First Reading On motion made and seconded, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill (No. XXII of 2025) was read a first time. Second Reading THE CIVIL APPEAL BILL (NO. XXI OF 2025) Order for Second Reading read. (3.54 p.m.) The Attorney General (Mr G.P.C. Glover, SC): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Civil Appeal Bill No.XX1 of 2025 be read a second time. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill forms part of our ongoing effort to modernise the justice system, to make our laws simpler, clearer and more coherent. Following the Criminal Appeal and Criminal Review Act which streamlined criminal procedures earlier this year, this Bill now does the same for civil cases. The Bill may look small if one stops at the number of pages it covers, however a closer and more informed look at its provisions reveal that this Bill is part of a bigger picture. It is part of the long and important process of rebuilding the system to make the processes simpler and less burdensome. We are still in the throes of addressing all the issues that need to be looked into to provide a better and more efficient system of justice. At present, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the rules governing civil appeals are dispersed across several statutes, namely the Court of Civil Appeal Act, the Courts Act and the District and Intermediate Courts (Civil Jurisdiction) Act amongst others. Each has developed separately resulting in inconsistencies, overlapping provisions and uncertainty for litigants. The result also been confusion, procedural disputes and unnecessary delay. This Bill remedies the situation: it consolidates all civil appeal procedures into one coherent framework replacing outdated enactments and standardising the rules that apply when an appeal is made. First, to the Court of Civil Appeal from the final decision of the Supreme Court in its original jurisdiction or second to the Supreme Court in its appellate jurisdiction from the final decision of a subordinate court such as District Court, the Intermediate Court, the Industrial Court, the Master and Registrar, the Judge in Chambers or a Statutory Tribunal. Henceforth, all such appeals will follow the same process from start to finish. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me briefly guide the House through the principal provisions of this Bill. Clauses 6 and 13 provide for a uniform procedure for the lodging and prosecution of appeals. Whichever court the appeals lies to, the Court of Civil Appeal or the Supreme Court, the same steps, time limits and forms will apply. Clauses 9 and 15 empower both the Court of Civil Appeal and the Supreme Court in its appellate jurisdiction to determine questions of law referred to them by subordinate courts. This will allow for timely clarification of legal points that would otherwise create uncertainty at lower-levels. Clauses 18 introduces more realistic time limits for the filing of skeleton arguments and submissions, appellants will now have to file their written submissions 30 days before the hearing rather than 45 days whilst respondents will file theirs 15 days before rather than 30. These adjustments reflect the experience of both practitioners and Judges and will make scheduling and deliberations more efficient. Clauses 19 to 23 harmonise the powers of both appellate courts. Previously, Court of Civil Appeal and the Supreme Court did not enjoy the same authority when determining civil appeals. A technical anomaly that this Bill now removes. Clause 3 introduces a simple but important safeguard. Every Court, immediately after giving judgement, must notify each party in writing of their right to appeal. This ensures that access to justice is not hindered by a lack of information, especially for litigants without legal representation. Clause 29 provides for consequential amendments to six statutes – • The Courts Act; • The District and Intermediate Courts (Civil Jurisdiction) Act; • The Environment and Land Use Appeal Tribunal Act; • The Equal Opportunities Act; • The Industrial Court Act, and • The Sale of Immovable Property Act. The Court of Civil Appeal and its 1965 rules are repealed entirely, making this Bill the sole reference for civil appeals. However, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will be proposing amendments at Committee Stage to this clause 29 of the Bill, more specifically to amend the Court of Rodrigues Jurisdiction Act and the new Revenue Tribunal Act, so as to align their procedures with this new legislation. Together, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, these clauses establish a single, predictable system that applies uniformly across all levels of the judiciary. Civil appeals will henceforth be simpler, quicker and less prone to procedural disputes. This will also reduce the burden on the Courts by discouraging points of law being raised on unclear or overlapping provisions. The preparation of this Bill, I must stress, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, has benefitted from close consultation between my office, the Chief Justice and the Judges of the Supreme Court. It reflects their experience in the daily administration of appeals and their support for the creation of a unified and rational structure. This reform also sits within the wider context of judicial and legal reform already underway. In recent months, Parliament has enacted the Revenue Tribunal Act, the Legal Aid and Legal Assistance Act and the Criminal Appeal and Review Act. Each of these Bills, now enacted, have aimed at simplifying access to justice and restoring coherence to our legal framework. This Civil Appeal Bill now furthers this goal for civil matters. The Government is working to implement the various necessary changes for these different statutes just referred to, to all, be proclaimed and enforced as from the 01 January 2026. Again, proposing uniformity and clarity for all these changes. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, codification arises from the need to transform scattered inconsistent rules into a single, rational body of law. From the Code Civil des Français of 1804 to the Field Code in the 19th century of America, codifiers sought not only to compile existing laws but to impose coherence upon them, to replace fragmented statutes and judicial customs with a systematic and accessible structure. Historically, such efforts emerge when legal systems mature to a point where accumulation breeds confusion. The aim is twofold; compilation by gathering dispersed provisions into one reference text and rationalisation by simplifying, harmonising and removing contradictions. In modern procedural law, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, codification reflects the same spirit: efficiency through clarity. By standardising appeal routes and timelines, a codified regime ensures equal treatment, predictability and ease of application. Ce n’est donc pas juste pour faire joli, mais plutôt la poursuite d’un idéal issu du siècle des lumières, que la loi soit claire, connue et compréhensible pour tous. In practice, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, these are not abstract measures. They affect real cases, real people and real time saved in the delivery of judgements. The ultimate aim is to make the law not only fair in principle but fair and efficient in operation. This is thus a practical reform, the product of broad consultation, careful drafting and will obviously strengthen the administration of justice, bring clarity to practitioners and litigants alike and reinforce public confidence in our Courts. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I therefore commend this Bill to the House. Mr Pentiah rose and seconded.

