Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. At its meeting of Friday 10 April 2026, Cabinet agreed to the setting up of an Inter-Ministerial Committee to look into all issues pertaining to Ex-CHA/EDC houses containing asbestos. The committee would be chaired by me and would comprise my colleagues the hon. Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, the hon. Minister of National Infrastructure, the hon. Minister of Health and Wellness and the hon. Minister of Local Government. Unfortunately, the Inter-Ministerial Committee has not yet met. It has just gone through the Cabinet of last week, waited for confirmation, and that is the process. I am informed that in the meantime, Statistics Mauritius is carrying out a survey to determine inter alia the present number of Ex-CHA houses containing asbestos, the state of the buildings and profile of the house owners or occupiers. The preliminary findings are expected before the end of May 2026. The survey will provide updated and additional data for proper recommendations to be made to Government. So, as the hon. Member would agree, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this survey being carried out is of utmost importance in order to be able to make an informed decision. Thank you.

Yes!

Merci, M. le président. Merci au ministre pour sa réponse. Est-ce que le nouveau comité mis en place et qui sera désormais présidé par le ministère des Terres et du Logement, par le ministère de l’Environnement, entre autres, prendra en considération le travail déjà commencé par le comité qui a été présidé par l’ex Junior Minister ? D’ailleurs, c’est le ministre même qui me l’avait. Qu’en sera-t-il des recommandations déjà faites ? Merci.

Well, as I have already explained, all such recommendations will also be taken into account when we are to make our report and recommendations. However, what is of utmost importance, as I am just repeating that part, is that we need to be able to have a proper survey to determine the exact state of affairs of this whole situation. Without that survey, we will be just as though we are shooting in the dark. I do not want to be put in a situation or put Government in a situation where I am just coming up with theory. I want to be very practical in the approach. This is precisely what the committee wants to do. So, this survey will be of help in order for us to be able to assess the situation. Now, the last survey that was carried out was back in November 2022. There were still around 1,560 out of 3,113 EDC houses. So, this survey has to be updated, and there are additional data that we need in order to be able to make a decision. But as I have said, the survey is going to be ready by next month. So, that is a good thing for us to proceed.

Thank you.

Yes, do you have a question?

Merci. Une des principales préoccupations pour les habitants des maisons en amiante, c’est d’avoir une alternative, un endroit où ils peuvent habiter quand leurs maisons seront détruites. Étant donné que l’honorable ministre est ministre des Terres et du Logement et responsable de la NHDC, peut-il nous confirmer si le nouveau comité interministériel prendra en considération la recommandation selon laquelle la priorité doit être donnée aux habitants des maisons en amiante pour des maisons NHDC ?

I have gone through the questions that were asked in this Assembly some time back. If I am not mistaken, the former, former Deputy Prime Minister had answered a question to the very same hon. Member, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. The question is, as it stands, all NHDC and NSLD houses are for those who do not own property. So, to be able to change that policy – because I guess this is what the hon. Member has been trying to get at for many years now – is to give priority to those that have the EDC houses and to give them NSLD houses. So, the answer that was given then was no. This is one of very few areas where I agree with the former Minister of Housing. The answer is no. We will not be able to put them in a situation where we give priority to those who own houses. The issue is that they have to have houses reconstructed. While I agree that those houses that need to be reconstructed, there is a cost to it. But we will get to the bridge and cross it when we get there. But as it stands right now, I am not ready to take a policy decision of giving priority to people who already own a house and to give them priority over those who do not own a house and have been waiting for many, many years.

Yes, one question. It is your question.

J’ai encore une question.

Yes! You have the floor.

Thank you. Est-ce que le ministre des Terres et du Logement peut confirmer à la Chambre et aussi aux habitants dont les maisons sont amiantées, est-ce qu’ils auront une subvention provenant de l’État ? Merci.

You see, if I were to give you an answer with regard to that today, what would therefore be the point of having the Inter-Ministerial Committee? The whole point of the Inter-Ministerial Committee is to take stock of the survey being carried out, as I have said, take into consideration all reports and works that have been done by all parties, and then make recommendations to Cabinet. It is only then that I will be in a position to come up with a formula as to what the solution would be. So, right now, it would be really premature for me to go as far as pronouncing myself on that issue.

Okay, one last question.

En réalité, le grant actuel est de R 130,000, ce qui n’est absolument pas suffisant pour pouvoir reconstruire une maison. Les matériaux de construction coûtent beaucoup plus cher. Le ministre m’a donné la même réponse que l’ancien ministre, mais le ministre reconnait-il que l’État a une responsabilité pour donner une alternative à ces habitants, pour leur donner une nouvelle maison ? Puisque, dans le passé, ce sont des maisons toxiques qui leur ont été données par l’État. Donc, aujourd’hui, reconnait-il la responsabilité de l’État dans cette démarche de leur donner une alternative ?

Once again, when I was put in the presence of the issue of asbestos houses, I made it a point of reading all reports that exist: the expert reports that have pronounced themselves on the toxicity or the non-toxic element of those houses. I see that politicians for many years now have been pronouncing themselves as though it is a fact that those are toxic houses. But I am in possession of other reports that basically do not confirm that. So, I want to proceed with prudence and not with an alarming attitude where I get people to start getting scared, and simply promise them money when, in fact, there was no need for it. So, let us proceed in a very dispassionate manner, even though it is a very important issue. Let us analyse the experts’ reports. What is the status? Is it toxic, or is it not? If it is, it will be put before Cabinet with the report. Then, Cabinet will decide what the situation is. But what I am not ready to do is to say today that Government gave houses that were toxic to people. That I am prepared to say is not true.

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