserves it. Since I have taken over as Minister of Health, I have left no stone unturned to help those who are at the lowest strata of society, those who need our care, and those who need our support in health matters. We are not disregarding anybody. We are trying to support each and everybody. The last ten years were the most fateful years in the history of our country, particularly as far as the health problems were concerned, because the legacy that they had left is alarming. The legacy is shocking, horrible, and appalling, to say the least. Madam Speaker, we have got a herculean task to perform. No new doctors were recruited, and no new nurses were recruited. No training was provided to doctors or to our nurses; there was no activity in the training school. There was no activity, and yet, one of their own kith and kin was chosen to sit and to fatten herself in that training centre. Their relatives are there.

131 We lack 1500 nurses in our hospitals. Only a handful were taken in the last 10 years. Today, the legacy, as I told you, is catastrophic. No money was left. They have spent all. They have dilapidated all money that was in the Ministry. There is no money, not even to pay for petrol. We have no money. We did not have money to pay for foreign hospitals where our people, our patients, were getting treated. And the then Minister of Finance was talking of economic boom, but he was claiming his foolishness to be wisdom. We have practically nothing in the Ministry of Health; they have left the Ministry bankrupt. There was nothing, no change. Yes, we do agree – new buildings were constructed. Yes, foreign funds that were available were mismanaged! Yes, millions of rupees were looted! They had made improper planning; that is true. The new cancer hospital they have given has no surgery; nothing was done, and equipment is lying idle, and all the consumables have already expired. The ministry, I can say, has the health and medical services in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Madam Speaker, on one hand, the public hospitals are dwindling while the private hospitals are flourishing because, as they say, make hay while the sun shines. Those who were close to ‘The Kitchen’ are constructing private hospitals one after the other, whereas our public hospitals have been deliberately disregarded. They have been weakened, and the attempt was made to push the public from the public hospitals down to the private sectors. This is what we call the betrayal of trust. Madam Speaker, the saga of Molnupiravir and Pack and Blisters is known to everybody. Millions of rupees have been wasted. Up to now, we have had to pay Rs575 million for all our vaccinations. They have not paid. They have done nothing. They have destroyed us; they have finished us. They have looted the wealth, and they have bled the country white. This is what I can tell you. Madam Speaker, the traumatic and horrible experiences of our elders who had gone for dialysis in those days are known to everybody. How can we forget – they were left to die, confined in a place, and they almost suffocated. I just cannot understand in what situation they died. Nobody cared for them. Nothing was given to them; they were starved to death. Can we forget those traitors for the crimes they have committed? That is what we call murder in broad daylight. Our own kith and kin were murdered by that government. We cannot forget them. Even for years to come, this will keep on haunting

132 them because these people were killed deliberately, I can say, because when you go through the reports, you find how those patients were helpless. One could not see with his eyes; another one was crippled, but still he was left in a corner to die. Nobody cared for them. That is why I say that they will be punished. They can never come back. Madam Speaker, if you look at the health indicators, the Health Statistics Report of 2023, the average life expectancy for males and females in 2015 was 74.5 years, and in 2023 it has gone down to 73.5. This means we are going to die earlier. Secondly, HIV/AIDS should be zero by 2030. Unfortunately, it is increasing. In 2014, it was 333; in 2023, it was 405. Our target always was for HIV/AIDS to be completely eliminated by 2030. Unfortunately, it is rising. The death rate due to non-communicable diseases has gone up by 20%. It is a shame for our country. In 2014, it was 6809; in 2023, it was 8129. This could have been avoided. They have practically done nothing. Money was voted on, but money was looted. They have robbed us; they have finished the country. Madam Speaker, it is not mere statistics. This is the naked truth of mismanagement, the failure of our system, and the result of neglect, corruption, and nepotism. Madam Speaker, the health workers in our country need our support. They are our assets. Do you know how many cases of assault have been noted? But one thing I can assure you on behalf of the Government – I say we have to be pitiless against those rascals who were hurting our health workers. We have to be without pity because two days back, there were two cases where our nursing officers and doctors were assaulted. I think this has to stop, and we have to see to it that this does not happen again. When it comes to overtime, they have not been paid. Up till now, we owe Rs500 million. We are not at fault. I do not know how they have managed. How is it possible to pay for almost Rs2 billion in overtime? Now, we are left with Rs500 million, but we have to give a guarantee to our workers that we are going to pay them all the overtime, and we have to recruit trained officers in the Ministry of Health. The school of nursing has to be active over again. We have to have transparency and accountability everywhere. Our focus, Madam Speaker, is on prevention, prevention, and prevention. We have started a nationwide campaign in order to improve the health of our public. For example, non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS, and substance abuse. Here, I have to thank the hon. Deputy Prime Minister for the support that he is extending to us.

133 Madam Speaker, the Moka Eye Hospital is already saturated. Every day you have about 400 to 500 people queuing up. That is the reason why we have started decentralising. Now in Flacq Hospital, we have started one wing, and we are carrying out about 300 eye cataract operations monthly. We have a similar case in Souillac Hospital. We are going to move towards Jeetoo Hospital as well. We are going to decentralise so that there will not be any need for our people, our patients, to travel, and they will not have to queue up the whole day. This has to stop because we are now in a modern country. We have to provide them with all amenities. Madam Speaker, the mental department is completely neglected. Nobody cared for the Brown Sequard hospital, and it is a shame for me to say in the House that we have got a report that many of the wards are full of punaises (bedbugs), and we have to remove all those beds now. We have to provide them with better conditions and new beds. Proper resources will be put in, and we are going to start a new emergency service, similar to SAMU, but here, it will be manned by the psychiatrist. This is what we have promised because we have to help those desperate people. Madam Speaker, we have to give a fresh look to overseas treatment to prevent abuse, and to ensure sustainability, strict criteria have to be imposed. As far as the cancer hospital is concerned, it is already operational. The DEXA scan and PET scan will be operational in about two months’ or three months’ time because certain components have already been ordered from abroad. We are getting the support of oncological experts from India. We have to thank the Indian authorities for having provided us with all types of support, particularly a few hospitals of Chennai. They have also decided to provide space for our patients to stay in Chennai because, previously, parents who were accompanying the patients were having difficulties. I have to thank my friend, hon. Rajen Narsinghen, for the support that he has given me. Through him and through our representative in Chennai, we were able to make certain arrangements. Madam Speaker, diabetes is devastating our nation. The Prime Minister, himself, is personally concerned, and he contacted Professor David Owens, a renowned professor in diabetology, to enlist his support. I hope that we are going to get his support. We have already started diabetes centres in all our hospitals. Yesterday, I met Professor Rajesh Kesavan, an expert in diabetic foot from Chennai. We have also retained his services, and he has accepted to come and to give us free support.