Hon. Seeburn! (4.03 p.m.) Mr M. Seeburn (Second Member for Vieux Grand Port & Rose Belle): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise today not as a humble backbencher but as a firm believer in the continuing evolution of our justice system. Just a few weeks ago, this Assembly came together to pass the Criminal Appeal Bill, a decisive piece of legislation that marked a watershed in the rationalisation of our criminal appeal process. It was an act of legislative courage, one that put consistency above complexity and the citizens above bureaucracy and today, we are called upon to act again, to complete the other half of that equation through this Civil Appeal Bill which seeks to consolidate what has too long remained fragmented and unclear. For years now, civil appeals have been governed by a patchwork of statutes scattered across multiple pieces of legislation, resulting in uncertainty, delay and confusion. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I therefore rise in support of the Civil Appeal Bill that will be cited as the Civil Appeal Act 2025, which is a reaffirmation of our rule of law. The Bill comes with a view to bring clarity, certainty and uniformity in this area of the law. The Bill will simplify and standardise the procedures for all appeals in civil matters under one deliberate and thoughtful consolidated legislation that will govern all civil appeal cases at all levels of our judiciary. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, under the current system, the civil appeals are governed by a scattered set of legislations, including – • the Court of Civil Appeal Act; • the Court of Civil Appeal Rules 1965; • the Courts Act; • the District and Intermediate Court (Civil Jurisdiction) Act; • the Environment and Land Use Appeal Tribunal Act; • the Equal Opportunities Act; • the Industrial Court, and • the Sale of Immovable Property Act. This causes great uncertainty as the Attorney General earlier said. Thus, the Courts are operating under different routes of appeal and this has lead the people – especially the vulnerable ones – and the lay persons who wish to challenge the decision of the Court of first instance, often confused and disempowered. This lack of uniformity risks undermining the very principles upon which our justice system is built, including fairness, accessibility and equal treatment under the law. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill is a transformative step forward of how justice is administered in our country. The Bill unifies the appeal rights of all appeal cases in civil matters that are from the final decision of the Supreme Court in the exercise of its original and appellate jurisdiction and also from the final decision of the District Court, Intermediate Court, Industrial Court, the Master and Registrar, the Judge in Chambers or a Statutory Tribunal. In so doing, the Bill will strengthen legal certainty and will protect the rights of all parties involved in civil litigation and civil proceedings. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Bill clearly imposes an obligation on any Court after it gives judgement in a civil matter, to immediately notify any party to the case of his right to appeal. Part I of the Bill deals with the preliminary matters, including the Short Title, Interpretation, Notification of the Right to Appeal. Part II of the Bill outlines the composition, the jurisdiction and the powers of the Court of Civil Appeal and further outlines the procedures, the proceedings and the notice required to resist appeal before the Court of Civil Appeal. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, a legal system should not only require a map to navigate; it should be a road clearly sign posted, opened to all who seek redress. Under clause 4 of the Bill which provides that an appeal before the Supreme Court shall be heard by at least 2 Judges, and further provides that the Chief Justice may, upon receipt of an application, direct more than 2 Judges to hear the appeal having regard to the magnitude of the interests at stake or the importance or intricacy of the questions of law and the importance of facts involved. Section 5 of the Bill provides that the Court of Civil Appeal shall have unlimited jurisdiction and powers to hear and determine appeals in civil matters against the final decision of the Supreme Court. Sections 6, 7 and 8 of the Bill deal with the procedures, leave required to appeal and the notice to resist appeal to the Court of Civil Appeal. Section 9 of the Bill provides that when a question of law arises at the hearing of any civil matter and where the matter is referred to the Supreme Court upon application by any party, where it is so determined, the Court will adjourn the matter until such question has been determined by the Supreme Court. Section 10 of the Bill provides that the Supreme Court shall state the circumstances in which such question arose and direct such statement under Section 9 to be entered upon the record for the opinion of the Court of Civil Appeal. Sections 11 and 12 of the Bill deal with the composition, jurisdiction and unlimited powers of the Supreme Court to hear and determine appeal in civil matters against the final decision of the subordinate court. Section 13 of the Bill provides that a person who intends to appeal from the final decision of the Supreme Court shall, within 21 days after the date of the final decision of the subordinate court, give a written notice of appeal to the Clerk and shall, after service the notice, lodge the appeal within 14 days with the Registry of the Supreme Court. Section 14 of the Bill provides that a party may resist the appeal within 28 days upon whom a notice is served, failing which that party may be deemed to have elected not to resist the appeal. Sections 15 and 16 of the Bill make provision for the Supreme Court to postpone and determine any question of law referred by any party while hearing any civil matter by the subordinate courts. Sections 17 and 18 of the Bill deal with the stay of proceedings, service of skeleton arguments and submissions on the grounds of appeal. Sections 19 and 20 of the Bill provide the general powers of the Appellate Court on the civil appeal to reverse, amend and alter the decision of the subordinate court or order a new trial before a constituted bench. Sections 21 and 22 of the Bill provide for the Appellate Court to deal with the issue of immaterial errors and frivolous appeals. Under Section 23, the Appellate Court is empowered to make such order as the case may require. Section 24 of the Bill provides the general powers of the Appellate Court in determining the question of law referred by a party within 6 months and for the subordinate court thereafter to give its final decision within 3 months. Sections 25 and 26 of the Bill make provisions to deal with the application for the extension of time and the costs of appeal. The Bill further makes provision for the Chief Justice, under 27 of the Bill, to make such rules as may be necessary. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Section 28 of the Bill makes provision to repeal the Court of Civil Appeal Act 1954 and further revokes the Court of Civil Appeal Rules 1965. Section 30 of the Bill makes provision for a fair application of the Bill so as not to disrupt the current ongoing appeal matters. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in summary, this Bill, before us today, consolidates all existing civil appeal provisions into a coherent piece of legislation. It clarifies the grounds and timelines for civil appeal across all courts and further reinforces judiciary efficiency and legal predictability. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in fact, any person who cannot easily understand their right to appeal or when the process to seek redress is unnecessarily complex or inconsistent, it is the integrity of our entire justice system that is called into question. Complexity and inconsistency outcome cause delays and uncertainty, not only for the appellants and respondents, but also for the law professionals. It is unacceptable that in matters of such gravity, where the rights of our people are at stake, our justice system would tolerate ambiguity in the process. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Bill ensures that once a final decision has been delivered by the Supreme Court or the subordinate court, the parties will have a clearly defined legally consistent pathway for appeal that will ensure confidence and fairness. The Bill further reinforces the constitutional rights of individuals under Section 10 of our Constitution which guarantees a fair trial. The Bill supports the independence of the judiciary by offering a clear and predictable framework for civil appeal and further protects the most vulnerable ones. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Bill also reflects our international obligations under human rights instruments to which Mauritius is a party, including International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to simplify legislation for fair trials. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to draw the attention of this august Assembly to the inspiring words of the hon. Chief Justice of India, Shri Ramkrishna Gavai, who, recently in Mauritius, during the Sir Maurice Rault Memorial Lecture on The Rule of Law in the Largest Democracy, and in the presence of a historical gathering of legal professionals and high officials. He reminded the world that the rule of law is not a mechanical formula, but a moral and ethical compass that upholds equality, dignity and fairness that guides our courts and every organ of the State, and further emphasised that in a democracy, law must serve justice and every statute must pass the test of fairness and constitutional morality. Hence, the Bill does that. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the judiciary, as we know, is a cornerstone of our democratic society. By simplifying civil appeals, we are reducing unnecessary delays, we are alleviating the burden of our courts and we are ensuring that judicial time and resources are focused on the substance of justice. When I voted for the Criminal Appeal Bill a few weeks ago, I did so because I believe in creating a justice system that speaks one language, not several dialects. It would be inconsistent and irresponsible for us, as lawmakers, to reform one arm of justice and neglect the other. Today, this House is being asked not only to pass the legislation, but rather to reshape the very system of justice for our country. We are being asked to bring clarity in an area of law that is complex and confusing for our system and for our people. We are being asked to ensure that the pathway to justice is a clear road that is accessible to all, regardless of status, age or means. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, before I conclude, I would like to thank the hon. Attorney General who, with his team, is leaving no stone unturned to reshape our justice system. We are grateful to have his continued contribution to reinforce our rule of law. This will go down in the history of Mauritius for many more years to come. By coming forward with this progressive piece of legislation, it will reshape our civil appeal cases, thus increasing public confidence in our institutions. I, therefore, urge all Members of this House to come together in support of this Bill as custodians of justice and servants of the people and deliver a framework that will serve all the people of Mauritius. We are sending a strong message to the people out there, that we believe in a justice system that is transparent, fair and equal for all. As the great Mahatma Gandhi says – “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Let us vote, not just with our voices, but with our vision for a more just Mauritius. With these words, I commend the Bill to the House. Thank you.

Hon. Attorney General! (4.16 p.m.)

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me close this short, but interesting debate by saying that this Bill is, of course, a necessary piece of the puzzle we are slowly and painstakingly building to provide a better and more efficient justice system sooner than later. The next step will be the amendments to be brought to the Courts Act to simplify and streamline – the procedure for judicial review. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am done. Thank you.

You commend the Bill to the House?

That stands to reason, yes! Question put and agreed to. Bill read a second time and committed. COMMITTEE STAGE (Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair) THE CIVIL APPEAL BILL (NO. XXI OF 2025) Clauses 1 to 28 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 29 (Consequential amendments) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Mr Chairperson, I move for the following amendment to clause 29 – “in clause 29 – (a) by inserting, after subclause (1), the following new subclause – (1A) The Court of Rodrigues Jurisdiction Act is amended by repealing section 11 and replacing it by the following section – 11. Appeal to Supreme Court (1) An appeal to the Supreme Court shall, subject to subsection (2), be governed by the Civil Appeal Act 2025. (2) The time for prosecuting an appeal before the Supreme Court from the final decision of the Magistrate for Rodrigues shall, notwithstanding the 7-day period specified in section 13(5) of the Civil Appeal Act 2025, be 28 days from the day of lodging the appeal in the Registry of the Supreme Court. (b) by inserting, after subclause (5), the following new subclause – (5A) The Revenue Tribunal Act 2025 is amended by repealing section 11 and replacing it by the following section – 11. Appeal to Supreme Court (1) An aggrieved party who intends to appeal to the Supreme Court shall, not later than 21 days after the date of the final decision of the Tribunal, give written notice of appeal to the Secretary to the Tribunal. (2) An appeal under this section shall be prosecuted in accordance with the Civil Appeal Act 2025. (3) Notwithstanding an appeal under this section but subject to subsection (4), any tax to be paid or refunded shall be paid or refunded in accordance with the decision of the Tribunal, as the case may be. (4) Where an appeal under this section is lodged against the determination of the Tribunal relating to a claim under section 28(3F) of the Land (Duties and Taxes) Act, payment of the tax due under section 28(4A)(a)(ii) of that Act shall be withheld pending final determination of the matter.” Amendment agreed to. Clause 29, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 30 and 31 ordered to stand part of the Bill. The title and enacting clause were agreed to. The Bill, as amended, was agreed to. On the Assembly resuming with Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair, Mr Deputy Speaker reported accordingly. Third Reading On motion made and seconded, the Civil Appeal Bill (No. XXI of 2025) was read a third time and passed.

I suspend the Sitting for half an hour! At 4.21 p.m., the Sitting was suspended. On resuming at 5.08 p.m. with Madam Speaker in the Chair. Second Reading THE ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND INNOVATION BILL (No. XXII of 2025) Order for Second Reading read

Yes, hon. Minister. (5.09 p.m.)

Madam Speaker, I move that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill (No. XXII of 2025) be read a second time. Madam Speaker, …

Yes, please.

Madam Speaker, and I quote –

One moment, I missed that. You are trying to get my attention, right?

Yes.

