the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament, held in Midrand, South Afr…
(No. B/778) Mr A. Duval (Fourth Member for Port-Louis North and Montagne Longue) 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 the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament, held in Midrand, South Africa, from 16 July to 01 August 2025, he will state whether an official delegation of the National Assembly of Mauritius participated therein and, if so, indicate – (a) the composition of the delegation, duration of stay and total costs incurred in respect of air travel, accommodation and per diem allowances; (b) whether the members of the delegation were sworn in as members of the Pan- African Parliament, and (c) the meetings, committees or other events in which the members of the delegation participated.
Madam Speaker, I wish to refer the hon. Member to the Statement I made in the House last Friday, 25 July of this year, wherein I denounced the unpatriotic and disgraceful act of the Opposition which caused the reputation of our country to be sullied.
37 Now, I have already addressed parts (b) and (c) of the question in the Statement that I made at the Sitting of Friday 25 July 2025. As regards part (a) of the question, the delegation comprised hon. Jhummun, hon. Ms Savabaddy, hon. Lukeeram, hon. Apollon, and hon. Baboolall. The total cost incurred amounted to Rs1,134,471. I am informed that the hon. Members will refund the excess per diem that was paid to them as their mission, which was initially scheduled from 16 July to 01 August 2025, lasted only from 18 July to 25 July 2025.
Nou pa bann zwiser nou!
That is how we operate and decide.
Exactly! Exactly!
Madam Speaker, it is worth pointing out that the hon. A. Duval became Speaker after his predecessor was consigned to the ICU under the false pretext that he had to undergo urgent cardiac treatment. There was a confusion as well. He made a statement saying, ‘I have not resigned. I am well.’ Then, we heard that he is going! God knows what happened! Over the 78 days when the hon. Member was Speaker, he realised the feat of chairing four sittings of the National Assembly and undertook three missions over a span of two weeks shuttling from India to China and to Armenia. Three missions that cost the cost the taxpayers an amount of Rs748,112.
(Interruptions)
To pa honte? To pa honte?
La honte! La honte!
And this amount…
To ti enn ti kok, tonn vinn enn ti zwiser!
(Interruptions)
This amount of Rs748, …
(Interruptions)
Ti zwiser!
38
…Rs748,112, this amount excludes expenses for other members of the delegation, that is, only for him. As I indicated, Madam Speaker, in my Statement last Friday, the hon. Quirin has already served two full terms as a member of the national delegation to the Pan-African Parliament, that is, from May 2015 to May 2018, and again from May 2020 to October 2024. For the period 2015 to 2018, he undertook five missions for a total cost of Rs1,112,011. Now, during the period 2019 to 2024, he participated in meetings of the Pan-African Parliament on ten occasions.
Wow!
The expenditures incurred for these missions were Rs 2,723,195.75. The total expenses for these 15 missions, as a member of the national delegation amount, to Rs3,835,206.75. I wish to draw the attention of the House to the protocol of the Constitutive Act of the African Union relating to the Pan-African Parliament which was adopted in 2014, and I quote – “The term of a Member of the Pan-African Parliament shall be five years. He or she shall be eligible for re-election for one further term only.” This clause is currently in the process of ratification. Had it been ratified, the hon. Member would not even have been eligible for that re-election. I am a bit surprised that this escaped his attention! Article 4, Madam Speaker, is clear. What does it say? It does not say that Members of the Opposition should be included. It says that it should include a ‘diversity of opinion.’ But I remind the House, we have a diverse coalition here. Four parties plus Members from Rodrigues. We have diversity of opinion!
Rann kass do!
Yes!
39
Madam Speaker, there are many precedence of delegations being told to ‘al zot lakaz’ because of the way they have been constituted. I will ask the hon. Prime Minister….
(Interruptions)
Please!
…whether he is prepared to take back the injurious Statement that he has made against the Pan-African Parliament?
Ey!
(Interruptions)
Last Friday on the African Union.
Fausse!
(Interruptions)
Assize do bourik!
(Interruptions)
I made the Statement, Madam Speaker, precisely because of the unpatriotic way that they have behaved…
(Interruptions)
Lâche!
Shame! Shame!
…and sullied the reputation of this country.
Okay! Hon. Members, …
Vender!
Zwiser!
Hon. Members, we have gone…
Zot ki zwiser!
(Interruptions)
40
Hon. Members!
(Interruptions)
Hon. Members, I am trying to speak! We have gone well beyond the time limit for you, hon. Prime Minister. So, we are ending here. B/780, B/782 and B/783 have been withdrawn. Now, we move to questions addressed to hon. Ministers. I am calling on the Chief Whip!
Je vous remercie, Madame la présidente.
I am sorry, I should call you the hon. Second Member for Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes because it is in this capacity that you have put the question. Go ahead!
Je vous remercie, Madame la présidente. B/786 !
Avant la réponse, Monsieur le ministre, permettez-moi de dire tout ce qui a été retiré. Let me do that. The Table has been advised that PQ B/796 will be replied by the hon. Minister of Tourism. PQ B/798 will be replied by the hon. Minister of Housing and Lands. PQ B/805 will be replied by the hon. Minister of Tourism. PQ B/812 will be replied by the hon. Minister of Local Government. Now, hon. Minister! BEAU BASSIN-ROSE HILL-EBÈNE – CYCLE NETWORK PROJECT