134 Madam Speaker, as far as cardiovascular disease is concerned, our Prime Minister has established contact with Professor Derek Yellon and Professor Malcolm Walker from University College London. An international conference will be held towards the end of this year on diabetes, renal diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. This will be held around October this year. I am also pleased to announce that we have also set up a Renal Transplant Unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital. For the time being, it is at Victoria Hospital. We have recruited an international expert to set up the unit and to train our staff and also to conduct the renal transplant. In our Government Programme, we have to set up a hospital specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology and one in paediatrics. The Public Health Act dates back to 1925; it has to be reviewed. The Pharmaceutical Board, Pharmaceutical Council, Medical Board, Dental Council, Mauritius Institute of Health, and Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care—all these will be relooked, and we have to give a new look and reform them. In conclusion, I would like to remind the House of a stark failure that symbolises 10 years of stagnation, that is, the e-project – computerisation. I remember earlier in 2014, under the Labour Government, we secured the support of the Government of India through the intervention of our Prime Minister. They would have helped us in setting up the e-project. Unfortunately, when we were out of power, the new government that came rejected the proposal of the Government of India, and they have left everything as it was. There is a saying that goes, ‘They slept beneath the moon; they bathed beneath the sun; they led a life of going to do, and they died politically without doing any.’ This is what they have done. They promised; they have not done it. I can assure the House that we are going very fast with it. In conclusion, I have to quote our Father of the Nation. I cannot end without quoting him because whenever I deliver speeches, I have the habit of quoting him. Before 1982, I remember his words, and I am going to quote them as a conclusion. He said— “The Labour Party is not a perfect political party. The Labour Party may not be a perfect political party. For that matter, no party is perfect. Yet, we have practiced the virtues of tolerance and patience, of understanding those who are against us, of reverence for life, of compassion for the sick and needy, and of concern for our youth. We have protected the weak and humbled the pride of enemies of people. We have paid

135 our dues. We have honoured our obligations. We have exerted ourselves for the welfare of our country. We have imparted momentum to economic activities and social programmes. That is why Mauritius is held in high regard as a stronghold of democracy in a world where unemployment is endemic, famine is rampant, and misery is widespread.” “Let us make our lives sublime. And, departing, leave behind us footprints in the sands of time.” Thank you.

Thank you very much. Hon. Minister Gunness! Try to keep an eye on the time! (8.17 p.m.)

Yes, sure! That’s why I put my watch here. Madam Speaker, allow me, first of all, to congratulate you on your election as Speaker of the House as well as my good friend, hon. Baloomoody, as Deputy Speaker, and to all hon. Members who are here, who have been elected in their respective constituencies, to the Prime Minister, and to the Deputy Prime Minister. So, we are here, l’Alliance du Changement, with a 60-0. We must reflect on what happened to our country. Why did we make this alliance? Before the elections, we must remember the last five years that the MSM government was in power. It is good to remember that they were in power with only 37% of the suffrage. Only 37%, which means the majority of the people were against them. Despite that, what did we see? Arrogance! L'arrogance du pouvoir était là. When we saw the former Prime Minister answering questions, it was as if we were disturbing him if we asked him a question. He would take a whole 30 minutes to give you an answer with all the arrogance that you can imagine. We know how they were dealing with the affairs of the country. It is true when they were saying – some of their chatwas and some who left our party – that the MMM has been in Opposition; the MMM is a party for Opposition. Yes, true it is! We have been in Opposition for a long time. I am here, myself, for my fourth mandate after

136 14 years out of this Parliament. I still remember; I was there for my first mandate. I am proud that for my first mandate, I was here with the same alliance – the Labour Party and the MMM in 1995. I was sitting there next to my brother, the late Zeel Peerun. We were two brothers. I was in this House and I had three mandates. After 14 years, I am back here. But what is more important is that, be it in Opposition or in Government, the MMM has not deviated from its principles and ideals. Our principles and ideals have remained the same, which is, first of all, the consolidation of the national unity. This is one of our principles, which we cherish, and we will never let anybody put in danger the unity of this population. The previous regime, the MSM government—what didn’t we hear with Missie Moustass? It was even as if the National Anthem was reserved for them! Such a community cannot sing the National Anthem! They have tried to divide the population into segments, and they have paid for this crime because this population lives like brothers and sisters from different communities. See the beauty of Mauritius: we just celebrated Cavadee, we had Maha Shivratri, we are now having Ramadan, and we will be having the Christian fasting. This is the beauty of Mauritius! These people have tried to put this in danger. We can get into any problem, the biggest problem that we can have, but if we have national unity in the country, we will get out of any problem. We can face any type of problem if we have national unity in this country. This is one of the principles that, in the MMM, we were born for—to consolidate our national unity. Our principle for consolidation of democracy. Every time we have been in power, we did everything to consolidate our democracy. Just recently, with what they tried to do with DPP, we restored the power of the DPP. This is what we do with the 60-0. We will bring back municipal elections soon. We will put it in the Constitution, not like what they were doing with the majority that they had – trying to take all the powers of the DPP and bring the Prosecution Commission, and when they failed, by the back door when introducing the FCC Act, trying to curtail the powers of the DPP. This is what they did with their majority. But here, we are in a government with a 60-0 majority. The population can rest assured that on each occasion the Labour Party and the MMM are two parties with their allies, and with the Rezistans ek Alternativ and Nouveaux Démocrates, we are parties who have been born to consolidate democracy. We have been born for the wellbeing of the population, for a better distribution of wealth in the country, and to manage the economic affairs of the country

137 with all the rigidity andall the seriousness that a country deserves in the management of its economic affairs. We are here to bring a balance between development, nature, and the environment. This is what we are here for, not like the MSM government was. Madam Speaker, I think that this alliance is a God-sent alliance because if we imagine for one minute that they had come into power, the MSM regime, what would have been the fate of this country today? We know how they managed the economy. They destroyed the economy so much so that today we are on the watch list of Moody’s. We know now how they dilapidated all the funds; the MIC, what they did with the Rs80 billion, how they gave to petit copain, petite copine – we know what they did with our economy. Fraud and corruption were as if à la mode. ICAC was a whitewashing machine in the hand of the MSM government. We know when Sobrinho was coming in the country; get lizie dan lizie. This was in Mauritius, get lizie dan lizie Sobrinho…

Lizie dan lizie me lame dan pos!

Lame dan pos! We know what happened in the case of MedPoint. How the Director of ICAC, Dr. Beekarry, went to London…

Pa zoure!

