MR M. C. EDDY BOISSÉZON – FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT OF MAURITIUS

Yes, hon. Prime Minister!

Madam Speaker, it is with sadness that we learnt of the demise of Mr Marie Cyril Eddy Boissézon, former Vice-President of the Republic, Minister, and Member of Parliament, who passed away on 01 November of this year at the age 73. Mr Boissézon was born on 28 March 1952 in Bel Ombre. He did his primary schooling at the Visitation RCA School and his secondary education at the St-Joseph College in Curepipe. He earned three diplomas in Purchasing and Supply, Management and Business Practice and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Leeds in England. Mr Boissézon had a distinguished professional career in the private sector, holding numerous positions. He served as an Accounts teacher at St-Joseph College, a bank officer at Barclays Bank International Ltd., and later as Purchasing and Supply Manager at Scott & Co. Ltd, and then Human Resource Manager at Rogers Food Cluster. He was also an Executive Director of Attics & Co. Ltd., and a Logistic Consultant at the Rogers Group Pension Scheme. Madam Speaker, Mr Boissézon’s political career started in 1991 when he was elected as Municipal Councillor and subsequently became Deputy Mayor of the town of Vacoas-Phoenix, a position he held until 1993. In 1995, he stood for the National Assembly Elections for Constituency No. 12 under the banner of the Alliance PTr-MMM, and he was returned as Second Member. He then contested the 2005 National Assembly Elections in the same constituency, that is, Mahebourg-Plaine Magnien under the banner of the Alliance MSM-MMM, but he was not returned. In December 2014, Mr Boissézon ran for the National Assembly Elections for Constituency No. 15, La Caverne-Phoenix, under the banner of l’Alliance Lepep. He was elected as Third Member of the said constituency. He was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary in December 2014, and in January 2017, he was appointed Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms, a position which he held until 2019. In 2019, Mr Boissézon stood as a candidate of the l’Alliance Morisien at the National Assembly Elections in Constituency No. 17, Curepipe-Midlands, but he was not elected. On 02 December 2019, he was elected Vice-President of the Republic of Mauritius by the National Assembly. He was also elevated to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean on the same day. In 2022, he was conferred the Visionary Award for the Chinatown Foundation. Madam Speaker, Mr Boissézon will be remembered as a highly-respected gentleman with a profound sense of humility. He entertained a very close relationship with friends, regardless of their political affiliation. May I request you, Madam Speaker, to kindly direct the Clerk of the National Assembly to convey the deep condolences of the Assembly to his wife, his children and all those afflicted by the passing away.

Yes, hon. Deputy Prime Minister!

Madam Speaker, I join with the hon. Prime Minister. We have all lost a very, very nice human being, and it is with real grief that we wish the best courage that they can find to his widowed wife and his children. Thank you.

Thank you. Hon. Leader of the Opposition!

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the Opposition, Madam Speaker, I wish to associate myself to the tribute paid by Dr. the hon. Prime Minister to late Mr Eddy Boissézon, former Vice-President of our Republic, whom I have known personally when he was a Member of this National Assembly and serving the country as PPS and then Minister. He was a committed person and he served our country with dignity and honour. Despite his stature, he never lost the common touch. He had a gift to connect to people and he had a way to make people feel special, Madam Speaker. He left us with the same dignity and honour. Madam Speaker, may I request you to direct the Clerk of the National Assembly to convey our deep condolences to the bereaved family. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Members, I associate myself with the tribute paid to the memory of the late Marie Cyril Eddy Boissézon, former Vice-President of the Republic, and former Member of Parliament by the hon. Prime Minister, the hon. Deputy Prime Minister and the hon. Leader of the Opposition. And, I direct the Clerk to convey the deep condolences of the Assembly to the bereaved family.