But I am all ears but not eyes.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I quote – “A democratically elected government cannot escape its mandated responsibility to give the lead in building the nation, transforming the society and bettering the lives of the people. Neither can anybody demand of that they step back from these responsibilities.” Madam Speaker, this was addressed by Nelson Mandela at the National Civil Society Conference dated 24 April 2001. Madam Speaker, this government has a clear vision. This government is committed. This government stands head up to face its responsibilities. In the face of dire circumstances and extreme demands, this government stands faithful towards building a strong nation to face the challenges of tomorrow and honour its mandated responsibility. From day one, when the Government Programme – A Bridge to The Future – was presented to the nation, it was in effect, a clear commitment to ensure that Public Officers, delivering public service to the people of our country, are empowered to exercise leadership, competence, efficiency and professionalism in delivering services to each and every public service user with respect and dignity. The government is fully aware that the public service lies at the heart of economic development, welfare and innovation. In its programme, the government has undertaken to put quality service at the very centre of public sector transformation. The clear object set out is to restore trust and respect in our public sector institutions in as much as for the past decade our nation has witnessed severe erosion of values, ethics and good governance principles and practices. Madam Speaker, once again, I quote – “Government is committed to bringing the Public Service to new heights of efficiency and effectiveness, centred around the evolving needs of our citizens and one which is responsive to societal aspirations of the nation while providing necessary support and training to its staff.” – Paragraph 68 of the Government Programme of 2025-2029. Madam Speaker, I stand before the House today to give effect to the vision of this government, the commitment of this government and to the undertakings to valorise each and every Public Officer and ensure that they are equipped with the correct tailor-made training and competence to fulfil their duties. Madam Speaker, I bring before the House the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill. This Bill, Madam Speaker, is an answer to 10 years of lethargy; 10 years of ostrich behaviour of hiding one’s head in the sand and a decade of inaction. This Bill provides the necessary framework, structure and parameter to answer to the demands of our public officers. This Bill brings in innovation. Madam Speaker, when resuming my responsibilities, I found this Ministry in a state of despair; to say the least. Just take one example – hundreds of millions of rupees of taxpayers’ money were spent over a decade for training at the then Civil Service College and for these hundreds of millions of rupees for the last decade, all we had to show was a certificate of attendance given to each and every Public Officer who attended training at the then Civil Service College. A meeting with the person responsible of the Civil Service College revealed that his demands and his propositions to develop concrete, substantive training courses remained within the deaf ears of the then Minister concerned. Madam Speaker, from that point to now, in a matter of months, we have not only inaugurated on the 12th of March of this year, a state-of-the-art institution with modern facilities, IT equipped classrooms, an outstanding auditorium as well as leisure and recreational facilities. We opened the doors of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation to our Public Officers. Madam Speaker, the fundamental objects of the Bill before the House are enumerated in its provisions and they lay unprecedented emphasis on the following – 1. Continuous professional training of Public Officers for an innovative service to the public; 2. Promotion of organisational, excellence, ethics and values, transparency and accountability in the Public Service; 3. Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Public Service through good governance principles; 4. Conducting research and development activities in light of the changing environment of the Public Service so as to promote in forms, and above all 5. To develop a people-centric Public Service. Madam Speaker, we did not rest there. With the cooperation of the staff of the institution and the Ministry, we have already developed courses to award internationally recognised certificates, diplomas, degrees and post-graduate qualifications in Public Service Administration, Finance, Procurement, Human Resource and Occupational Safety and Health to name only a few. Madam Speaker, we did not even stop there. My Ministry and the staff of the Institute have further worked in close cooperation with International Institutions from different countries to establish linkages and develop MoUs to ensure that the training and capacity building courses to be delivered by the Institute, is of high standards and quality. This Bill, before the House today is not only making provisions to set up an institution worthy of its name but also to provide the necessary foundation to lead as a centre of excellence, providing Public Service Administrative courses to other countries in our region. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that this Government’s vision goes beyond the boundaries of our Nation. As examples – • The African Development Bank has been working closely with my Ministry, and it is prepared to work in collaboration with the Institute to provide training and capacity building in the regions of Africa. • The cooperation and support of the People’s Republic of China is noted with gratefulness to support us in our endeavour. • So is the help and the willingness of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and of Egypt to support us in our mission; • We welcome the support of the United States and its willingness to share its experience and training resources through the Ambassador in Mauritius. • My Ministry is working closely with the UN and the UNDP as well in order to further develop the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation into an international centre of excellence for training and capacity building. • How can I not mention Bharat? The Government of India did not only support our Government to realise a state-of-the-art centre of learning, but the Government of India is supporting us to ensure that our objective of building a centre of excellence for training and capacity building is realised. Madam Speaker, this Bill sets out to provide a comprehensive framework to set up a competent Board of Directors, the Office of a Vice Chancellor, the Office of a Registrar and an Academic Council as well as innovative and groundbreaking departments inasmuch as it incorporates its own quality and standard monitoring unit and an innovation and research laboratory to develop demand-based policy proposals in the Public Sector. Madam Speaker, through this Bill, this Government reiterates its commitment towards our people and our public officers serving our people. This Government reiterates that the officers of the Public Service form the very heart of our economic growth and development. In the very heart of the government, lies the welfare of each and every public officer serving our people. Madame la présidente, l’adage nous enseigne – « Les chiens aboient, la caravane passe. »

(Interruptions)

An hon. Member: Enn lisien kinn gagn pis sa.

Le peuple de notre pays, notre patrie…

(Interruptions)

An hon. Member: Ar zot ki lisien in gagn pis. Ar nou, gagn puce.

(Interruptions)

Je vous garantis, Madame la présidente, je regardais que vous !

(Interruptions)

Monsieur le ministre !

Le peuple…

Monsieur le ministre !

Le peuple de notre pays…

Monsieur le ministre, je ne sais pas comment je dois prendre ce que vous dites ! Ce matin, j’ai fait une petite blague sur les chiens, n’est-ce pas ?

Oui, les chiens aboient !

Vous pensez que maintenant, il faut continuer cette blague, peut- être ?

Non, au contraire, Madame la présidente !

Allez-y!

Merci. L’adage nous enseigne : les chiens aboient, la caravane passe.

(Interruptions)

Le peuple de notre pays, notre patrie, témoigne de la volonté de ce gouvernement de redresser le fonctionnement de nos institutions. Madame la présidente, il y a eu des gens qui volaient l’argent du peuple et d’autres qui volent au supermarché pour des produits de beauté !

(Interruptions)

Madame la présidente, au fondement même de ce gouvernement, nous faisons preuve du sens des responsabilités envers nos engagements solennels au peuple de notre pays. Nous sommes prêts à travailler dur dans l’unité et parfois même à prendre des décisions qui peuvent nous rendre impopulaires, mais on croit fermement en un avenir meilleur pour nos enfants. Madam Speaker, my Ministry fully appreciates the invaluable contribution of over 58,000 public officers delivering public service. And this Bill also symbolises the fundaments to transform the public sector from a job orientated culture towards a career orientated public service where a public service officer in turn appreciates that he or she can transform the lives of people of our country. I quote – “The role of Public Officer is not only to run the administration but to transform the lives of people.” This was said by His Excellency Narendra Modi, the hon. Prime Minister of Bharat. Madam Speaker, I shall move with a few amendments at Committee Stage, which have already been circulated to hon. Members. These proposed amendments, Madam Speaker, in effect, align the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill with all other institutions of the land. Madam Speaker, with this, I commend the Bill to the House. The Deputy Prime Minister rose and seconded.

Monsieur le ministre, il y a des liaisons qui sont dangereuses. Ne prenez pas cela mal. On reste dans la même histoire d’amour. Des liaisons dangereuses ! Thank you. Now, the debate is open. I will call on the hon. Leader of the Opposition. Beware! (5.25 p.m.) Mr G. Lesjongard (The Leader of the Opposition): Si je peux me permettre, Madame la présidente, dans un pays où on va demander les poulets de faire enregistrer les chiens, il y a de quoi que les chiens aboient !

Come on! Come on!

Madam Speaker, allow me, first of all, at the very outset, to express my sincere gratitude to India for making the construction of the Civil Service College possible. Also, let me acknowledge that the establishment of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation is in principle a commendable initiative. I shall be brief, Madam Speaker. Mais je vais toucher des points pertinents dans le projet de loi.

Parlez dans le micro. On doit parler dans le micro.

