First and foremost, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank the hon. Member for his question. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the transition towards a paperless public service constitutes a central pillar of this Government's broader digital transformation initiatives aimed at agenda. My Ministry has been spearheading a range of strategic initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on paper-based processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and improving the overall responsiveness of service delivery across Ministries and departments. This transition is being pursued through the progressive digitalisation of administrative processes, the development of integrated information systems, and the re-engineering of workflows with a view of embedding more agile, efficient, and sustainable practices across the public service. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to inform the House of key initiatives which have been implemented by my Ministry or which are currently underway. The electronic Human Resource System is fully operational. It serves as a centralised digital repository for the personnel and employment records of over 57,000 public officers, and enables officers to apply for various types of leave online. The system also comprises an e-movement module, which allows officers to record their official movements electronically. My Ministry has also implemented the electronic attendance system. This has eliminated the need for attendance registers through the use of electronic time recorders, recorders, and a centralised attendance management platform. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, a major milestone in the digital transformation journey is the implementation of the Electronic Document Management System, (EDMS), introduced with the support of the United Nations Development Programme and funded from the Government of Japan, the system is operational. It enables the full lifecycle management of documents in electronic form, from creation and processing to storage, retrieval, and archiving. The project shall be scaled up at the level of my Ministry and also rolled out across the public service. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, furthermore, my Ministry has initiated the development of an electronic scheme of service system, which will transform what has traditionally been a manual and paper intensive process into a fully digital workflow. Following a successful pilot phase, the contract for the implementation of the system was awarded in November 2025. Once operational, it will enable electronic drafting, consultation, approval, and storage of schemes of service while facilitating real-time collaboration among key stakeholders. In parallel, my Ministry is currently undertaking the review and digitalisation of the Performance Management System in line with the recommendations of the 2026 Pay Research Bureau Report. This reform will transition performance appraisal processes to an integrated digital platform, enable real-time monitoring, online submission of reports, and data driven decision- making. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, these initiatives are being complemented by the Public Service Reform Scheme, which provides a structured framework to modernise administrative processes and promote a more efficient, responsive, and citizen-centric public service. A key component of the scheme is business process re-engineering, which focuses on redesigning workflows through the use of digital technologies to eliminate redundancies and reduce duplication. In addition, capacity-building programmes are being implemented to equip public officers with the necessary digital competencies to operate effectively. I wish to inform the House, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that we have worked closely with the hon. Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation to bring in elements in our syllabuses for training and capacity building so that our public officers are well equipped. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, dedicated support is being provided under the scheme of the reforms and innovation units as well, which was under the budget of 2025-2026, established across Ministries and Departments. These units serve as key drivers of change at the operational level and are responsible for identifying, developing and implementing reform initiatives, particularly those aimed at reducing reliance on paper-based processes and accelerating the adoption of digital solutions. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am also informed by the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change that under the greening of the public sector initiative and pursuant to the Digital Transformation Blueprint 2025-2029, several ICT initiatives are being undertaken by public organisations and institutions to achieve the ecological transition of Mauritius to a cleaner and greener Mauritius. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, these measures are being implemented in a phased and coordinated manner and are already contributing to a tangible reduction in the use of hard copy documents across the public service. Thank you.

The hon. Second Member for Savanne and Black River. HOG PLUM BEETLE INVASION – COMPLAINTS – ASSISTANCE TO PLANTERS