No, Beekarry pa zoure sa! Beekarry ve dir mizerab!

600 mil so lapay!

Ein! Salary: Rs600,000. Went to London—turncoat! Madam Speaker, the population, up to now, does not know how the evaluation of that MedPoint from Rs77 m. came to Rs144 m. This the population does not know. He could have a turncoat there, but I am sure that in the near future, the population will know. Angus Road, how money was paid by cash, and receipts we have seen in the papers. Money coming from London for which ICAC did not see anything. Stag Party, ICAC did not see anything. This was how ICAC was dealing because they were under the supervision of Lakwizin. They were taking orders from Lakwizin and it was Lakwizin – kitchen-Cabinet – which was managing the affairs of the country. How can a country where you get people democratically elected but they were taking directives from a kitchen-Cabinet? This was Mauritius under the MSM regime. It is good that the population of this country – I always say, hon. Paul Bérenger, Deputy Prime Minister, was right in 1982 when he said lepep moris ce enn pep admirab – and really, this country has a pep admirab. They know what to do. They will not go on the street. They wait

138 for their time. I have never seen in an election, early in the morning, people queuing up with their pen in their hand. At 6 o’clock, – when I started for 7 o’clock – people were already queuing up, and at that time I knew that les carottes sont cuites pour le MSM because people were with their pen. These are the two messages that we sent to the people during the campaign: you go and vote early, or else they will send people to vote in your place, and take your pen because we do not trust them. People went early and went with their pen and did what they had to do at that time, and this is the lepep admirab de l’île Maurice, and I am proud as a Mauritian that our citizens have done what had to be done for this country, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I come to another topic, which is flash floods. We know that we cannot predict flash floods. Since I took office, I have had several meetings with the technical staff of my ministry and carried out numerous site visits because we are very much concerned, as a small country, with flash floods, and we know what happened in our country. I must say that I have been very much surprised at the extent of works that have not yet been completed or even started. Since 2019, that is, six years now, projects qualified under emergency and budgeted for an amount of Rs11.7 billion were not implemented despite these projects being considered emergency projects. 62 projects listed as priority by the Land Drainage Authority are incomplete or even yet to be started – either they do not have drawings or there is no wayleave, that is, no follow-up has been done to see that the drains are put in place. Madam Speaker, we already know the distress that many people faced during the flooding of 2023 and 2024. We saw many vehicles being carried away and heavy damage caused to infrastructure, particularly in Port Louis and Vallée des Prêtres. Any reasonable government would have immediately implemented mitigating measures to prevent the recurrence of such events. Sad to say that this never materialises in reality. For Port Louis, eight projects were listed as top priority to mitigate the impact of flooding from Ruisseau du Pouce and inside Port Louis, La Poudrière, and the other streets. Rs1.9 billion project value funds were earmarked for supposedly emergency projects; none of these have been implemented to date. And, yet, you remember what their motto was at that time; they said, ‘putting people first.’ I am sure you can bet who they were putting first. An hon. Member: Maitresse!

139

In the same line, Madam Speaker, the Drain Infrastructure Construction Ltd. was set up. This company was supposed to act faster than other implementing agencies like RDA, NDU, and local authorities. It was created with an envelope of Rs12 billion. We all know who was chairing the DICL. Projects exceeding cost estimates for which financial clearance was not obtained were being awarded, and today, the DICL is sitting on claims worth millions of rupees to consultants and contractors. Madam Speaker, with a view to ensuring that drainage systems are robust, regularly cleaned, and properly managed to minimise the damage caused by flash floods and protect both lives and property, the Land Drainage Authority has been mandated to spearhead the National Flood Management Programme. The Cabinet has just set up a technical committee to review the Land Drainage Masterplan, and a report is expected in the shortest delay possible. Madam Speaker, this government has not forgotten Rodrigues. Some 11 drain projects are being considered for implementation in Rodrigues. Four projects are at the level of the Central Procurement Board for selection of contractors. A Land Drainage Masterplan for Rodrigues will be commissioned by the LDA; this will serve as a basis for attenuating the impact of flooding and achieving an integrated management of flood risk to reduce the vulnerability of the population to heavy rainfall. Madam Speaker, the availability of these infrastructures ensures that communities thrive, businesses operate efficiently, and citizens enjoy a better quality of life. In essence, the development and upkeep of roads, drains, and amenities are integral to a country’s growth, stability, and prosperity. Madam Speaker, over the recent years, the government of India has financed several projects under the G2G Agreement. These projects, including the New Flacq Hospital, the New Cancer Hospital, and ENT, are of great significance to the people of Mauritius, for which we are deeply grateful to the Government of India. However, I have been informed that the previous government did not involve my ministry at any stage of the project. My ministry is now called upon to provide technical support because we have to provide the technical support for these assets that the Government of India has offered us, but we have no plan, no design, and nothing because the Ministry of National Infrastructure was not involved in any stage of the project under the previous government.

140 Now, we are trying several mitigating strategies at the level of my ministry so that we can follow up. We are trying to conduct a comprehensive building audit for all buildings constructed within the last two years under the G2G Agreement. We are developing a building maintenance manual, including updated layouts and system details. We are implementing a Preventive Maintenance Programme in close collaboration with the project consultants. As far as the construction sector, my Ministry will support and empower SMEs by implementing targeted measures to enhance their capabilities and ensure their sustainable growth. We will facilitate access to public contracts for SMEs in the construction sector, ensuring that they have fair opportunities to participate in government projects. Additional support will be given to help small contractors invest in modern equipment and innovative construction technology. One of the critical challenges facing our economy, particularly in the construction sector, is the skill mismatch and labour shortages. To bridge this gap in the construction sector, my ministry and the Construction Industry Authority will work closely with training institutions, technical colleges, and industry stakeholders to develop tailor-made programme that will equip individuals with the skills required in the construction sector. Madam Speaker, with regard to the Road Development Authority, I must point out that since its inception, the RDA has been committed to improving mobility and guiding transport investment in the Republic of Mauritius. My mission is to create a sustainable, resilient, and efficient road network that supports the socio-economic growth of our nation. However, as we face an increasingly unpredictable environment, we must adopt a new dynamic and holistic approach to transport planning. I have noted that up to now, we have spent Rs342.8 million, excluding the cost of land, on constructing cycle lanes, which, unfortunately, are not used and are left in an abandoned state. I consider it to be a waste of public funds. No sensitisation campaign has been carried out, and a blanket policy decision was taken by the previous government to build bicycle lanes on all new roads. Madam Speaker, l’Alliance du Changement promises to do things differently. We will ensure that money is spent where it is most deserved. We are completely reviewing the policy for provision of cycle lanes to ensure that public money is spent diligently and the Mauritian public are able to benefit from these infrastructures. In fact, we will look into several possibilities in collaboration with the Traffic Management and Road Safety and the police.

