Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am informed that as at March 2025, there were 52 cases of residential squatting on state land at Coteau Raffin and four cases at Karo Kaliptis, Case Noyale. In 2015, the then Ministry of Housing and Lands decided to regularise, as far as possible, all pre-July 2015 residential squatters. In regards to Coteau Raffin, the cases of 39 out of 41 pre- July 2015 were regularised in situ in 2017 whilst three documents are yet to be submitted by the two remaining families to enable regularisation. My Ministry has already made a request to the CEB and the CWA for proper provision of electricity and water supply for these 39 families. An amount of Rs47 million has been provided in the Budget Estimates of 2025-2026 of my Ministry for the provision of electricity and water supply to four regions including Coteau Raffin. I am informed that the CEB and CWA are facing serious challenges to provide the utilities to the families concerned due to lack of proper road access. My Ministry is coordinating with all relevant authorities with a view to facilitating both the CEB and the CWA. Madam Speaker, in regard to Karo Kaliptis, Case Noyale, I am also informed that following the regularisation, in situ, of 39 cases of residential squatting in 2013, there remains 4 cases of residential squatting which need to be addressed. Two cases concern pre-2015 squatters that can only be regularised after existing encroachments issues are sorted out.

73 In so far, as the post 2015 residential squatters – because it keeps coming pre and post – my Ministry is working on recommendations that I propose to submit to government in due course. However, Members will appreciate that addressing the issue of squatters on state lands is indeed a complex one due to different types of constraints such as encroachment, sites being found on river reserves, wetlands, nature parks, public beaches, topography of lands, flood-prone areas amongst others. For example, in Coteau Raffin, I am informed that 8 out of the 52 post- July 2015 squatters are found on Comptesse La Marque public beach and most of the remaining 44 cases are found either within 30 metres of the high-water mark or on marshy lands rendering their regularisation in situ, impossible. And, Madam Speaker, let me conclude by saying, that is some of the consequences the then Member of Parliament and Minister of that Constituency, going to promise land to everyone in order to have votes in return. And this is what you have as a result of telling people to go and take plots of land, to vote for him and in return, he will get them the lease but not knowing and not even observing, where they are going to take the land. Some of them ended up on the public beaches, some ended up on marshland and less than 30 metres from the high-water mark. Thank you.

Thank you, hon. Minister. Yes!

Will the hon. Minister consider improving the road access to make it a public road as some people are sick and ambulances cannot get access to them?

As I said, we are working with all of the relevant agencies and Ministries in order to find solutions. Now, obviously, with regard to road access, I will have to speak to the relevant authorities. That would be either the local authority or any other relevant department that would be able to find the solution and the budget in order to build the roads. So, yes, it is an urgent matter. But the other matter is that there are other people who have registered with the NHDC and who are patiently waiting for houses, as opposed to squatters who come to land and do not register for NHDC houses and expect to have electricity, water, land

74 given and paid by the State. I know there is an urgency in order to give them houses, but we have to be able to balance things as it should. Resources have to be used efficiently and reasonably, and not simply being obtained by simply asking. Thank you.

Thank you, hon. Minister. Now, the Third Member for Port-Louis North and Montagne, hon. Caserne! ABERCROMBIE MARKET FAIR – COURT JUDGMENT