PRESS PUBLICATION – JUNIOR MINISTERS & ADVISERS – ALLEGED SALARY INCREASE (3.33 p.m.)

Madam Speaker, with your permission, I wish to make a statement relating to the publication in the press of alleged increase in the salaries of Junior Ministers and Advisers. Let me first dispel a misunderstanding on allowances to be paid to Junior Ministers although this, I must say, was clearly explained to the House yesterday by the hon. Attorney General. This subject has been widely misinterpreted by the Opposition and other quarters. They are arguing that the allowances to Junior Ministers are being raised while this is clearly not the case. The National Assembly Allowances Act provides for the allowances to be paid to Ministers and other Members of the National Assembly, including Parliamentary Private Secretary. However, no provision has been made in the Schedule of the Act for the payment of allowances to Junior Ministers. With a view to correcting this anomaly, mention was made in the Annex of the Budget Speech 2025-2026 that amendment would be brought to the National Assembly Allowances Act to cater for the payment of allowances to Junior Ministers. As the House is aware, 10 Junior Ministers have been appointed and are in office since 22 November 2024. Administrative arrangement has been made for the payment of allowances to Junior Ministers at the same quantum payable to former Parliamentary Private Secretaries. I wish to reassure the House that Junior Ministers are not being paid a single cent more than what Parliamentary Private Secretaries used to draw in the past. Madam Speaker, in respect of Advisers, I have noted the recent campaign which puts doubt in the mind of the population regarding what has been referred to as “substantial” increase in their salaries. This is clearly part of campaign of disinformation and innuendos. I would like to point out that under the MSM regime, there were 4 categories of Advisers, namely – (i) Special Advisers; (ii) Senior Advisers; (iii) Advisers on Information Matters, and (iv) Advisers on Public Relation Matters. Government has decided to rationalise the categories of Advisers with the introduction of a category of Senior Advisers (Technical) to cater for specialised fields in, for example, medicine, engineering or otherwise. Government does not want to leave it to the discretion of whoever comes to power to decide on his own personal volition, his personal wishes, how much of public money should be spent on people who have been recruited by them. Government is simply being transparent in respect of the different scales of salaries applicable to Advisers. Madam Speaker, I should also point out that except in few cases, very few cases, where Advisers are serving on Boards, strict instructions have been given not to allow Advisers to be members of Boards of parastatal bodies and state-owned enterprises. I wish to state, Madam Speaker, that under the former government, they boosted the income of Advisers by allowing them to serve on numerous Boards. Very often, these Advisers were earning revenues from these Boards which was higher than their own salary! Let me give you a couple of examples to illustrate this without naming any names. (i) One Special Adviser who was drawing a salary of Rs163,250 was also appointed as Chairperson of – • Mauritius Revenue Authority, where he draws a salary; • SBM (Bank Holdings) Ltd.; • Mauritius Telecom; • Multi-Carrier (Mauritius) Ltd., and • Metro Express Ltd. All drawing salaries! He was also the Director of – • SBM Africa Holdings Ltd – again, drawing a salary; • SBM Bank (Kenya) Ltd. (paid in US dollars); • Mauritius Duty Free Paradise Co. Ltd, and • Rodrigues Duty Free Paradise Co. Ltd.

(Interruptions)

I am just giving a couple of examples. (ii) Another Special Adviser drawing Rs132,000 per month and Rs20,000 of extra duty allowance as Chairperson of – • Airports of Mauritius Co. Ltd; • Airport Terminal Operations Ltd., and • Mauritius Duty Free Paradise Co. Ltd. He was also a member of numerous boards and committees, including – • 9 committees of SBM Holdings Ltd. Nine! • State Insurance Company of Mauritius Ltd. (SICOM) and two of its sub- committees; • Air Mauritius Ltd; • Air Mauritius Holdings Ltd.; • Airmate Ltd., and • Mauritius Helicopter Ltd. (iii) Madam Speaker, another Special Adviser was drawing a salary of Rs119,500. He was also appointed on the following Boards – • Gambling Regulatory Authority board; • Mauritius Duty Free Paradise Co. Ltd; • Rodrigues Duty Free Paradise Co. Ltd; • Airport of Rodrigues Ltd; • Pointe Coton Resort Hotel Co. Ltd, and • Metro Express Ltd. I could go on and on, Madam Speaker, and refer to others, but it will be far too long. To conclude, Madam Speaker, let me reiterate what I have stated on several occasions in this House: This Government will not renege on its pledge to ensure that the principles of good governance and accountability underpin all its actions. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you.