Madam Speaker, our public service needs continuous professional development, research and innovation, if it is to remain fit for purpose in a fast-changing environment. I also welcome the provision in the Bill – I did not hear the hon. Minister talk about that – that ensures that every employee of the Civil Service College will be transferred to the institute with unbroken service and preserved rights. That is a positive measure which safeguards our workers, Madam Speaker. Having said that, let me say that good intentions do not justify bad structures. This Bill, in its current form, sets up a governance framework that is not only flawed, but also wasteful and potentially dangerous for the credibility of the Institute. Madam Speaker, let me highlight the key areas of concern. Let me get to the first one with regard two posts that is the post of vice-Chancellor and the post of Director General. Et je trouve cela inélégant, Madame la présidente, premièrement, d’avoir circulé un amendement majeur at the last moment and the hon. Minister, in his second reading, did not also elaborate on the creation of this new post, that is, the post of the Registrar of the Institute replacing the post of Director General. Madam Speaker, the Bill places a vice-Chancellor at the top of the Institute. You will agree that this Institute is a newly formed Institute. Let us take for example, Madam Speaker, the University of Technology Mauritius or the Open University of Mauritius, these universities have been here for a long time with full-time and part-time learners and yet, Madam Speaker, they do not have vice-Chancellors in place. The vice-Chancellor, Madam Speaker, is reduced, I understand from the Bill, to presiding ceremonies, chairing the Academic Council and acting as a figure head. Madam Speaker, the vice-Chancellor will become nothing more than a political appointee, if I may use this sentence – a puppet in the hand of the Minister, while the taxpayer’s money will be wasted on maintaining a redundant position. Madam Speaker, the second area of concern is with regard to establishment of the Board of Governors which I would, if you will allow me, qualify as cronyism over representation. Madam Speaker, the Board of Government, as defined in clause 9, is where policy and strategic decisions or directions will be established. And what do we find? A chairperson, handpicked by the hon. Prime Minister, representative of the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, Ministry of Education, Finance, ICT, Tertiary Education that is all of the government ministries and four persons appointed by the Ministry. I put that question: why a representative of the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms when the Secretary of Public Service is already there? Where will be the independence, Madam Speaker, of that representative to express himself or herself freely when we know he or she works under the same Secretary of Public Service? Madam Speaker, on the Board of Governors, allow me to ask, if I may, the hon. Minister, the following – where do we have on this Board the voice of learners? Where is the voice of the academic staffs? And Madam Speaker, where is the voice of the non-academic employees who will keep the Institute running? Where are the representatives of Trade Unions? The legitimate representative of public officers as it used to be on the Board of the Civil Service College Mauritius. Here, Madam Speaker, in the new Institute, they are excluded. How can we talk of training and capacity building for public officers while silencing their very representatives. The people who will attend the courses, who will benefit or suffer from the policies, who have the pulse of the Public Service, their voices, Madam Speaker, are nowhere to be found on this Board. Instead, the Board is crowded with Ministry representatives, political nominees but no space for the Unions, no space for the learners and no space for the staffs of the Institute. Madam Speaker, you will again agree that this is a step backward in participation and inclusiveness. These are the stakeholders who matter the most yet they are completely excluded in this piece of legislation. To make matters worse, Madam Speaker, the Bill allows the Board to determine its own fees and allowances and, in my opinion, this is a textbook case of conflict of interest. How can a Board decide how much to pay itself with the approval of the same Minister who have appointed them to sit on that Board? This is bad governance plain and simple, Madam Speaker. And my third area of concern is the concentration of power in the hands of the hon. Minister. The Bill gives extraordinary powers to the hon. Minister, Madam Speaker, from appointing the vice-Chancellor to nominating members of the Board and to approving fees and to making regulations. This heavy concentration of power politicises the Institute before it has even started. If this is truly meant to be a centre of excellence, then independence, professionalism and credibility should be at its core, Madam Speaker. I have spoken on the good measure which is about the transfer of the employees. I will not mention that again and let me conclude, Madam Speaker. I believe in strengthening of the Public Service training and innovation but this Bill, as it stands, risks creating a bloated structure filled with cronies and political appointees wasting public resources while sidelining, Madam Speaker, I have said that earlier, the very people who will deliver quality training and research. Madam Speaker, this is what will give credibility to the Institute. I have mentioned that and I repeat it again. A balanced representation at the level of the Board comprising academic staffs, non-academic staffs and at least one representative of the Trade Union. The elimination for the time being of the post of the vice-Chancellor which I believe, Madam Speaker, like I said, will give credibility to the Institute. This is why I called upon Government to review certain clauses of the Bill and bring back a structure that serves the public interest and not partisan interest. Madam Speaker, Public Service training must serve the nation not the Minister and this Bill, Madam Speaker, is in the interests of the Minister. If Government truly wants innovation; it must start with good governance. Without it, this Institute risks becoming not a centre of excellence, but a centre of political patronage. I am done, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Beechook! (5.37 p.m.) Mr R. Beechook (Second Member for Flacq & Bon Accueil): Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I feel very honoured to be able to debate on a Bill that bears the name of a towering political personality, not only political but a writer, a poet, a philosopher of high calibre, late Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee who has had a huge influence in my life and my political career. Madam Speaker, a strong and trained civil service is the backbone of a functioning democracy. They are the crucial links between us, democratically elected Members of Parliament, hon. Ministers, and the people of Mauritius; the taxpayers of Mauritius. From Imperial China to Egyptian Kingdoms, from ancient Greek and Egyptian civilisations to the gigantic colonial British Empire, history has taught us one thing; all these successful administrations ran on a strong civil service. Allow me, Madam Speaker, through you, to pay tribute to our 58,000 or so civil servants who run this country on our behalf. However, Madam Speaker, while I was listening to the Leader of the Opposition, I found it utterly disgraceful for the Leader of the Opposition to come up with arguments and to qualify clauses of this Bill which have a very noble objective, to empower our civil servants, to term them as wasteful and potentially dangerous. I leave it to the conclusion of the people of the Republic of Mauritius and the civil servants. Does the Leader of the Opposition, for example, find it wasteful and disgraceful that the aim at clause 4(f) of this Bill is to develop a people-centric public service? Because at the end of the day, what matters is that people who pay taxes in this country, get a service that is geared towards them and this is what this Bill does. Does the Leader of the Opposition find it wasteful and potentially dangerous that at clause 4(b), this Bill aims at promoting organisational excellence, ethics and values, transparency and accountability in our public service? We understand they do not have the culture of having an accountable and transparent administration. Il n’y a qu’à voir la façon dont ils ont traité le rapport de l’Audit, où certains administrateurs ont refusé sous instruction des ministres de soumettre des comptes, notamment à la Santé, au directeur de l’Audit. Et il ose nous donner des leçons ! Does he find it wasteful and potentially dangerous that at Clause 5(2)(b), this Bill, this institute, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation aims at what – and I find it very interesting; to comply with internationally accepted norms and standards and quality management systems? What can we expect from a Leader of the Opposition whose government’s objective by spending millions of money in the Civil Service College which at the end of the day delivered what? The hon. Minister of Civil Service has rightly said so – that it used to deliver certificates of attendance which professionally, in the career of a civil servant, was not of great use. Another criticism that I find très pale, je veux dire, when he blames the Minister not to include civil servants on the Board of the Civil Service College. Maybe it is one-sided reading because at clause 9(2)(h), it is clearly mentioned that – “4 persons, to be appointed by the Minister, at least one of whom shall be an executive head of a local tertiary education institution and another one who shall have wide experience in the field of tertiary education and open and distance learning;” There are four members. What stops the hon. Minister to appoint someone from the Trade Union Organisation? Everyone knows! Hon. Dr. Sukon, the Minister of Tertiary Education, hon. Dr. Mahend Gungapersad, Minister of Education know that usually trade unionists, from such academic organisations, they themselves hail from an academic background. So, what stops the hon. Minister? The door is not closed. Le Leader de l’Opposition veut tout simplement faire peur. However, as I said, this Bill is very important. The transformation of this organisation which is the Civil Service College which from a certificate of attendance, now is going to deliver diplomas, degrees and has an academic council. I have seen the structure. It has an academic council which enables this council to tailor-make training programmes to cater for the market, to cater for the civil service of tomorrow. By talking about innovation, allow me to refresh the mind of the Leader of the Opposition that, since the budget speech read by the hon. Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, we have introduced AI tools to assist our civil servants in their daily tasks. This is a huge step. I speak under the correction of the hon. Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation that the civil service of tomorrow will be highly dependent on innovation, on AI tools because we will be dealing with a population which will be totally conversant with AI tools, e-mails that we will write to reply to queries for example, CSU complaints would be e-mails generated by AI tools. So, the flexibility in the structure of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill will allow this institution to cater for the public service of tomorrow. Madam Speaker, that is why I say that maybe after independence where we struggled, SSR struggled to create a civil service that will lead to the sugar boom, industrial boom and later on to the services boom. This institution will shape the civil service of tomorrow. No doubt about that because it is bound to evolve. Till now today, we cannot say what will be the jobs of tomorrow, in ten years, what type of jobs, what type of services an economy may require. Therefore, I wish to commend this Bill and congratulate the hon. Minister for showing so much flexibility so that this organisation can tailor-make training programmes for our civil service. At the same time, I wish that the training and the additional qualifications provided by this organisation to be explicitly recognised by the State. For example, the PRB report should clearly take into account these trainings and qualifications for salary increments. Promotion guidelines within the public service should clearly mention marks, points that candidates should be allocated when they go for these kinds of trainings; be it certificates, diplomas and degrees which will enable them to climb the professional ladder within the civil service. Madam Speaker, I believe that this Bill is a huge step towards a transparent and meritocratic public service. To end, Madam Speaker, allow me to quote this very powerful speech by late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, which he delivered on 27 May 1996 in the Lok Sabha. It is the epitome of statesmanship from someone who, on that day, lost a vote of no confidence in Parliament. This is what he said, and I will translate it – “Satta ka khel to chalega, sarkare ayengi, jayengi, partiya banegi bigdegi - magar ye desh rehna chahiye. Ye desh ka loktantra amar rehna chahiye.” I translate it. The game of power will go on. Governments will come and go. Parties will be made and unmade. But this country should survive. Its democracy should survive. By coming up with such a bill to empower our civil service, this Government is ensuring that the civil service of tomorrow shall continue to be the backbone of our functioning democracy. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Dear Minister, hon. Dr. Ramtohul! (5.49 p.m.) The Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation (Dr. A. Ramtohul): Madam Speaker, today, we are not merely debating a Bill. When I hear the Leader of the Opposition saying that this Bill is dangerous because it has training on ethics, we understand that ethics is dangerous for the MSM government. Madam Speaker, a person who does not use AI today in his own professional and personal activities will be overtaken by other people. An organisation that does not use AI for its activities will be overtaken by other organisations. So will a nation! This Bill establishes the right path for a transformational journey on which we have embarked for our civil service that represents the backbone of any progress that we can make. We are shaping a vision – a vision of a public service that learns, empowers, leads and innovates. In today’s age of AI, it is more than ever important to learn, unlearn and relearn. This Institute provides the channel for learning, unlearning and relearning to take to place. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill 2025 is not about constructing another institution. It is about constructing a new culture for work – one that is built on integrity, intelligence, innovation, knowledge, and ethics. The Bill symbolises a national belief: that our people – our public officers – are not the subject of the problem of governance. They, actually, are the solution. For years, we have invested in systems, platforms and infrastructure. Through this Bill, Madam Speaker, we invest in the most powerful infrastructure of all – the human brain. Madam Speaker, it is profoundly fitting that this institute bears the name of Atal Bihari Vajpayee – a leader who embodied moral courage, administrative vision and unshakeable faith in people. He once said, and I quote – “Empowerment is not about giving people power; it is about reminding them that they already have it [in the form of knowledge].” This is the soul of our Bill. We are creating a national institution that empowers every public officer to grow intellectually, professionally and ethically. An institute where knowledge meets purpose and where innovation becomes an act of public service. This Bill before this House establishes, under Clause 3, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation as a corporate body with degree-awarding powers. Clause 4 defines its purpose clearly, that is, to – “provide continuous professional training and development to public officers for an innovative public service;” It will promote – • the use of Artificial Intelligence, for sure; • organisational excellence, ethics and values; • research and development for reform; • good governance, transparency and accountability, and • cooperation with local and international partners. We are building the nerve centre of a learning State – a State that reflects, adapts and constantly improves itself. In the current matrix in which we are, the matrix of facts, it is really important that we provide our civil servants with the required knowledge and the opportunity to learn. This, Madam Speaker, takes us from training to transformation. For too long, training in the public sector has meant attending courses and only ticking boxes, as mentioned earlier by the hon. Minister. This Bill departs from that mindset. The institute will turn training into transformation and prepare officers, not merely to perform tasks, but also to solve problems, to challenge conventions, challenge the status quo and drive innovation. Every programme will be aligned with the real needs of Government – from data management to service design, from cybersecurity to AI-driven policymaking. It will be integrated with the Government Information Human Resource system in order to empower employees with a learning path and to follow-up on the progress for same. In this way, we do not offer training to an employee just because that employee has not received a training in the past. We offer training because that training will help the employee move to the next level and that employee will be able to contribute more effectively. So, the goal is clear: to produce public officers who can emerge as leaders in the digital age, not merely followers. Madam Speaker, digital transformation is no longer optional – it is existential. Through our Digital Transformation Blueprint 2025-2029, launched in May, my Ministry has laid solid foundations – • Through the application which will be called ‘KOREK!’, it will consolidate e- government services and digital payments. • Through the introduction of AI-powered assistant aimed at responding to citizens in English, French and Kreol. Our public officers will be called upon to act on those requests made by users on these super-apps. • The Citizen Hub and InfoHighway, which is again operated by public officers, to enable secure data exchange across Ministries. • As we have just started the training on the e-Health Project, we are very happy with the determination with which our public officers are walking the path together with the hon. Minister of Health and myself. They need further training, and this institute would enable that training. Several other digital projects in education, social security, land transport, and others have been planned. For our officers to deliver effectively in that environment, training is needed. We need the right institution to provide the right level of training, which is also measurable. Technology can only go as far as the hands and hearts that use it. This is why this training will bridge the gap between digital infrastructure and digital intelligence. It will ensure that every officer becomes a confident, competent and compassionate digital actor within our digital ecosystem. Digitalisation, Madam Speaker, saves time, reduces waste and unlocks value. Just like an organisation is formed by information processed and people for effective execution of services, the people need to have the right level of training. A 2024 UN study shows that countries with advanced digital governance can save up to 25% in administrative costs, while improving citizen satisfaction by 40%. For Mauritius, this means that we can do more with less resources. This institute will play a determining role in upskilling and reskilling in the age of AI. There are a lot of concerns around jobs being displaced. People need to be reskilled and upskilled, and this training institution will provide that facility. Honestly, I do not see that as us going a step back. We are taking so many steps forward. Yes, we took steps back in the last 10 years, and now, we are having to catch up on that delay, Madam Speaker. AI is transforming every dimension of governance, from predictive health analytic to digital finance, from citizen services to policy design, yet AI is only as ethical and effective as the people who use it. This is why this new institution will be the one giving training in AI to all civil officers and every public officer, whether in finance, health, education or local administration will be able to receive basic to advanced training in effective use of AI. Some will learn how AI works, others will learn what AI can do, of course, but others will also learn what AI should not do or what they should not do with AI. Based on a public-private partnership approach, we have established a technical committee that is working on the AI strategy and the leg around human and talent development will be executed in a major chunk under the institution. Behind every innovation, Madam Speaker, there is a story. A mother applying online for child benefits, a farmer using Apps for subsidies, a retiree renewing a passport with a single click. With these services working seamlessly, citizens feel respected. They feel they have got their dignity back that was once snatched away from them and when they fail, they feel forgotten and that demands an effective public service behind the machines and that ability to operate effectively behind the machines, again, will be delivered under the roof of this institution. Digitalisation, Madam Speaker, must never dehumanise governance. Our aim is not to replace the human touch, but to amplify it. This Institute will train officers to balance technology with empathy – to understand that every data point represents a person and every algorithm affects a life. A digital State must still have a human soul. Clause 4(b) calls for the promotion of ethics and transparency and these are not mere slogans; they are the soul of governance. Our citizens expect not just efficiency, but honesty as well and transparency. This training, the measures that will come out of the dashboards out of those systems used to manage the trainings being delivered, will be transparent and they will be fair. The Institute will, therefore, embed modules on digital ethics, cyber-responsibility and data privacy in all its courses, which will be common to every other topic. The Data Protection Office, CERT-MU and the new AI Unit which is being established will provide institutional synergy to ensure that every civil servant understands not only how to collect data, but also how to protect it. Some people say data is the new oil, others say data is the new soil or the new gold. This is our wealth and we have to train our people on how to protect it. Clause 5(g) introduces the Innovation Lab and this will be the creative heart of the Institute, Madam Speaker. This Lab will allow officers to test bold ideas and prototype solutions to national challenges. Imagine a health officer designing an AI tool to optimise blood distribution or a teacher building a mobile App to support literacy for children in creole. And, this represents, Madam Speaker, a partnership of ministries and minds. And we want to empower the people who serve, the people who have voted us in. Public officers are not faceless bureaucrats; they are men and women with passion, families and pride. This Institute will give them recognition, purpose and possibility to develop further. And, I will say to them – ‘your ideas matter. Your growth matters. Your service matters.’ Clause 20(4)(e) calls for the establishment of a blended learning system at the back of the Internet technology. The Internet, Madam Speaker, is not just a technology, its access to information, access to knowledge, access to development, access to innovation, a tool for inclusivity and this institution relies on the Internet as a backbone for delivery of blended learning to Mauritians, to the whole republic of Mauritius. Clause 10 mandates good governance and transparency in all operations. This Institute will be held to the same standards; we expect it to teach. Madam Speaker, this Bill is not only a legal contract between government and officers. It is a moral contract between the State and its people. The results will be monitored because what we don’t measure, we cannot manage. We will thus be able to measure the number of staff trained. The training sessions delivered, the time saved for transactions and, finally, the increase in citizen satisfaction. Let us imagine, Madam Speaker, a Mauritius where – • Every officer is AI-literate; • Every citizen accesses services seamlessly; • Every policy and decision is backed by data, and • Every institution is powered by innovation and guided by ethics. Madam Speaker, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation is a bridge between the civil service we inherited and the one we aspire to build. It will make learning continuous, leadership courageous and governance compassionate. And, I close with a conviction – “A smart nation is not defined by its devices, but by the devotion of its people.” This Institute will nurture that devotion and, in doing so, shape the Mauritius of tomorrow. Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly commend and support this Bill. Thank you.