141 Some proposals being looked include the extension of existing cycle lanes to connect the neighbouring villages and towns to promote more ridership. Furthermore, taking into consideration the rising number of accidents involving motorcycles, there is a growing consensus that the traffic flow of two-wheelers should be segregated from other vehicular traffic in a bid to reduce risk of collision and accidents. Dedicated lanes will be considered for two-wheelers wherever possible. As a real caring government, we will leave no stone unturned in this endeavour. Madam Speaker, I will go directly to the conclusion. Madam Speaker, the future is an ever-shifting landscape, full of both uncertainties and opportunities. Every day we are confronted with new challenges and decisions that shape the path ahead. As we build the bridge to the future, we must remember that it will take time. It will require patience, perseverance and resilience. We, citizens of Mauritius, are the architects of this bridge and it is our responsibility to ensure that it is well built, inclusive and forward-thinking. Madam Speaker, when historians will write of this era, let them say this – ‘When Mauritius faced its darkest hours, its people chose light. They chose justice, they chose to believe once more in democracy, in a new government – the l’Alliance du Changement.’ Our pledge must be that no child will grow in fear, no grandmother will whisper secrets glancing at the walls, no citizen will doubt that their voice matters. Madam Speaker, the future is not a distant dream; it is something we shape. Together we can lay the first stone of that bridge today and continue to build it for generations to come. The future is for us to shape. The bridge to the future is for us to create and it begins now. We are Mauritians, we are resilient, we are free. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. I realise that you all have more interesting things to say, but you will get other occasions to speak. Hon. Minister Duval! (8.43 p.m.)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madame la présidente, permettez-moi d’exprimer l’honneur qui est le mien de prendre la parole pour la première fois en tant que ministre et de surcroît à la tête du ministère qui fut, autrefois, confié à mon père, Sir Gaëtan Duval.

142 Cet honneur est d’autant plus grand, Madame la présidente, que je me tiens aujourd’hui devant vous dans une Chambre qui a retrouvé sa sérénité. Ayant siégé dans cette auguste Assemblée de 2019 à 2024, je peux vous assurer qu’il n’y a aucune comparaison, alors là aucune comparaison, avec le calvaire que nous subissions lorsque nous étions dans l’opposition. La démocratie, fort heureusement, après tant d’injustices, de grossièretés sous le régime Jugnauth, a été réinstaurée. Madame la présidente, je voudrais d’abord féliciter l’honorable Dr. Mme Thannoo pour sa motion. Je saisis l’occasion pour vous féliciter pour votre élection comme présidente de cette Chambre, ainsi que votre adjoint, l’honorable Veda Baloomoody. Je tiens également à saluer et à féliciter tous mes collègues élus, mes camarades de cette équipe gouvernementale. Une équipe dirigée par l’honorable Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam qui, en bon général, a su rassembler des gens de bonne volonté et galvaniser ses troupes pour les mener vers une écrasante victoire au côté de l’infatigable leader du MMM, l’honorable Paul Bérenger. Je n’oublie pas mes amis évidemment de Rezistans ek Alternativ, notamment mon ami, l’honorable Ashok Subron. Mes deux camarades de Nouveaux Démocrates, l’honorable Kushal Lobine et l’honorable Véronique Leu-Govind. Je tiens à dire un grand merci enfin aux habitants de Curepipe/Midlands qui m’ont fait confiance ainsi que mes deux colistiers, l’honorable Michaël Yeung Sik Yuen et mon ami, l’honorable Ajay Gunness. Je rappelle que la circonscription numéro 17 est la seule à avoir trois ministres. Enn ti pe vantar ! Madame la présidente, nous avons assisté le 10 novembre dernier à une révolution pacifique et démocratique. Aucune effusion de sang, aucun affrontement, cette révolution s’est faite avec un simple stylo ! La victoire de 60-0 a entraîné dans son sillage un sentiment de liberté, voire une confiance retrouvée au sein de notre population. Mais les chantiers devant nous restent immenses. Madame la présidente, je veux simplement souligner qu’on n’a jamais été autant en symbiose avec les vœux et les aspirations de notre peuple. Notre gouvernement n’a pas choisi la facilité ; nous avons choisi de faire les choses en respectant la loi. Permettez-moi maintenant de parler de mon ministère dont j’ai la responsabilité. Le tourisme, Madame la présidente, est un pilier essentiel de notre économie. Sa contribution directe et indirecte tournerait, selon les estimations, autour de 21 à 24 % de notre produit

143 intérieur brut. Il faut savoir qu’un emploi sur 10 est directement ou indirectement lié au tourisme. Madame la présidente, comment se porte le secteur ? Si l’on croit à certains chiffres, plutôt bien, mais cela, d’après moi, aurait pu être beaucoup mieux en termes d’arrivée. Je peux dire que nous ne sommes qu’à 97 à 98 % du niveau de 2019. Mais l’ancien gouvernement se targuait de pouvoir retrouver, voire dépasser, ce seuil en avançant les chiffres de 1,4 million de touristes. Quant aux recettes du gross tourism earnings, la Banque de Maurice a publié un chiffre de R 93 milliards pour 2024, mais ce que l’histoire ne dit pas, c’est que ce montant est artificiel, gonflé par la dépréciation de la roupie et de l’inflation à Maurice, comme dans la zone du dollar. Je ne dis pas cela de gaieté de cœur. Comparé à 2019, les recettes touristiques n’ont que légèrement augmenté. Je ne suis pas économiste, mais R 93 milliards avec un dollar à R 47 et l’inflation que nous subissons aujourd’hui valent peut-être moins de R 66 milliards avec un dollar à R 36 dans le contexte économique de 2019. Madame la présidente, je ne peux évoquer le ministère du Tourisme sans parler des scandales qui ont éclaboussé la Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority sous l’ancien régime. C’est du vol, Madame la présidente ! Des centaines de millions de roupies parties en fumée. La liste des malversations, des magouilles est longue. Mais, permettez-moi, Madame la présidente, d’en citer quelques-uns. Tout d’abord, il y a le cas des white parties, Madame la présidente. White parties organisées par Maradiva auxquelles la MTPA a contribué. Et là, je parle de l’édition 2024, à quelques mois des élections générales. Les services de quatre coco girls originaires des pays de l’Est ont été sollicités. Madame la présidente, ces danseuses exotiques ont été présentées comme des journalistes et des influenceuses. Mais qui a payé le déplacement au coût de R 450 000 ? Évidemment, la MTPA, bien sûr ! Autrement dit, l’argent des contribuables ! C’est une véritable honte, Madame la présidente ! Grâce à l’actualité, les photos de ses white parties, ou devrais-je dire des wild parties, ont refait surface avec certains participants pour le moins louches. Après les Pinokio parties, les pool parties et les ‘dounk’ parties, laissez-moi vous parler de l’affaire de Snow Polo que personne ne connaît peut-être.

