Mr Deputy Speaker, my Ministry dissolved the Managing Committee of the Mauritius Badminton Association on the 10 March 2026 pursuant to section 9 (9) of the Sports Act 2016. In accordance with section 9 (9) (c) (ii) of the Sports Act 2016, a Temporary Committee, and not an interim committee as stated by the hon. Member, has been set up. The mandate of the temporary committee is to organise fresh election within three months. By way of a letter dated 10 March 2026, my Ministry informed the Mauritius Olympic Committee of its decision to dissolve the Managing Committee of the Mauritius Badminton Association. It was further consulted the Mauritius Olympic Committee with respect to the setting up of a Temporary Committee pursuant to section 9 (9) (c) (ii) of the Sports Act 2016. In that spirit, my Ministry invited the Mauritius Olympic Committee to nominate one person to serve as a member on the Temporary Committee. On 18 March 2026, I even had a meeting with the president of the Mauritius Olympic Committee and on that same day, the latter informed my Ministry that they had referred the matter to the legal department of the International Olympic Committee. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, on 31 March 2026, the Mauritius Olympic Committee informed my Ministry of its decision not to participate in the Temporary Committee for the time being unless so agreed by the International Olympic Committee. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the temporary committee is chaired by Mr Nicolas Boli, the latter is a member of the board of Directors of the Mauritius Multi-Sports Infrastructure Ltd. The two other members are as follows – • Mr Soudesh Kumar Appadoo is the Acting Assistant Director of Sport at my Ministry and is a desk officer for badminton, and • Mrs Ragini Junkeesaw Sunjhoreea is an Acting Principal Inspector of Associations; Mr Emrith, a Sports Officer from my Ministry, is the Secretary. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to inform the House that there are no established criteria under the present legislation for the selection and appointment of the members of a Temporary Committee, that is, being said the overriding criterion is the availability and commitment of the members to make arrangement for the holding of election within three months of a fully-fledged new Managing Committee. I repeat myself, Mr Deputy Speaker, that there are no established criteria under the present legislation for the selection and appointment of the members of a Temporary Committee.

M. le président, avec votre permission. L’honorable ministre peut-il dire à la Chambre pourquoi il s’obstine à nommer des activistes politiques à des postes décisionnelles ? Alors que nous savons tous qu’il faut à tout prix éviter de mélanger le sport à la politique ou la politique au sport et là je fais référence à la nomination de M. Nicolas Boli en tant que Chairperson, président du comité temporaire dont l’honorable ministre lui-même vient de nous informer ?

Hon. Minister!

Yes, Mr Deputy Speaker, that being said, there is nothing that prevents a person who is active in politics to be involved in sports as well. When a person is chairing the Temporary Committee, there is no political affiliation or not but is doing its job independently.

M. le président, je ne comprends pas comment peut-on au niveau du Sports Act, il est stipulé que les activistes politiques, que les personnes engagées en politique n’ont pas le droit d’être des membres et de présider une fédération et là, par rapport à un comité temporaire, un caretaker committee, qui va supposément remettre en ordre toute une fédération de badminton…

Put your question! An hon. Member: It’s a statement!

Put your question, please!

Guet to zafer twa! Ceci dit, M. le président, le ministre est-il au courant que la Badminton World Federation qui est la fédération internationale de badminton reconnaît toujours le comité dissout par le ministère des sports et lui confère même le pouvoir d’engager des athlètes dans des compétitions internationales et avec votre permission, M. le président, je dépose une copie de la lettre adressée au président sortant de la fédération de badminton par le président du World Badminton Association ?

I don’t really get your question exactly what you want to ask. Put your question straight and I am going to answer you.

My question is very straight, M. le président.

Okay, put a straight question!

Je demande à l’honorable ministre, est-ce qu’il est au courant que la Badminton World Federation qui est l’instance suprême du badminton au niveau international, cette instance reconnaît toujours le comité qui a été dissous et lui confère, à ce comité, le pouvoir d’engager des athlètes dans des compétitions internationales ? Est-ce que l’honorable ministre est au courant, a-t-il pris connaissance de la lettre qui est parvenue au président sortant de la fédération de badminton ?

Je suis au courant.

The next question. Hon. Second Member for Grand Baie & Poudre d’Or. KINGS ROAD, GOODLANDS – NEW CENTRALISED TAXI STAND – STATUS