Thank you. Hon. Dr. Sukon! (6.04 p.m.)

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill. The Leader of the Opposition – fortunately he left – harped on the nomenclature of vice-chancellor. It all depends on the institution; in France, we call it Rector. In certain institutions, Director General, Director, so, it’s just a question of nomenclature what we would like to call it. The important thing is the process. He again talked about political patronage, I think he was thinking about MIC but here, in the University, in an Institution like that there are processes. We cannot just give a degree. The Bill makes it clear that there is an Academic Council and the Academic Council is responsible for coming up with the programmes. The process of the programme is that there must be an Advisory Committee which will happen and in the Advisory Committee, you will have people from the Union, he wanted to have people from the Union. The Advisory Committee will have. He says that the board has too many civil servants but this is a civil service college. Who will we have? It’s a civil service college. We should have civil servants on the board to advise. So, he talked about this is another institution – wrong. All institutions awarding degrees will have to abide by the High Education Act. It is the law. The Quality Assurance Authority will conduct audits. And, on top of it, as the Bill says, they will have to abide by international norms, there is no way out. But what is important for us to realise is why do we need this institution. We need this institution because if you look at the PRB Reports, reports after reports, it says that unfortunately our civil servants have not been trained. Funds were given but the training did not happen. Reports after reports. That is why we need this institution. We need this institution because all the international organisation – the FMI, the World Bank Report – they have all mentioned that we need to improve the efficiency of the civil service. Today, first, the public is looking for that. Today, when someone goes home, can do all his banking transactions on their mobile. He or she, expects that, well, I should be able to have a civil service that will help me do that. We can buy the technology, as my colleague said, and bring it here. We can fill the room with computers and digital gadgets. But if you don’t train the person to use it, if we don’t empower the people to use it, nothing will happen. That is why this Bill is important. Second, in terms of content delivery, the Civil Service has its own specialities. I take an example – Performance Management. Performance Management taught at a university for the general public or private sector is different from Performance Management taught in the Public Service because the set up itself is different. So, in terms of content as well, it will be different. I am very happy because this will help to attract international students here and that is our prime aim. Today we heard that even the Mali delegation, without invitation, came to learn from us. So, we would like to have more and more organisations coming to study here but formally and legally of course. There is potential. So, the Leader of the Opposition also mentioned about whether this is a waste of public money. I will tell him the real truth. If you look at the PRB Report 2021, Rs113 million were dedicated and how much has been used for training? Only 35%.