(Interruptions)

144 C’est un événement annuel en Suisse auquel la MTPA et Maradiva participent conjointement. Concernant l’édition de 2024, l’organisateur a servi une mise en demeure à la MTPA pas plus loin que janvier 2025, il y a quelques semaines, pour des dettes impayées de R 2.8 million plus les intérêts et la TVA. Il s’avère, Madame la présidente, que la MTPA avait réservé un espace et n’a finalement pas participé à l’événement. Plus grave encore, Madame la présidente, c’est qu’après une enquête interne, il a été découvert que l’ancien directeur aurait signé l’accord avec l’organisateur sans l’aval du board et sans la signature du président. Ce n’est pas tout, Madame la présidente. Selon l’enquête, l’ancien directeur a signé l’accord pour le compte de Maradiva et de la MTPA. N’est-ce pas, Madame la présidente, un cas de conflit d’intérêt ? Laissez-moi évoquer encore un autre scandale qui a provoqué un tollé parmi les internautes. Il s’agit de deux supposés gentlemen à la prestigieuse course hippique du Royal Ascot. Enfin ! La MTPA et le Maradiva sont présents à cet évènement de 2016 à 2024. Et il faut dire que cette participation a coûté un total, attendez, Madame la président, de R 8.8 millions à la MTPA, dont R 8.1 millions ont été versées directement à Maradiva – directement à Maradiva. Pire, Madame la présidente, pour contourner toutes les procédures, certains paiements ont été faits à travers le représentant de la MTPA à la Londres. Et je ne serai pas étonné que la MTPA ait financé jusqu’à la redingote et le chapeau haut-de-forme, appelé sapo kankrela, porté par ces deux du jour. Qui sait, peut-être aussi que les sous-vêtements de Ton George aussi ont étaient sponsorisés par… An hon. Member: Dir nom la!

Et ce n’est pas terminé, Madame la présidente, je dois également évoquer l’affaire des cartes de crédit – cartes de crédit mises à la disposition de l’ancien directeur de la MTPA. De 2018 à 2024, ce monsieur, Madame la présidente, aurait dépensé la coquette somme, tenez-vous bien, Madame la présidente, de 14,6 millions en achat personnel – 14,6 millions ! Il a dépensé 528 000 en 2018 ; en 2019, il a dépensé 1,5 ; en 2020, il a dépensé 1,277. Le montant grimpe encore, Madame la présidente, 2 361 000 en 2021 ; 2 798 000 en 2022. Puis cela monte encore, 3 487 000 en 2023. Et, enfin, pour terminer, 2 585 000 en 2024. Et je rappelle à la Chambre, Madame la présidente, que les frontières étaient fermées en grande partie dans les années entre 2020 et 2021.

145

(Interruptions)

Mais, j’insiste, Madame la présidente, que c’est du vol à grande échelle. Ils n’ont eu aucune, alors là, aucune pitié pour les contribuables de notre pays. An hon. Member: Kot li’nn fote !

Je m’arrête là, Madame la présidente, car les dépositions ont été consignées par l’officier in charge de la MTPA auprès de la Financial Crimes Commission et les enquêtes sont en cours. Mais, je peux vous assurez, Madame la présidente, que nous sommes loin d’avoir découvert sur tout ce qui s’est passé à la MTPA. Je profite toutefois de cette occasion, Madame la présidente, pour affirmer haut et fort que cette époque est révolue. La MTPA redeviendra la Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority et non la Maradiva Promotion Authority. J’adresse également une mise en garde claire, nette et ferme que le gouvernement du Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, le Premier ministre de ce pays, sera intransigeant envers ceux qui confondent leur poche avec les fonds publics. Madame la présidente, l’urgence de renforcer notre contrôle sur les opérations des bateaux de plaisance dans nos eaux est plus pressante que jamais. Ces embarcations sont devenues des instruments silencieux du réseau de trafics de drogues, particulièrement le corridor entre Maurice et l’île de la Réunion. Pour faire face à cette situation, nous allons rendre obligatoire l’installation d’un système d’identification automatique, AIS, sur tous les bateaux de plaisance. Ce dispositif permettra un suivi réel des déplacements des embarcations. J’ai eu l’occasion d’avoir une réunion avec le commissaire de police, et j’espère ne pas commettre d’impair en indiquant qu’il était très enthousiaste à l’idée. Nous allons aussi créer des zones de mouillage, dédier un système d’attributions de bouées individuelles. Ce projet permettra une surveillance plus efficace, avec une détection rapide des activités suspectes. Nous ne voulons pas que des bateaux de couleur bleue quittent le nord pour revenir de couleur orange et chargés à ras bord, si vous voyez où je veux en venir. Madame la présidente, je profite de cette opportunité pour annoncer, avec l’aval du Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, du PMO, que nous allons bientôt nous doter d’un système de reconnaissance qu’on appelle Iris Recognition System. Fini les longues attentes à l’aéroport,

