Mrs. S.O., Attorney at Law, he will, for the benefit of the House, obtain information as to the total quantu…
(No. B/777) Mr R. Jhummun (Second Member for Rivière des Anguilles & Souillac) asked the Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Home Affairs and External Communications, Minister of Finance, Minister for Rodrigues and Outer Islands whether, in regard to Mrs. S.O., Attorney at Law, he will, for the benefit of the House, obtain information as to the total quantum of fees and allowances paid out thereto, together with the other fringe benefits to which she was entitled over the period 2015 to 2024 in her capacity as legal representative, chairperson, 32 board member and for any other legal services rendered to the different Ministries and parastatal bodies.
Madam Speaker, on the basis of information gathered so far, Mrs Sonah-Ori has served as – (i) Commissioner for the Protection of Borrowers for period 15 May 2015 to 21 October 2019, drawing a monthly salary of Rs100,000, a travelling allowance of Rs9,000 and a driver’s allowance of Rs7,000. Mrs Sonah-Ori was re-appointed on 13 December 2019 with a monthly salary, which was then increased to Rs120,000, a travelling allowance which was Rs9,000, but with a driver’s allowance of Rs8,400. She resigned on 27 February 2020. (ii) She also served as a Member of the Assessment Review Committee for a period of three years, with effect from 02 July 2020, with an all-inclusive monthly allowance of Rs86,845 and a monthly travelling allowance of Rs11,500. Following the PRB report in 2021, her monthly all-inclusive allowance was revised to Rs96,295 and travelling allowance of Rs 12,000 with effect from 01 January 2021 up to 30 June 2022. The travelling allowance was also increased to Rs13,200 as from 01 July 2022. Mrs Sonah-Ori was re-appointed as Member of the ARC for a further period of 3 years, with effect from 01 July 2023, and she resigned on 17 October 2024. (iii) She was a Board Member of AHL Properties from September 2023 to November 2024, drawing Rs10,000 monthly salary as board fees. (iv) She was also Board Member of Landscope (Mauritius Ltd) from March 2018 to October 2019, and from March 2020 to November 2024, with a monthly fee of Rs25,000. (v) She was a Board Member of BPML Freeport Services Ltd from May 2018 to November 2024, for a monthly fee of Rs8,500. (vi) She was also a Board Member of Informatics Parks Ltd, …
(Interruptions)
An hon. Member: Jackpot! Jackpot!
33
… from May 2018 to October 2019, drawing a monthly fee of Rs10,500. (vii) She was also a Member of the Council of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute/ Rabindranath Tagore Institute from 2015 to 2019, for a total fee of Rs98,160. (viii) She was also the Chairperson of the Senior Appointment Committee of the Mauritius Institute of Education, from April 2017 to October 2019 for a total fee of Rs102,599.
(Interruptions)
Madam Speaker, it is not over. It is not over. Mrs Sonah-Ori also served as Legal Adviser to various public organisations – (i) Airports of Mauritius Co. Ltd, from November 2023 to October 2024, for a fee of Rs1.3 million;
(Interruptions)
(ii) She was, again, a Legal Adviser to Mauritius Duty Free Paradise, from July 2016 to December 2023, drawing legal fees of Rs4.8 million; (iii) She was also a Member of the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, from March 2024 to January 2025, drawing Rs239,900 as fees;
Voler! Voler!
(iv) She was also a Member of the SBM Holdings Ltd. She was earning fees of Rs4.7 million in 2024, and (v) She was also a Member of the SBM Bank (Mauritius) Ltd, for the years 2020 to 2024, and believe it or not, for a total fee of Rs37.2 million.
(Interruptions)
Shame!
Voler!
Madam Speaker, not over …
(Interruptions)
Not over!
34
Mrs Sonah-Ori was enlisted as legal representative for the following institutions – (i) The Mauritius Police Force, representing former Commissioners of Police in several cases, drawing a total of Rs4.3 million;
(Interruptions)
(ii) She was also the legal representative of the Independent Broadcasting Authority, in June 2022, for a fee of Rs61,000; (iii) She was also the legal representative of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority from 2016 to 2024… An hon. Member : Circule sa la liste la !
… for a fee of Rs12.1 million;
(Interruptions)
(iv) She was also the legal representative of Mauritius Housing Company Ltd for period October 2021 to March 2025, at a cost of Rs1.4 million; (v) Furthermore, she was also the legal representative at the Financial Intelligence Unit, for services provided in December 2023 and January 2024, at a cost of Rs1.5 million;
Franco, kot ton al asizer laba !
(Interruptions)
Ekoute!
(vi) Madam Speaker, she was also a legal representative for Air Mauritius Ltd, for a disciplinary committee in March 2017, for a fee of Rs115,000;
Chorni!
(vii) She was also the legal representative Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd, from January 2018 to September 2018, and in February 2021, against a fee of Rs188,400;
35 (viii) She was also the legal representative of Independent Review Panel, for two cases in 2020 and 2023, against a total payment of Rs567,500, for two cases, and (ix) Maubank Ltd, she was also the legal representative there for period January 2022 to December 2024, for a total fee of Rs348,700. Madam Speaker, for period 2015 to 2024, Mrs Sonah-Ori, Attorney-at-law, has received a total amount of Rs82.7 million…
(Interruptions)
Shame! Shame! Shame!
Sa kalite la! An hon. Member: Maha chorni sa!
Maha chor! An hon. Member: Chorni!
Chorni!
In addition, Mrs Sonah-Ori has made a claim of Rs2,027,500 to the FCC. If we add this, the sum amounts to an astronomical figure of Rs 84.7 million in favour of Mrs Sonah-Ori. I sometimes ask myself, Madam Speaker, were there no other Attorneys in Mauritius?
Incroyable!
Only one person!
(Interruptions)
You ask yourself – “What do these people eat?”
(Interruptions)
What could they be eating to take so much money?
Sona! Sona!
(Interruptions)
How fat can you get on money?
Incroyable!
36 All hon. Members: Shame! Shame! Shame!
(Interruptions)
Hon. Fourth Member for Port Louis North and Montagne Longue, Mr A. Duval. An hon. Member: Time is over!
Sona! Ena beze la!
(Interruptions)
An hon. Member: Zot inn fini sa pays la zot inn garde!
Apre tonn envi kone Pan African komie inn depanse, komie pann depanse ? Mo pou dir twa la!
Okay, let us have this one. Then, we will stop. Yes, hon. Prime Minister! PAN-AFRICAN PARLIAMENT – MAURITIUS DELEGATION & PARTICIPATION