How much? Say again!

35% of it. Why? Because as my colleague, hon. Beechook said, the Civil Service College was giving certificate of attendance. Not attractive. Two weeks ago, the Cabinet approved the Micro-Credential Framework which the new Institute will use. The Micro-Credential now will accredit the new programmes that will allow the person to use and accumulate the credit towards a qualification. So, it becomes attractive. The same model was used by the Singapore Civil Service College. In the 90s when they were set up, they actually partnered with Harvard Kennedy School and INSEAD in order to have programmes at the highest level. This is what made Singapore, as we all know, a Civil Service which is ranked first in the world because they had the right partnership. And here as well, provisions have been made to have solid partners in order to have programmes that allow our civil servants to move around. And in his budget speech, the hon. Prime Minister mentioned research – we would like policy decisions to be anchored in research. This was not happening before. We were making decisions very often without doing the research behind. And here, I am very happy to see the focus on research and on the lab. The lab is the most beautiful piece I found in the legislation because it really gives the opportunity for the civil servant, for the first time, to come and experiment, to come and test his ideas without fear. So, this Bill has been well crafted and deserves our recommendation, deserves that we support it and deserves that we have such an institution. Madam Speaker, thank you. I commend this Bill to the House.

Thank you. Yes, hon. Deputy Prime Minister! (6.12 p.m.)

Madam Speaker, we are creating the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute pour le progrès du pays avant tout, pour le progrès de la population avant tout. Mais aussi pour le progrès et le welfare, le bien-être des fonctionnaires en générale. Au moment où nous discutons de ce projet de loi, je tiens à remercier les fonctionnaires, à les féliciter aussi et leurs souhaiter bonne chance pour le voyage qui commence. Le nouveau voyage, une nouvelle étape plutôt qui commence avec la création de cet important institut que nous créons, important pour le progrès du pays avant tout. Et vous me permettrez, sans m’attarder là-dessus, de faire encore une fois remarquer qu’il y a deux membres de l’opposition. Le troisième qui est présent n’est pas officiellement dans l’opposition mais il est là. Officiellement, il y a deux membres de l’opposition et ce petit mal élevé qui est à côté du Leader de l’opposition, n’est jamais présent quand le Leader de l’opposition fait un discours, et la liste des orateurs a été circulée, s’il vous plaît. Il sait que le Leader de l’opposition va être seul parce que lui, il brille par son absence. Vous m’excuserez mais je m’indigne à chaque fois que je vois cela. Je m’indigne au nom de mon pays. Il ne mérite pas d’être là et il le fait bien de ne pas être là d’ailleurs. Je salue la création de cet institut qui va jouer un rôle clé dans le nouvel élan de développement de notre pays. Mais pour ma part, je vais parler, je ne vais pas revenir sur tout ce qui a été dit et bien dit par les orateurs avant moi. Je vais parler essentiellement d’Atal Bihari Vajpayee parce qu’il faut bien que nous mesurions la portée de ce que nous faisons. Quand nous donnons le nom de ce grand homme d’état à une institution pareille, nous avons un devoir de réussir. Nous n’avons pas le droit d’échouer au nom, ne serait-ce qu’au nom de cette personnalité. C’est donc sur Shri Vajpayee que je vais parler essentiellement. Le 25 décembre de l’année dernière, le 25 décembre de 2024, on a célébré le centième anniversaire de la naissance de Shri Vajapyee. Nous sommes légèrement en retard mais il n’est jamais trop tard pour saluer ce genre d’être humain. Je le salue au nom du pays et en mon nom personnel. Madame la présidente, le 25 décembre 2024, donc nous célébrions le centième anniversaire. Et aujourd’hui, nous créons cette institution. Shri Vajpayee a été un des plus grand Premier ministres que l’Inde ait produit depuis 1947 et je dirai aussi que les faits sont là. Shri Vajpayee a été the longest serving member du Parlement indien. Il a été élu dix fois. Je m’arrêterai là, je ne parlerai pas d’autres qui ont encore plus d’années de service et qui ont été élus plus des fois mais lui, c’était un être extraordinaire, Madam Speaker. Je le répète, il était certainement un des plus grand Premier ministres que l’Inde ait produit et l’Inde en a produit depuis 1947 des grands Premier ministres. Cela me touche aussi quand je lis et quand j’apprends, quand je me rappelle que Vajpayee avait beaucoup d’admiration – il était du BJP – et beaucoup d’estime pour Jawaharlal Nehru. Un jour, dans le Lok Sabha, dans le Parlement indien, Nehru, en écoutant – parce que c’était aussi un grand orateur –Vajpayee prendre la parole, a prédit qu’il sera one day Prime Minister of India. Il y a une phrase qui me touche profondément à chaque fois que je la relis. Quand Nehru est mort le 27 mai 1964, Vajpayee a fait ses éloges. Il a dit deux choses. Entre autres, il a dit, d’abord, que Nehru avait été the orchestrator of the impossible and inconceivable. C’est vrai que Vajpayee était un grand poète aussi, et ça s’entend quand on lit ce genre d’éloges de Nehru. Ce qui est admirable aussi, c’est que Vajpayee était du BJP, mais il a fait plus que la plupart des premiers ministres de l’Inde pour rapprocher l’Inde et le Pakistan. Alors que des guerres éclataient à des intervalles plus ou moins réguliers entre ces deux grands pays, il a fait plus d’efforts que n’importe qui. Jusqu’à organiser un sommet à Agra avec le président Musharraf, que j’ai connu aussi, pour essayer de rapprocher et de tourner la page pour ouvrir une nouvelle page d’amitié entre l’Inde et le Pakistan. Peu de gens savent que Vajpayee est venu quatre fois à l’île Maurice. L’honorable Premier ministre le sait. Quatre fois ! Le 12 mars 1978, alors qu’il était ministre des Affaires étrangères, il nous a fait l’honneur d’être ici à cette occasion. En 1993, la petite île Maurice – c’était très beau – a invité Vajpayee en sa capacité de leader de l’opposition. Et il est venu chez nous en sa capacité de leader de l’opposition. Le 3-4 septembre 1998 – et cela, mon voisin, l’honorable Premier ministre, s’en souvient mieux que moi ! Il était avec Vajpayee en Afrique du Sud –, l’honorable Premier ministre de l’île Maurice est revenu dans l’avion du Premier ministre de l’Inde en passant par l’île Maurice. Troisième visite chez nous ! Et le 13 mars 2000, alors qu’il était à nouveau Premier ministre, Shri Vajpayee, quatre fois, il nous a fait l’honneur de nous rendre visite à l’île Maurice. C’est pourquoi nous avons tellement raison de donner le nom honorifique de ce grand homme, de ce grand Premier ministre à cet institut que nous créons aujourd’hui, Madam Speaker. Je parle un peu avec émotions de Shri Vajpayee parce que quand j’étais Premier ministre – je me souviens plus de la date exacte –, je me suis fait un devoir en tant que Premier ministre – bien que je fusse Premier ministre pendant quelques années seulement – de visiter les cinq pays de peuplement de l’île Maurice. C’est-à-dire, Madagascar, Mozambique, la France, l’Inde et la Chine. Et l’Inde fut le premier pays où j’ai fait un devoir de le visiter en ma capacité de Premier ministre. Je ne suis pas le seul ; je connais des Mauriciens et des Mauriciennes qui sont profondément attachés à Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. C’est pourquoi je conclurais, Madam Speaker, en disant alors que nous sommes en train de créer cette institution, je le répète, nous avons le devoir d’être à la hauteur de cet homme dont nous vénérons le nom et dont nous saluons son passé. C’est pourquoi, je le répète, bravo à l’honorable ministre concerné et bravo au gouvernement pour la création de cette nouvelle institution ! Mais je le répète, nous n’avons pas droit à l’erreur et nous ne commettrons pas d’erreurs lorsque nous célébrerons à notre façon la mémoire d’un grand homme d’État et d’un grand Premier ministre de Mother India. Merci, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Prime Minister! (6.23 p.m.)