146 finies les procédures administratives lourdes à l’immigration. Ces smart gates permettront d’accélérer le passage des visiteurs aux contrôles et soulager le personnel affecté aux différentes procédures aéroportuaires. Et l’installation de ces portiques intelligents n’est pas qu’une simple question d’infrastructure, mais c’est un impératif stratégique pour notre secteur touristique. De plus, Madame la présidente, les cas de vols et d’agressions contre les touristes constituent un véritable fléau qui mine le secteur et porte atteinte à l’image de notre destination. J’ai eu encore l’occasion de parler au commissaire de police et il m’a assuré que le personnel de la police du Tourisme sera renforcé dans un avenir proche. Madame la présidente, le discours-programme met un accent particulier sur l’écotourisme et le tourisme durable. Aujourd’hui, ce n’est pas une option, mais c’est une nécessité, et c’est également ce que souligne le blueprint de 2024 à 2033, élaboré par une mission de conseil de la Banque mondiale. Ce plan directeur, commandité par le ministère du Tourisme, est prêt depuis 2024, Madame la présidente, et je m’étonne que mon prédécesseur, l’ancien ministre, n’ait pas trouvé le temps ou alors n’ait pas jugé utile de le finaliser et de le publier. C’est tout simplement aberrant, Madame la présidente. Le plan directeur 2024-2033 rejoint ma philosophie, qui est le modèle Sea, Sand and Sun, qui a bien servi le pays et qui va continuer à le faire, mais doit, aujourd’hui, être épaulé et soutenu par d’autres concepts. Madame la présidente, aujourd’hui, de plus en plus de touristes privilégient des expériences authentiques, loin des grands complexes hôteliers. Ils veulent rencontrer des Mauriciens, découvrir des facettes de notre culture et de notre histoire, et vivre une expérience immersive. Tant mieux, Madame la présidente, car, quel autre pays au monde, malgré sa petite taille, peut se vanter d’être un véritable carrefour de cultures, de religions, de traditions et de gastronomies ? Nous devons nous adapter à cette nouvelle réalité, et c’est pourquoi, Madame la présidente, notre nouvelle stratégie mettra l’accent sur le tourisme intérieur. Nous allons aussi, ensemble avec le ministre des Arts et de la Culture, valoriser l’identité culturelle et le patrimoine unique de l’île Maurice et, en parallèle, cela va créer des nouvelles opportunités pour les petites entreprises locales et contribuer à une véritable démocratisation de notre économie. Madame la présidente, notre stratégie de développement touristique s’orientera vers plusieurs segments prometteurs, notamment le tourisme de santé et de bien-être, le tourisme

147 culturel, patrimonial, enrichi par la création des circuits thématiques, le tourisme sportif, le tourisme médical, le tourisme communautaire favorisant la participation active des habitants. Le secteur Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) représente un potentiel considérable pour les marchés accessibles et c’est à travers ça et avec l’émergence du dynamique et de l’économie africaine et la montée en puissance de ces grandes entreprises que ce sera une opportunité stratégique qui s’offre à l’île Maurice. Nous sommes idéalement positionnés à seulement quatre à six heures de vol pour attirer les Africains en pleine expansion et leur proposer une destination d’excellence pour leurs événements professionnels. Madame la présidente, le discours-programme met à juste valeur l’accent sur un tourisme durable, plus inclusif, participatif, grâce à un engagement accru et davantage d’initiatives communautaires. Aujourd’hui les voyageurs ne se contentent plus des plages paradisiaques. Ils jugent une destination selon les critères environnementaux éthiques et ce profil des voyageurs écoresponsables est en constante augmentation et il pourrait représenter 40 à 50 % des visiteurs d’ici 2050. Ignorer ces évolutions, Madame la présidente, c’est condamner notre industrie touristique…

Time is up!

I am finishing. I am trying. Nous allons obtenir la certification de prime…

Il faut garder un peu. M. le ministre, excusez-moi ? Je suis sûre que vous avez encore de choses intéressantes à dire…

Trop beaucoup !

Mais il faudra trouver d’autres occasions pour nous le dire.

Définitivement. Je vais probablement passer près de la conclusion, Madame la présidente. Et en vous disant que c’est autant plus crucial que l’Europe, notre principal marché, traverse actuellement des difficultés économiques susceptibles de faire augmenter le coût des voyages. L’Allemagne, par exemple, est frappée par une récession alors que la France vient tout juste, à partir du 1ᵉʳ mars, d’augmenter la taxe sur les billets

148 d’avion. Nous devrons diversifier nos marchés et étendre notre connectivité aérienne vers des nouvelles destinations. Et autre chose, un autre défi majeur, c’est la basse saison. C’est l’une de mes principales préoccupations depuis mon arrivée au ministère. C’est pour cette raison que j’ai confié ce dossier au junior minister, l’honorable Sydney Pierre, afin qu’ensemble avec les partenaires, nous puissions prendre des mesures appropriées pour la période creuse de mai à septembre. Madame la présidente, vite fait, je vais parler de l’École Hôtelière Sir Gaëtan Duval…

M. le ministre, excusez-moi ?

J’ai fini, okay. Je conclus, Madame…

Non, rien ne vous empêche de venir la prochaine fois avec un statement.

Oui, certainement Madame. Je conclus alors. Le travail commencé, nous sommes en train de revoir notre stratégie de marketing, de revitaliser l’identité de Maurice, de cibler les segments spécifiques tels que les amateurs de nature et explorateur culturel, d’attirer davantage de profils de voyageurs. Et, Madame la présidente, le secteur du tourisme fait aujourd’hui face à une terrible compétition. Pour survivre, nous devrons arriver à vendre notre pays comme une destination de premier plan attractive et compétitive. Une destination d’excellence et ça, c’est ma vision et c’est à quoi je m’attelle depuis mon arrivée à ce ministère, mais aucun ministre du Tourisme ne peut atteindre de tels objectifs, seul. Pour y arriver, il faut la coopération et la collaboration de tous, c’est-à-dire des acteurs du secteur et de la population. Ensemble, Madame, relevons le défi. Vive l’île Maurice ! Vive la République ! Je vous remercie.

Hon. Minister! Please keep an eye. (9.07 p.m.) The Minister of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity (Mr A. Subron): Madam Speaker, I am speaking in front of you because, as rightly stated in the opening sentence of the Presidential Address, the people have spoken. Indeed, I am here as a

149 Member of the National Assembly and Minister of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity because of the votes of the people of Mauritius, including the people of my constituency, Port Louis North and Montagne Longue. So, my whole-hearted thanks go first and foremost to the esteemed and enlightened people of Mauritius, from villages to towns all around Mauritius. Then my special thanks go to the women, men, workers, poor people, small-scale producers, traders, and pensioners of Constituency No. 4, from Ste Croix to Congomah, from Montagne Longue to Cité la Cure, from Vallée des Prêtres to Notre Dame, from Terre Rouge to Les Mariannes, from Riche Terre to Crève Coeur, from Bois Marchand to Ti Rodrigues, and all other regions. I finally wish to thank hon. Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister, and hon. Paul Bérenger, Deputy Prime Minister, for having proposed to me to stand as a candidate in Constituency No. 4, which is a perfect snapshot of Mauritius with its rural and urban characteristics. The people on No. 4 are now part of my life and family, as are the workers, the poor, and the citizens of Mauritius. Madam Speaker, I am here standing in this prestigious House because the people of Mauritius overwhelmingly voted for the Alliance du Changement, in which my party, Rezistans ek Alternativ, is the humble partner together with the Labour Party, the Mouvement Militant Mauricien, and the Nouveaux Démocrates. It is worth detailing for Members of this Assembly, for the people of Mauritius, and for the record of history the genesis of the Alliance du Changement and the present Presidential Address being debated by this Assembly, where fundamental constitutional changes are at its core. It was in August 2022 when Rezistans ek Alternativ considered a red line was crossed with the mafiosisation, an autocratic characteristic of the previous regime that started to unveil with the Kistnen assassination, that our party called for the unification of all parliamentary and all extra-parliamentary forces to form an electoral front to change the previous government and elect a new transition government to bring both regime change and system change. When the mafiosisation expanded in wider tentacles with the sniffing episode of Baie-Jacotet and the planting operations against political opponents of the regime, we intensified our initiative. Then follows a conversation process of nearly one and a half years with Rezistans ek Alternativ meetings, all Opposition forces for the establishment of the common front and the transition government to bring in constitutional changes.

