Reply: I wish to refer the hon. Member to my reply to PQ B/310 at our Sitting of 08 April 2025, whereby, I informed the House that, in December 2024, Government introduced a Special Allowance (14th month bonus) for some 420,200 employees from both the private and public sectors as well as a one-month allowance to every pensioner, widow, orphan and disabled person in Mauritius. This applies to individuals who draw a basic wage salary at a rate not exceeding Rs50,000 monthly. The Special Allowance is equivalent to one-month basic wage or salary for employees who have been in continuous employment for the whole of the year 2024 or is pro-rated for those who were in continuous employment for only part of the year 2024, including those who retired during the course of year 2024. As at end of August 2025, my Ministry has received representations concerning non- payment of Special Allowance from retired employees relating to five organisations, namely, Mauritius Post Ltd, Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd, Airports of Mauritius Ltd, Central Electricity Board and Mauritius Cane Industry Authority. In all the above cases, the employees had retired prior to year 2024 and accordingly, were not eligible for the Special Allowance 2024, as per the provisions of the Special Allowance Act 2024.

143 The State Law Office which was consulted on the matter has highlighted that – a) Government’s decision of 13 December 2024 refers only to the payment of a 14th month bonus to beneficiaries of basic pensions and public pensioners, and b) on 19 December 2024, the Ministry of Finance has issued a Circular which provided for the modalities and arrangements for the payment of 14th month bonus for year 2024 to public officers, local government officers, officers of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly and employees of statutory bodies whose terms and conditions are governed by the Pay Research Bureau. The State Law Office has thus opined that as the law currently stands there is no legal requirement for the payment of the Special Allowance to the pensioners of the aforesaid entities. With regard to complaints received at the Inspection and Enforcement Section in the different Labour Offices, I am informed that 26 individual cases were received for non- payment of the Special Allowance 2024 to eligible employees who retired during the year 2024 out of which – a) 22 cases were settled and an amount of Rs271,275.34 was paid; b) one case was rejected because the complainant failed to turn up; c) of the two cases where the employer has refused to settle the Special Allowance, one case has been referred to the Industrial Court by way of a Plaint and the case is coming Pro Forma on 16 October 2025 and the other case has been referred to Chambers and the Pro Forma date is yet to be communicated to my Ministry, and d) in one case, parties have agreed for payment in instalments and the last instalment will be paid by the end of September 2025. ROCHE BOIS WASTE TRANSFER STATION – RELOCATION PROJECT– COMPULSORY LAND ACQUISITION AT BAIE DU TOMBEAU