Madam Speaker, at the very outset, let me, again, thank the Government of India for having so generously gifted us with this state-of-the-art building to be the seat of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation, which I opened when hon. Prime Minister Modi was here. Both the hon. Deputy Prime Minister and I had the privilege to know this Great Son of India. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee epitomised what every leader should aspire to be. He was a towering figure, a man of great vision and culture. Not many people knew he was also a poet, but I noted hon. Beechook said that. He was also a poet. Perhaps that why he was such a great orator because he understood what rhythm in speech meant.

Interesting!

He had not only a great voice, but a command of language. He was an accomplished and abled parliamentarian, a statesman, a leader of man who devoted his life to public service – a long period, as the hon. Deputy Prime Minister said. He was such a figure! I remember I met him in his official residence just prior to the elections. Elections being what they are, he lost that election just afterwards. That was the election where they said ‘India Shining.’ I saw when I came back that when he lost the election – to give you an idea –, hon. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the first thing he did, he took a lot of flowers, he went to his home and put a garland around his neck. After he had lost the election! Can you imagine this happening here?

(Interruptions)

On ne sait jamais !

The hon. Deputy Prime Minister enumerated the dates – he came here four times. I remember in 1978, when he came here as Foreign Minister – You know the protocol that we have with the Civil Service –, Sir Seewoosagur wanted to go and welcome him at the airport. But the protocol told him, ‘It is not right. He is not a Prime Minister. He is a Foreign Minister. So, the Foreign Minister should go.’ I saw the note in the file. The then Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur said, ‘For me, he is the Great Son of India. I am going to go and welcome him. Never mind protocol!’ That is what he did! I must say, Madam Speaker, I am very sad not to have been able to pay him my last respect when he passed away as there was an objection to my travelling abroad at the time. So, I did not. But never mind! Hon. Damry knows, hon. Dr. Ms Jeetun knows, those who came with me know, the hon. Foreign Minister knows, every time I go to India, even when I had COVID, I went to his samadhi. Again, when I went to India, I think the young minister, hon. Aadil Ameer Meea also knows, we went to his samadhi to pay our respect to that Great Son of India. I do hope that those who will be entrusted with the stewardship of this institution will ensure that it lives up to the reputation of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as the hon. Deputy Prime Minister and hon. Minister Sukon also said, because that institution is named after him. And the setting up of this institute should also be placed in the perspective of the Government’s aim to have a more performing public sector. It is in our Government Programme of 2025- 2029. Madam Speaker, we live in a rapidly changing world. It follows that all our institutions should have the capacity to adapt and to change. Our very success will be tributary to our capacity to lead during a period of perpetual mutation on all fronts. Quality of service, as I think many orators said before me, should be at the centre of public sector transformation, ensuring that the needs of all citizens remain our top priority. In this endeavour, Government will also introduce a Public Sector Reform Bill, which will also pave the way for an open government culture. Government’s intention… I am sorry, I should not really refer to him, they are not even here, but they have not understood anything. At least the Leader of Opposition, the other one was not here, he did not understand anything. Government’s intention is to encourage innovative practices and empower public servants to exercise leadership and to address the systemic issues rather than relying on the traditional approach. Our aim is to position the Civil Service as a dynamic force for national development and long-term success. We used to be! There was a paper in the Modern Law Review of all magazines a long time ago. It compared countries in Africa and it pinpointed two countries: Botswana and Mauritius. It said these two countries have been successful because they have civil servants worth their salt. We had managed to achieve that but avec le MSM, tout a dégringolé. No meritocracy, no equal opportunity, nothing. Our aim is to position the Civil Service as a dynamic force for national development and long-term success. Enhancing the Public Service would entail deepening civil servants’ knowledge and capacity, strengthening their understanding, empathy for the needs of our citizens and reinforce the values and commitment to excellence. Madam Speaker, Mauritius is in dire need of a Civil Service which adapts and which proactively plays its main role, that is, driving national progress and nation-building. All public sectors employees should be able to navigate through the complexity that we see, the uncertainty, the change that is needed. Furthermore, Madam Speaker, Government will introduce a public service facilitation system, again, to enhance service delivery to the population, reducing the cost of assessing services and eliminating unnecessary inconveniences. Lots of this is happening because nothing has been done. In fact, as, I think, hon. Beechook and hon. Sukon said, they were giving certificate of attendance; that is what they were achieving. We want to change all this, Madam Speaker. If we want to create a generation of adaptive leaders in the service, it is imperative that we ensure fairness, meritocracy and the recognition of skills. People say we can become like Singapore. We will not become like Singapore unless we do these changes. We must recognise meritocracy! We must give equal opportunity! We must recognise skills! This is the only way to guarantee a modern and effective civil service. That is why I introduced the Equal Opportunity Act. This is why I introduced the Public Bodies Appeal Tribunal. Why? The Civil Service was not happy with this, I must say – the top civil servants, I mean. But there are injustices that happens to civil servants. We have seen it; who are not given the chance. And did you see what has happened? Since that, many civil servants have had their promotion reinstituted. It is very important that they feel that they are part of the system and that we will recognise their ability when they are working hard and producing results. Government is committed to bringing the Public Service to new heights of efficiency. And let us say it, let this be clear – the hon. Deputy Prime Minister said it also – we have some very able civil servants in this country. We have, through the manipulation of the MSM, some people who are not up to that level. We must also agree to that, but some are very, very able civil servants. There is no reason, therefore, why the Public Service cannot be as efficient and performing as the best in the private sector. Why is it that people go to private clinics and try not to go to hospitals? Can you imagine? I know hon. Bachoo doing a lot for this and he is being criticised, never mind. We have to do what we have to do to make this country a better country. That is our purpose! Can you imagine somebody who is diabetic – I will give an example – he/she is told not to eat anything? In fact, they tell them, I checked, the ‘night before’, when in fact, they should have said ‘after midnight’. So, the person does not eat anything. The diabetic patient comes to the hospital, sits there, goes in a queue, wait for three hours. This is not how you treat diabetics. But if you go to a private clinic, they will tell you not to eat anything after midnight, you come in, they immediately take your blood and check your results. This is possible in the Public Service as well but we are not doing it. That is what we have to change. I am giving this as an example. During recent years, we have witnessed, I must say, severe erosion of values, ethics and good governance. Restoring trust in our Public Sector institutions at large is, therefore, high on this Government’s agenda. This is a sine qua non condition if we want to build a resilient country and meet the evolving needs of our citizens. We will provide all the necessary support and training to civil servants. I am not sure whether it is Dr. the hon. Sukon or hon. Beechook who said it. We will have to have people from Harvard, from other places to come and teach them. And there is something about Mauritians that perhaps people do not realise. They like to learn, they are keen to learn but they are not given the opportunity to learn. There is an attitude. I give you an example: I got some veterinary surgeons to come to Mauritius to give lectures and to train. When I checked, only those who work in the Public Service were invited. I said why? Why can’t you invite the private sector as well? We want them to learn. It should not be restricted and many of them were very thankful that we did this. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service will play a critical role in the modernisation of the Public Sector. The need for organisational ability to perform and deliver has assumed a paramount importance for any institution, whether public or private, to meet the prevailing daunting challenges. And it has not dawned upon us yet that the status quo represents an existential threat for our country. This is why it is very important to analyse on a regular basis the issues and the drivers of change in the environment we are operating because this environment is becoming increasingly complex. More than ever, we have to integrate; we have to have a vision to think of the country at the institutional level. It is critical. An important issue which considerably impacts on the thought process and work culture in Mauritius is the emotional dynamics of our country, the mindscape of our population that makes it extremely difficult to undertake fundamental reforms for transition from an insular mindset to a global mindset. The sooner we learn this, the better for the country. Basking in the glory of a pseudo economic miracle, coupled with navel-gazing and self- congratulations has lulled us into a dangerous level of complacency and has fostered an ideology of comfort, relegating reform to rhetoric – just rhetoric – regurgitated during workshops and seminars, same thing. Can we, collectively as a nation, marshal our political, intellectual and moral sinews to chart out a coherent, practical framework with specific, innovative strategies for responding to these new challenges and managing these changes in a complex world? We all agree; we cannot be locked in the 20th century-thinking anymore. Minister Dr. Ramtohul just said that some people do not even know what AI is. Would you believe it? They are still in the 20th century. We cannot continue frozen in the model of yesterdays. However successful this model was, in this new era it will not take us to the new heights that we want to achieve. It can only bring us down. Highly successful countries like Singapore, New Zealand, and Finland owe their achievements to institutions with values and systems that inculcate a culture that fosters a strong national cohesion and adaptable and resourceful people that help to lay the foundation of a creative society. We have reached a moment in our development where the basis of our strategy is literally changing overnight. This necessitates an urgent and fundamental course of correction and frequent recalibration. Let me quote the former CEO of KPMG, Mr Jon Madonna – “Nothing stops an organisation faster than people who believe that the way they worked yesterday is the best way to work tomorrow. To succeed, not only do people have to change the way they act, they have got to change the way they think about the past.” Frankly, I despair sometimes when I see some civil servants – no fault of theirs – do things this way because this was the way it has always been done in the past. I tell them we must innovate, think out of the box, remove the blinkers, get out of your comfort zone. What is important is to get things done efficiently in the shortest possible time and respond to the expectations of the people of this country. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation should not and will not be allowed to join those mammoth institutions which have failed in their missions and have literally become redundant and obsolete. Madam Speaker, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service will hopefully become a centre of excellence, not only for Mauritius but for the region. It should continuously be committed to designing and developing programmes that support competency-driven growth within the civil service. It should ensure that they have the ability not only to grow but to thrive. In this prospect, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation will also organise a focused capacity building programme for members of the committee to implement the measures of the Government Programme 2025-2029. The aim is to assure policy coherence and a timely implementation of Government’s vision for a better Mauritius. To allow the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute to attain a reputation as a pole of excellence, it is extremely important for it to have the linkages with well-known institutions in the world as Minister Sukon just said. During my recent State visit to India, officials of my delegation have raised the possibility of linkages and arrangements with the famous Indian Institute of Management in Hyderabad where many of our former top civil servants were trained. We have also talked to institutions in other countries like France, l’Ecole Nationale d’Administration and the Singapore Civil Service. We also talked to some people in the UK. As we look to the future, Madam Speaker, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill is one of the bold steps of Government to restore the trust and dignity of our public service. I have said it many times – a country’s success depends on the quality of its institutions. That is what makes a country progress. It is a commitment of transforming and empowering our public servants, ensuring that they are ready to embrace the future and that they serve with proper attitude, integrity and dedication. And I want to reassure our civil servants that Government will help them to achieve these new heights. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you so much. Yes, hon. Minister, your winding-up speech, please! (6.45 p.m.)

Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I wish to take this opportunity to thank all the hon. Members of Parliament who have intervened and provided their valuable contribution. It is an honour indeed to hear the contributions of the hon. Prime Minister himself and the hon. Deputy Prime Minister on this innovative step towards a better public service. Hon. Beechook, may I please reassure you that everything you said has been noted by the officers of my Ministry present and actions will be taken onboard. Madam Speaker, the contributions of the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, Dr. Sukon, comes also from his experience in the field and whatever he has said, his suggestions will be noted. Last but not least, my good friend on my left, hon. Dr. Ramtohul, Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation. Madam Speaker, we cannot go forward without his contributions, his knowledge and experience. Hence, speaking of the Board as the hon. Leader of the Opposition mentioned, there is a reason why in the Board itself – and it is important for me to inform the House – that there is a representative of the Minister of Education because Human Resource Development, HRDC is with him and it is to the competence, the volition of this Minister to name the right person on the Board to the right job. There is a reason why a representative of the Minister of Tertiary Education is on the Board because his contribution is invaluable. There is a reason, Madam Speaker, why the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation is represented on the Board because without the contributions of these Ministers, we cannot move forward in a positive direction. The more so, we mentioned a representative of the Minister of Finance. Well, it goes without saying, the motto of our Budget 2025-2026 is performance-based budget. We want to be accountable from day one: what we are spending and for what we are spending the money of the people. Madam Speaker, speaking of representatives of the teaching staff and speaking of representatives of the trade unions, as rightly pointed out by hon. Beechook, there is the possibility because the Bill has made provisions for this. Besides what the hon. Deputy Prime Minister has said, the continuous absence of the Opposition, what is sad though is each and every time, Madam Speaker – there must be a way to stop this – the hon. Leader of the Opposition appears to be reading only part of the provisions of the laws before this House. He misleads the House and misinterprets the lines and the provisions of the Bills, and that is improper. Very often, we hear in this House the term ‘a seasoned politician’. Well, this is not the behaviour or the act of a seasoned politician because prior to being a seasoned politician, we have to be a patriot, thinking about the benefits and welfare of this country and the people of this country. He just says whatever comes to his mind. Each and every time, he addresses parts of the provisions of the Bill and disappears without hearing the reply or explanation given in this House.

Malelve!

That is really not commendable. Madam Speaker, I now go back to my summing up. Madame la présidente, nous avons la certitude que nous avons la confiance du peuple. Ensemble, nous allons continuer à œuvrer pour le bien être du pays. I quote – “The Civil Service plays a crucial role in the implementation of Government policies. It will be equipped to support the building of a solid foundation for a new economy and the new social order and to effectively serve all citizens.” This is the speech of our Prime Minister in the Budget 2025-2026 at paragraph 208. Madam Speaker, the provisions of this Bill before the House set out the very foundation towards – • an efficient; • a transparent; • an accountable; • a resilient; • an agile, and above all • a people-centric public service. In the words of the Father of our Nation, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, I quote – “We shall all work together, for the country belongs to all of us, and let us contribute our share in the building of a strong, free and happy Mauritius. It is the life of the ordinary men and women of this country who form the backbone, and who, after all represent what is the prosperity of the island, that matters.” Madam Speaker, along the same vision and line of thinking, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s life itself was a lesson in integrity, humility and dedication to the people. Vajpayee Ji’s vision teaches us that the greatness of a nation depends on the quality of its citizens and its public institutions. His vision inspires and guides us that governance is not about authority, but about responsibility. He teaches us that governance is not about power, but about empowerment. Inspired by his vision, we would create a generation of public officers that will contribute to the fulfilment of the vision of the Father of our own Nation. Madam Speaker, it is with these values, principles and vision that this Government sets out towards administrative reforms and a new innovative public service, which I have the pleasure and honour to contribute with a dedicated and committed team at my Ministry. Madam Speaker, it is through properly structured demand-orientated and correct framework with a modern-conducive environment that each and every provision of this Bill has been developed while carefully listening to the legitimate expectations of public service users. My Ministry puts forward this Bill as the building block towards the construction of an edifice that each and every public officer will be duly valued and respected for the contributions towards building trust and confidence in the public service we deliver. At the end, Madam Speaker – “The success of any country lies in the strength and credibility of its institutions. As such, it is vital that the public service continually renews itself to ensure high quality public services.” Hon. Dr. Navin Ramgoolam, the Prime Minister of this country. It is his words. With these words, Madam Speaker, I commend the Bill to the House. Question put and agreed to. Bill read a second time and committed. COMMITTEE STAGE THE ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND INNOVATION BILL (NO. XXII OF 2025) (Madam Speaker in the Chair) Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 2 (Interpretation) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Madam Chairperson, I move for the following amendments to clause 2 – “in clause 2 – (i) by deleting the definition “Director-General” and replacing it by the following definition – “Director-General” means the Director-General of the Civil Service College, Mauritius; (ii) by inserting, in the appropriate alphabetical order, the following new definition – “Registrar” means the Registrar of the Institute, appointed under section 20;” Amendment agreed to. Clause 2, as amended, ordered to stand of the Bill. Clauses 3 to 8 ordered to stand of the Bill. Clause 9 (The Board) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Madam Chairperson, I move for the following amendments to clause 9 – “in clause 9, in subclause (5), by deleting the word “Director-General” and replacing it by the word “Registrar”;” Amendment agreed to. Clause 9, as amended, ordered to stand of the Bill. Clauses 10 to 15 ordered to stand of the Bill. Clause 16 (Academic Council) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Madam Chairperson, I move for the following amendment to clause 16 – “in clause 16, in subclause (3), by deleting subparagraph (b) and replacing it by the following subparagraph – (c) the Registrar;” Amendment agreed to. Clause 16, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 17 to 19 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 20 (Director-General) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Madam Chairperson, I move for the following amendments to clause 20 – “in clause 20 – (i) by deleting the heading and replacing it by the following heading – 20. Registrar (ii) in subclauses (1), (2) and (3) by deleting the word “Director-General” and replacing it by the word “Registrar”; (iii) by deleting subclause (4) and replacing it by the following subclause – (4) The Registrar shall be responsible to the Board for the – (a) provision of necessary advice to the Board on policy matters as well as the execution of the Board policies and decisions; (b) day to day administration and the establishment of sound management policies and a proper internal control system for the efficient operation of the Institute; (c) preparation of the business plan and budget for training programmes and monitor expenditure of the Institute; (d) further development and implementation of a blended learning system to cater for demand-driven training needs in the public service; (e) development of capacity and capability building of the Institute as an awarding body; (f) keeping of records including admissions and results; (g) preparation of examinations, assessments and award ceremony; and (h) provision of support and information in relation to enrolment, programme enquiry, admission, fees, discipline and complaint.” Amendment agreed to. Clause 20, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 21 (Appointment of employees) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Madam Chairperson, I move for the following amendment to clause 21 – “in clause 21, in subclause (2) by deleting the word “Director-General” and replacing it by the word “Registrar”;” Amendment agreed to. Clause 21, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 22 to 25 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 26 (Delegation) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Madam Chairperson, I move for the following amendment to clause 26 – “ in clause 26, in subclause (1) by deleting the word “Director-General” and replacing it by the word “Registrar”;” Amendment agreed to. Clause 26, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 27 to 33 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 34 (Savings and transitional provisions) Motion made and question proposed: “that the clause stand part of the Bill.”

Madam Chairperson, I move for the following amendment to clause 34 – “in clause 34, in subclause (3) by deleting the word “Director-General of the Institute” and replacing it by the word “Registrar of the Institute”.” Amendment agreed to. Clause 34, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 35 ordered to stand part of the Bill. The Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill. The title and enacting clause were agreed to. The Bill, as amended, was agreed to. On the Assembly resuming with Madam Speaker in the Chair, Madam Speaker reported accordingly. Third Reading On motion made and seconded, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Bill (No. XXII of 2025) was read a third time and passed.