150 Subsequently, a constitutional conference was organised by Rezistans ek Alternativ on 31 March 2024, in which almost all the opposition parties participated. A consensus towards constitutional reform to decolonise and mauritianise the Constitution emerged. Afterwards, some extra-parliamentary forces decided to pursue separate pathways in the coming elections, opting instead for a three- or four-cornered electoral fight. Rezistans ek Alternativ did not share this view, given that we firmly believe that it would matter and make a difference for the people of Mauritius if the MSM regime were not returned to power. The mafiosisation and institutional crisis that developed should be stopped. Secondly, our party was of the view that to enable system change, a three-quarter majority would be needed in the National Assembly. Rezistans ek Alternativ continued the unification process, and amidst the electoral heat-up, the Leader of the Labour Party, now the present Prime Minister, called for a meeting with him and the Leader of the MMM, now Deputy Prime Minister, after the PMSD separated from the PTr/MMM/PMSD Alliance. From this point onwards, some ten meetings were held at Riverwalk. The core of the constitutional reform in the present Government Programme stems from these fruitful deliberations between the Labour Party led by the hon. Prime Minister, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, the MMM led by the Deputy Prime Minister, hon. Paul Bérenger; and Rezistans ek Alternativ team, and ultimately led by its teams of spokespersons. The core of the present Government Programme is a product of, and at the same time, complimentary to the electoral agreement of PTr-MMM-MD-ReA, signed on 13 September 2024, and the electoral manifesto rendered public on 29 October 2024. Madam Speaker, the last election will be one to be remembered in history. The mafiosation, authoritarianism, and even fascistic characteristics of the previous regime were exposed, vindicated, and confirmed during the last two weeks of the electoral campaign by Missie Moustass Leaks and the Facebook social media ban. The people then decided to act like vigilantes of the electoral processes. They supervised the ballot box process and organised a massive vigilante in front of the polling stations. They organised their pens and scrupulously scrutinised the whole electoral process. The people of Mauritius not only ejected the previous government but also said never again and charted the destiny of a new Mauritius. I must stress that never in the history of Mauritius have such extensive constitutional reforms programmes obtained such an overwhelming and absolute democratic mandate from

151 the people of this country. Indeed, the opening chapter of the Presidential Address says, I quote – “Government has received a clear and overwhelming mandate for a drastic change of course (…). The very first mission of Government is to reconstruct our democracy, restore good governance and implement constitutional reforms.” The 10th of November 2024 and the unfolding new period are indeed defining a pivotal moment in the history of our country. What we do or do not do now will have consequences far beyond the coming five years. We are at the end of several interlinked short- and long- term time cycles, both in relation to Mauritius's socio-politics and in relation to the history of humanity, the life of species, and the planet itself. The 2024 General Elections marked the end of Jugnauth’s regime of a 10-year cycle. The year 2024 marked the end of the post- independence cycle. The operating system inherited at the time of independence, the Constitution, has made its time, and now needs to be reviewed. In terms of human society history, we are now facing a crisis of this so-called civilisation itself. An existential crisis never known in the history of humankind. A long millennial cycle is ending, and another one is yet to be born. In terms of biological time, the time of life of living species on earth, we are amid the sixth extinction crisis, threatening various species and many forms of life on the planet. A cycle of millions of years is ending. In terms of geological time, we were in the middle of fundamental change in the time of the earth system whereby planet Earth itself is in crisis, in a state of fundamental change due to the climate and crisis of crossing of the limit of ecological boundaries. According to many scientists, Earth is dangerously moving from the stable Holocene epoch to enter into a new unstable and crisis-ridden epoch, which has now been coined the Anthropocene. Any person who will look back to Mauritius after 50 years will definitely realise that this country was at a historical, decisive, and defining moment of socio-ecological change in 2025 after the people have spoken and elected a new government in 2024. This defining moment will mark a significant forward leap in history with the major shift in societal norms, structures, or behaviours driven by the present political actions that we will be taking by adopting the Presidential Address and hon. Dr. Ms Babita Thannoo’s motion. The Constitutional Reform Agenda proposed by this Government Programme aimed at, inter alia, an interrelated socio-ecological and democratic transformation.

152 The Government Programme proposes to recognise the right of every citizen to stand as a candidate in elections as citizens without any compulsory community classification. The Government Programme carries a panoply of democratic reforms, from the introduction of the right of recall, an electoral reform with a dose of proportional representation to ensure more equitable political and ideological streams, to ensuring better gender representation in the National Assembly. The Government Programme will guarantee local elections within the Constitution. The Government Programme proposes to enshrine the right of nature coupled with public interest litigation and class action judicial concepts within the Constitution, making Mauritius a vanguard country in terms of socio-ecological sustainability. The Government Programme will enshrine social, economic, and cultural rights as recognised by the United Nations within the Constitution. Thus, promoting a socio-economic rights-based society, offering additional constitutional protection against social discrimination in terms of housing, education, health care access, employment, and social security, as well as languages and cultures. The Government Programme aims at consolidating section 16 of the Constitution by adding new categories of people to be protected, for example, to protect people with disabilities. The proposition of enshrining the values of peace, justice, and liberty within section 1 of the Constitution marks a qualitative elevation of the fundamental core values of the republic and its people. The Government Programme recognises the digital time we are in and proposes to integrate digital rights and protections of citizens against any form of surveillance by the State or corporate entities. Again, placing Mauritius among the pioneers in this domain. The institution of a new Constitutional Appointment Committee would ensure more independence of our institutions. To top it all is the creation of a Constitutional Division of the Supreme Court. Madam Speaker, the constitutional reforms will create a new set of socio-ecological and democratic boundaries when compounded with the restoration of civil and political rights and will redefine the boundaries within which social organisation, the new economy, and the new social order will be organised. I think this precision is of key importance. The hoarse immediate Constitutional change in the pipeline is the concretisation of the signed electoral agreement between the Labour Party-MMM-ND and Rezistans ek Alternativ. It aims, I quote –

