POINT OF ORDER – SITTING 07 FEBRUARY 2025 – RULING

Hon. Members, today, I have certain announcements to make before we proceed any further. As I said at the last Sitting, we are most of us still in a learning period. I will therefore, once more, have to refer to the Standing Orders for all Members to observe the rules of order of this Assembly. At the last Sitting, on 07 February 2025, the hon. Leader of the Opposition raised a point of order on the use of the word “culprit”, on which I did not get a chance to give a ruling, as he decided to walk out of the House. I had indeed taken some time hoping that things would calm down, which unfortunately it did not. Later, I met him, and he told me that he would write to me. Today, I finally received the letter, which dates from yesterday. In any case, I had decided to pronounce myself on the points raised. Now I will give my ruling. May I first of all refer hon. Members to Standing Order 41, and I am only reading the relevant parts – “41. (1) A Member rising to a point of order shall direct attention to the point he or she desires to bring to notice and submit it to the Speaker or the Chairperson for decision. (2) (…) the Speaker or the person presiding, whose decision shall be final, may reserve such decision until a later stage of the proceedings or at another Sitting.” Perhaps I should have informed the House that I had decided to reserve my ruling before the hon. Leader of the Opposition walked out. But I did tell everybody, and I quote – “You are making it very difficult for me.” and I was hoping that we would have found a peaceful solution. I have to repeat what I had stated at the same Sitting earlier on. Quoting again Standing Order 40(2) – “It shall be out of order to use unbecoming words or expressions or to use offensive language about Members of the Assembly.” I understand that the term “culprit” meant in the context ‘political culprit’, and it referred to the hon. Leader of the Opposition in a past capacity. He cannot, at each Sitting, be the object of comments regarding his past capacities. My second point is that my attention has been drawn to an offensive term used by the hon. Deputy Prime Minister while the Leader of the Opposition was almost out of the House. There was a lot of noise, and I did not personally hear those words. I, therefore, read the transcript of the Hansard, and did indeed note that an unbecoming and offensive term had been used. I discussed with the hon. Deputy Prime Minister who said that he had already made a decision on that issue. So, you have the floor, hon. Deputy Prime Minister! I now invite you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I withdraw the words … (Expunged following the Announcement of Madam Speaker at the Sitting of Friday 28.02.25), with your permission.

The problem is that I would like those words not to appear again in the Hansard. We will find a solution. And I thank the hon. Deputy Prime Minister.

(Interruptions)

No comments! BEST LOSERS – PARLIAMENTARY SEATING ARRANGEMENT – RULING My second announcement is as follows – In the same context earlier on, the hon. Fourth Member for Montagne Longue and Port Louis North had referred to the hon. Members from Rodrigues by stating that those who had been appointed as Best Losers should have sat in the Opposition. I had to stop him carrying on with this. I now refer the hon. Member and Members to Section 5(3) of the 1st Schedule of our Constitution, and I read – “The first 4 of the 8 seats shall so far as is possible each be allocated to the most successful unreturned candidate, if any, who is a member of a party and who belongs to the appropriate community, regardless of which party he belongs to.” Full stop! There is nothing about being in the Opposition or what not. No one raised a point of order, but I consider it my duty to clear this point for the record as direct reference was made to the two hon. Members appointed as Best Losers and who are free to make their own choices. This is most inappropriate and I will not tolerate any more such references to hon. Members of the National Assembly. Thank you. 11