Madam Speaker, at the outset, I wish to declare my interest in the matter as Mrs M.M.B. used to work as carer for my mother who is 80 years old. My mother is a heart patient and she lives alone with my father who is 85 years old. In 2023, my mother fractured her shoulder and collarbone, and was advised by her doctor to recruit a carer to stay with her. On 10 April 2023, my mother submitted an application for a work permit to the Ministry for the employment of Mrs M.M.B. as carer for a period of three years. I am informed that the application was processed in line with prevailing procedures at the Ministry, and a work permit was issued on 20 June 2023, authorising Mrs M.M.B. to take up employment as carer for a period of two years. On 30 May 2025, my mother applied for the renewal of the work permit of Mrs M.M.B. for a period of two years and same was renewed by the Permanent Secretary of my Ministry in line with the General Notice Number 1514 of 2022 regarding delegation of powers for the grant or refusal of an application for permits regarding non-citizen in cases where the Minister is not exercising his powers on grounds of conflict of interest. In line with established practice which predated my appointment as Minister, I was not involved at all in the renewal exercise. On 06 April 2026, my mother informed my Ministry that Mrs M.M.B. had, on 03 April 2026, at around 8 o'clock at night, left her house and had since not come back. I wish to point out, Madam Speaker, that it was my mother who informed my Ministry that Mrs M.M.B. was missing, and not the Bangladesh High Commission, as is suggested in the wording of the PQ. In line with existing protocol, the Special Migrant Workers Unit of my Ministry conducted an inquiry into the matter and informed that there were no outstanding dues payable and there was absolutely no complaint made against the employer and no case of ill- treatment or exploitation had been detected regarding that worker. The work permit of Mrs M.M.B. was, therefore, cancelled and the PIO was informed accordingly. I am informed that the Police have, up to now, not been able to trace out the whereabouts of Mrs M.M.B., but she is still in the country. Madam Speaker, in 2023, the then government decided to put a ban on the recruitment of new foreign workers from Bangladesh as there was a high number of missing Bangladeshi workers in the country as reported by the Passport and Immigration Office. In fact, there is a well-organised network whereby some foreign workers destined for one employer are lured to leave their employer to work for other employers against promise of higher pay. When the present Government took office in November 2024, there were around 3,940 illegal foreign workers in the country. Following the recommendation of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on work permit issues, various measures were introduced to facilitate the recruitment of foreign workers, which led to a considerable reduction in the number of missing workers. As there was a high demand for Bangladeshi workers from different sectors and the number of Bangladeshi workers without valid permit had been reduced to 1,412 as per report of my Ministry, Government on 05 September 2025 agreed to allow the recruitment of new Bangladeshi workers in the bakery, textile, printing, as well as in other scarcity areas. Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, since we have resumed the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, the number of workers reported missing by their employers has doubled to 2,819, out of which I am informed by PIO 2,219 are Bangladeshi, that is, close to 80% of missing workers today, are from Bangladesh. I wish to inform the House that the issue of illegal workers had been previously raised in other Parliamentary Questions including PQ B/151 and B/158 addressed to the hon. Prime Minister on 31 March 2026 regarding overstaying and missing foreign workers. In his reply, the hon. Prime Minister had informed the House that the Commissioner of Police had been requested to strengthen the crackdown team in collaboration with other units and branches of the Police, including SMF. Also, in another Parliamentary Question B/670 for the Sitting of 12 May 2026, I highlighted the fact that the Police never arrest nor prosecute any employer who illegally employ migrant workers without a valid work permit including missing foreign workers. Whenever there is a crackdown operation, it is only the illegal workers who are arrested and prosecuted without any legal action taken against the employers. Madam Speaker, I have personally taken up this matter with the Police and the High Commissioner of Bangladesh on several occasions as the missing foreign workers are vulnerable. They have no protection under the Workers' Rights Act, no proper accommodation facilities, and they can be easily exploited and become victims of trafficking in person. My Ministry is closely monitoring the situation with the Passport and Immigration Office.

Thank you. Yes.

Je vous remercie. Madame la présidente, ce cas est bien bouleversant. L'honorable ministre peut-il confirmer que l'employée en question se serait enfuie de la résidence de son employeur en passant par la sortie destinée à l'évacuation des ordures ? Et si c'est le cas, peut-il confirmer qu'un/une travailleur étranger dont le permis de travail est lié à un employeur spécifique conserve néanmoins sa pleine liberté de mouvement en vertu de la loi ?

Madam Speaker, I have been informed that according to the Police report, which has been communicated to my office, there is one witness who actually saw Mrs M.M.B. leave the house by the back door and go into a taxi with a man from Bangladesh. I would like to answer to the second part of the question, no, it is totally illegal for a worker to stay in Mauritius without a valid work permit. He has to be deported; and that is the point I was making. The Police only arrest the foreign workers and do not go after the employers who employ these illegal workers.

