Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as the House is aware, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Act, was passed on 04 July 2025, and came into operation on 07 July 2025. The main aim of this amendment was to do away with the Horse Racing Division and set up instead the Horse Racing Integrity Division, which has now the responsibility to

17 protect the integrity of horse racing and ensure that horse racing is fair, clean and free from corruption or malpractice. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me remind the House why we came up with the Horse Racing Integrity Division. The defunct Horse Racing Division had developed an incestuous relationship with the gambling don at the time. The people at the Horse Racing Division were working hand-in-hand with the organiser of horse racing, who also had his hand in the whole gambling industry. This unacceptable state of affairs tarnished the integrity of the whole racing industry. It totally destroyed public confidence in the horse racing industry and led to the oldest stable in Mauritius, the Gujadhur Stable, to actually fold, after more than a century of running horses in Mauritius. And, they said, they will come back only if there is an operation to clean up this corruption. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the government is determined to relaunch the horse racing industry. This was one of the promises made during the electoral campaign and we are sticking to our promise. There have been hurdles, but we are overcoming them, and the horse racing organiser is, I understand, doing his utmost to ensure that horse racing starts at the earliest possible. We want a racing industry which will promote the welfare and leisure of the race going public and bring back the race goers to the Champ de Mars. Already, I can say, last Saturday, I have been informed that the racing public had come in numbers, far higher than before, to the Champ de Mars, to watch the first barrier trials of the season. Apparently, there were more people present last Saturday at the racing than… at what happened yesterday, and also at the one organised last year by the defunct People’s Turf PLC of the gambling don. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with regard part (a) of the question, I am informed by the Gambling Regulatory Authority that the recruitment exercise was done in a transparent way and in line with best practices. The Gambling Regulatory Authority approved, at its special meetings of 21 February 2025 and 11 March 2025, the launching of Expressions of Interest for the various positions within the proposed Horse Racing Integrity Division, in anticipation to a new code; a new structure being codified. Now, the Expressions of Interest were published in three newspapers and on the website of the Gambling Regulatory Authority.

18 At the Gambling Regulatory Authority Board Meeting on 02 April 2025, the interview panel was constituted for all the posts comprising three Board Members of the Gambling Regulatory Authority. After the closing date for the submission of Expressions of Interest, an administrative screening exercise was carried out to ascertain that the qualifications and experience criteria were met. The candidates who satisfied these criteria were then called for an interview. The report of the interview panel for the positions of Chief Stipendiary Steward and the Deputy Chief Stipendiary Steward was approved by the Board on 23 April 2025 and on 11 June of this year for the other posts. Letters of Award and sub-contracts were issued as from 04 July of this year. I am tabling a list of all those persons who have been successful and have accepted their letters of offer. As for part (b) of the question, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am informed that a due diligence was carried out by the AML/CFT Team of the GRA as per its internal procedures, which included a Supreme Court-Check, a Mauritius Revenue Authority-Check, World- Check, Sanctions List, criminal records and media search. Furthermore, all selected candidates who have accepted the appointment have been given time to produce their Certificate of Character as soon as possible.

Yes, do you have a supplementary?

Merci, M. le président. Puisqu’on parle d’intégrité, M. le président, l’honorable Premier ministre, est-il au courant que sur le nouveau board des stipes se trouve monsieur Y. N., qui avait démissionné comme commissaire à la MTC pour avoir accepté un cadeau d’un jockey ? Un délit qu’on peut considérer comme étant grave ! Et aussi un ex- entraîneur monsieur P. M. qui avait été sanctionné pour dopage par le nouveau Chief Stipe de la HRID. De plus, messieurs A.R. et A.R., deux proches de monsieur J.M.L.S. et de PTP respectivement, sont parmi les nouvelles recrues. L’honorable Premier ministre peut-il dire s’il est satisfait justement de ce due diligence process qui a été effectué ?

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not run the GRA! The GRA has a duty; it went through a procedure, and this is what I explained. These are the people who were selected after this very, very thorough procedure that was made.

19

M. le président, une dernière question ?

Okay, one last question.

Yes!

A question; not a statement!

L’honorable premier ministre peut-il dire à la Chambre quels sont les critères qui ont été pris en compte pour le choix du Chief Stipe ? Sait-il que monsieur S.D.C. faisait partie du Licensing Committee de la GRA avant même sa nomination ? N’est-ce pas un cas flagrant de conflit d’intérêt où un licencié – je termine – de la GRA agissait aussi comme décideur pour le régulateur ? Est-ce que cela ne le disqualifie-t-il pas pour ce poste ?

As I said, I do not run the GRA. But according to my information, he was never on the Licensing Committee.

You have one question? Okay, one last one!

May I ask the hon. Prime Minister whether he can confirm that among the stipes who have been freshly nominated, are there members of the Mauritius Turf Club?

As far as I understand, they have all taken leave. It is a new paradigm that we are doing. They are not there anymore.

PQ B/642 has been withdrawn. So, we proceed with PQ B/643. Hon. First Member for La Caverne and Phoenix! WEST COAST – DRUGS RELATED ARRESTS – INQUIRIES