153 « … [at recognising] le droit aux citoyens de la République de se présenter aux élections comme tels sans aucune obligation faite à ces derniers/dernières de se classifier de façon communale. L’Alliance du Changement s’engage ainsi dans les premiers six mois au pouvoir à rendre permanent le mini-amendement constitutionnel temporaire de 2014 ayant permis aux candidats de ne pas se classifier. Ceci en attendant la proposition de réforme électorale en bonne et due forme que présentera l’Alliance du Changement. En ce faisant, l’État mauricien sera conforme à l’avis du Comité des droits humains des Nations unies sur la question. » The Government Programme consolidates this agreement and proposes that to promote national unity and nation building, constitutional amendments will be brought to remove the mandatory declaration of community affiliation, thus allowing candidates to stand for the National Assembly Elections without being required to make any declaration as to their community. By so doing, the government will ensure that all citizens have the right to stand as candidates for elections even if they do not wish to declare their community affiliation. This fundamental amendment to come is beyond electoral systems and the rights of citizens to stand as candidates. It is the product of long historical struggles fought by generations on this issue, but, more fundamentally, it is at the heart of the making of every child born on this land and every Mauritian. The mini amendment proposed to be translated in the next two months will be the litmus test of the whole constitutional reform programme of our Government as it will act as the launching pad of the major constitutional reform programme. I am sure the Office of the hon. Attorney General will work hard and present shortly to the Cabinet and the Government an updated version of the 2014 mini amendment. Our country, Mauritius, we must always remember, is one of the latest-born nations on planet earth. We are both a nation of immigrants who brought the richness of their traditions, cultures, and beliefs, and a product of colonisation, the slavery system, and bondage labour. What we are today, through our living together, through our harsh but rich history, through our struggles against oppression in colonial and post-colonial Mauritius, and through our moments of joy and tragedy, make us whole. All these features define us; our common history has forged and shaped our multiple and indivisible identity. It has shaped our most precious common dynamics, our Mauritianism. We are one and all; we are all and one. Our nation-building process, our multiple and indivisible identities, and our Mauritianism emerged at a very early stage when the first child was born on this land during

154 Dutch colonisation. He was named Simon Van der Stel, born from the marriage of the then Dutch governor and his slave-originated wife. The first Mauritian society was born in 1710 when the Dutch left Mauritius, and before French colonisers came in 1721. From this moment on, for 300 years, our common destiny has been harsh and painful but a rich one too. For example, from the cultural genocide which the slavery system represented were born, from the children of the time, our common mother tongue, our Creole language now spoken by more than 95% of the population. Social bonds were built through struggles against oppression in 1937 and 1943, during independence time, and in the workers' and youth struggles of the 70s. During colonial times, with neighbourhood solidarity in villages and urban areas, we faced common poverty and shared a little of what we had. We understood the lives and the reality of the people of the same social class with our diversities. In moments of joy like the Jeux des îles de l'océan Indien or whenever our fellow Mauritians are abroad, we can feel our Mauritianism within our bodies. In moments of tragedies such as the flash floods of Canal Dayot of 2013 or, more recently, during the ecological tragedy of Wakashio in 2020, our Mauritianism erupted in Mahébourg and the whole of the country. It was the same Mauritianism which erupted during the recent elections. So, it is the duty of all of us to bring in this first constitutional amendment and pave the way for the great leap of fundamental constitutional transformation our nation and the new generation aspire to. I had a whole section on social security; I will follow your advice, I will skip it and have a statement later in the Assembly, and I will conclude.

Yes, thank you.

Madam Speaker, let me conclude by this quotation – “There are decades where nothing happens and there are months where decades happen.” We are exactly in this situation, when history is being accelerated. The Government Programme has captured the profound aspiration of the people. This Government led by three parties: the Labour Party, the MMM and Rezistans ek Alternative which originate from emancipation and enlightenment have the historical mission and cannot afford to fail. We will fulfil our duty with our partner of the Nouveaux Démocrates. Indeed, some conservative forces, some economically powerful forces, the usual profiters, and the cronies will try to block the great leap forward agenda of the Government Programme, but then, it is our duty to

155 remind them that the people have indeed spoken on 10 November 2024 in their pacific printemps mauricien. Change and transformation are conscious acts for the betterment of the many. For life systems of our habitat, for our commons, but change always shakes the privilege of a few. To those forces, I would simply repeat and say a slogan used by the Prime Minister, Dr. the hon. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, in 2010 – ‘pa grat ledo maler’. Let me also say, the forces who tried to block the sociopolitical emancipation have all failed, from the abolition of slavery to independence time. Madam Speaker, my party is proud to be part of the long historical transformative journey towards the socioecological and systemic transformation of Mauritius. Madam Speaker, allow me to raise my fist there to say let Mauritian be Mauritian forever, with our multiple and indivisible identity. Dan mwa ena tou. Viv nou morisianism ! Viv mama later !

Thank you so much for respecting the time. Yes, hon. Minister!

Madam Speaker, I beg to move for the adjournment of the debates. Dr. Boolell rose and seconded. Question put and agreed to. Debate adjourned accordingly.

Hon. Prime Minister! ADJOURNMENT

Madam Speaker, I beg to move that this Assembly do now adjourn to Friday 07 March 2025 at 3.00 p.m. The Deputy Prime Minister rose and seconded. Question put and agreed to.

The House stands adjourned! Adjournment time! Yes, one! I will allow one. MATTER RAISED (9.31 p.m.)

156 DRUG PROLIFERATION – FOREIGN EXPERTISE Mr R. Jhummun (Second Member for Riviere des Anguilles & Souillac): My question is addressed to the hon. Prime Minister. Given the proliferation of drugs over the last ten years like never before, I am afraid to say that if we do not act firmly and forcefully, the situation may become irreversible. With all due respect to our police service, without undermining the police service, I would like to ask the hon. Prime Minister whether the Government is contemplating having foreign expertise to assist us in our fight against drugs and drug trafficking. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, yes. Thank you for reminding us; we all know what the problem with drugs is. We are renaming what was NATReSA, as you know; we will have like a czar in the person of Mr Sam Lauthan, who knows how to deal with these, but we will also have expert advice from abroad. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you everybody. At 9.32 p.m., the Assembly was, on its rising, adjourned to Friday 07 March 2025 at 3.00 p.m. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS MAURITIAN CITIZENSHIP – ALLOCATION – JAN 2015-NOV 2024