Yes, second.

Je ne parlais pas de contrat de permis valide ou pas. Je parlais de liberté de mouvement. Il est interdit selon la loi d'enfermer un employé ou une employée, n'est-ce pas ? Donc, je viens sur ma deuxième question supplémentaire. Le ministre a mentionné un grand nombre de travailleurs venant du Bangladesh qui sont portés disparus, qui sont portés manquants. Comment explique-t-il que le High Commission du Bangladesh ait émis un communiqué spécifiquement pour cette travailleuse étrangère ? Il a dit un peu plus tôt qu'il s'est récusé de toute implication ministérielle dans ce cas. Comment peut-il expliquer donc, que le High Commission du Bangladesh a sorti un communiqué spécifiquement pour cette employée ?

Vous êtes au courant?

Madam Speaker, I think I was very clear. I said that in 2025, when my mother applied to renew the work permit after two years. So, we are talking about a worker who has been working with her for three years now - three years working with her. I was not involved at all with the renewal. But I have had conversation with the High Commissioner, not on one occasion, but on several occasions, not about this particular person, but about the high prevalence of workers from Bangladesh who run away. We have cases of Bangladeshi workers coming to Mauritius and right from the airport they are taken away by some mysterious people and never even set foot in the company, in the textile company or construction company where they are working. I say it again, the problem is with the Police never prosecuting illegal Mauritian employers who prey on the victims, on these illegal, missing Bangladeshi workers.

I am sorry. What about the liberté de mouvement? Let us clear this.

Madam Speaker, before any foreign worker comes to Mauritius, they have to sign an agreement with their employer. This agreement is vetted by my Ministry. So, in that Ministry, we make sure that all the rights that are applicable to a Mauritian worker is extended to a migrant worker. So, the number of hours which a migrant worker can work will be in accordance with the applicable remuneration order that is applicable to any other worker or local worker. So, there is absolutely no discrimination between a Mauritian worker and a foreign worker. And I will go even further, that there have been cases where my Ministry has reported to the Police cases where certain employers were illegally retaining the passport of their migrant workers, which is totally illegal, and my officers have reported these cases to the Police.

Okay, your last question.

Il a été déploré que cette employée était maintenue enfermée illégalement.

Question? Question?

Est ce que l'honorable Ministre aurait…

Madam Speaker, I have a strong objection. I want this lady to withdraw whatever she just said! She said that this worker was kept housed and prevented from going out. That is an absolute lie! It is extremely, extremely shameful coming from a girl who was used to be an MMM to talk like this on my mother. Shame! Shame!

(Interruptions)

Shame! Shame!

Cela fait partie de…

Shame! We are not like you. We were not colonial! Pena disan kolon dan mo disan mwa! Pena disan kolon dan mo disan mwa!

Chut!

Mwasi mo pena disan kolon!

Oh, I do not think it is the time to do this.

So cheap! So cheap!

(Interruptions)

Koman to fer avek dimounn tou otour de twa! Al diman...

…. descendant travayer nou…

Hon. Members! Hon. Members, will you, please, behave, all of you? Hon. Members!

(Interruptions)

Hon. Member, stand up if you want to speak. Stand up! Listen, listen. First of all... One moment! First of all, listen to me. You made an averment that this person was locked up. Is that what you did?

C'est dans le domaine public. C'est affiché dans la presse et dans les médias.

Donc, quand c'est dans les médias, vous répétez?

Mais si ce n'est pas… Madame la Speaker… si ce n'est pas vrai, il n'a qu'à…

Okay, time is up!

C'est dans le domaine public. C'est mon devoir de venir mettre dans le…

If I may, on a point of order.

Okay, let us have a third party.

A third party who will try to calm things down. Just to make it clear, on a point of order, the hon. Member has just stated that she is referring to the media and the press. The Standing Orders say you cannot. Full stop.

That is true.

So, therefore, if she bases herself on the press, she has to withdraw everything.

Okay, one moment. I am going to raise now. When I come back after teatime, I will give a ruling on this point.

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I will not accept that he called me “disan kolon”.

I do not think that was proper. Will you, please, withdraw?

I withdraw, Madam Speaker.

Yes, both of you, please, withdraw.

Okay, I withdraw.

Now we go for lunch, and I will give a ruling after teatime – if I can still speak. At 1.01 p.m. the Sitting was suspended. On resuming at 2.35 p.m., with the Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

Please be seated! Hon. Members, B/806 has been withdrawn. So, I call upon the hon. Second Member for Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes! FERTILISER SUBSIDY SCHEME – FINANCIAL YEAR 2025-2026 – AMOUNT EARMARKED – PLANTERS’ REQUESTS