Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am informed that following completion of housing project by the NHDC, it has been the practice for my Ministry to vest part of the housing estate, that is, plots of land over which stand the social facilities and green spaces in the Ministry of Local Government for maintenance as the NHDC does not have sufficient financial and human resources. However, in the year 2021, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Local Government informed my Ministry that maintenance of green spaces and amenities within the NHDC housing estates does not fall under the purview of the local authorities as per the Local Government Act and requested my Ministry to make its own arrangements for such services. At one point in time, there was also the issue of the Local Government Act having to be amended that would have permitted the local authorities to take care and maintain those specific spaces but as at yet, ever since 2021, nothing has been done. In a spirit of collaboration, some local authorities have, despite their limited means, been maintaining the green areas and other amenities over a number of housing estates. I am given to understand that my Ministry has had several meetings with the Ministry of Local Government and that of Finance to come up with a policy for the maintenance of green spaces and social amenities of NHDC housing estates. I wish to seize this opportunity, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, to inform the House that maintenance of green spaces and amenities with respect to the NSLD residential units project will also have to be looked into. I am informed that during the last meeting held at the Ministry of Finance on 16 September 2025, the Ministry of Local Government was agreeable to take over the green spaces, and I thank the hon. Minister of Local Government for that, and other common amenities subject to amendments to the Local Government Act, as I said earlier. And obviously, I cannot be difficult on him and his Ministry subject to availability of funds. Residence Lavande housing project in Dagotiere comprises 656 housing units on a ground plus one configuration, a football ground, a children's playground, a jogging track, a community centre, a commercial outlet and 32 green spaces. In regard to part (a), the plots of land over which stand the green spaces and amenities have not yet been vested with the Ministry of Local Government. Conversely, the District Council of Moka has, in April 2023, taken over the operation and maintenance of the community centre. As regards part (b), the NHDC is, despite the lack of resources, undertaking maintenance of the green spaces and amenities thereat on an ad hoc basis. Let me give details with regard to that, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, because I think it is important not only for the hon. Member, but most importantly, the residents there and the constituents. The issue is as follows: the NHDC in-house team is presently carrying out the cleaning of green and common spaces at Residence Lavande, Dagotiere. Cleaning works started on 06 May 2026 and are expected to be completed by 05 June 2026, subject to weather permitting. As at 21 May 2026, 50% of the cleaning works at the children's playground have been completed. The NHDC does not have the resources to ensure regular maintenance, and as I said, it is on an ad hoc basis. To conclude, I would also like to add the following, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. Not only is this problem only with regard to that particular residence, but it is quite generalised. So, what we have come up at the level of my Ministry is as follows – we have come up with a new scheme altogether whereby the NHDC, myself and the officers of the NHDC, we will be visiting every single NHDC and NSLD residence in Mauritius, old and new. We will be proposing our services in-house. Government, at one point in time, the Labour Government started by giving Rs200 per household of NHDC residence, per family. It is contributed but we are in the process of finalising a management plan whereby we will be able to take over the cleaning and management with the Rs200 per household, but we will obviously, if we have to give better services, we are going to give satisfaction to all those who live in those residences. We will be expecting the inhabitants there to also contribute. So, with better services and better quality of service, comes also the responsibility on the part of the residents. So, we will both act responsibly; NHDC staff as well as the residents of all those NHDC estates. It will be up to them to decide whether they are agreeable to us stepping in to take over those services, because it is for the residents to decide. We will be giving them the opportunity, we will be presenting them what exactly we are offering as services, and we will be showing them how much it will be costing and there will be a total transparence in the management of the finances for that new project which I have been spearheading ever since last year.

Yes?

Do you have a timeline for this project to be realised?

The timeline for the project to be realised is we will be starting with Constituency No. 19 first. We will be starting – it is not because of you – but what I am saying is we have to start with Constituency No. 19 first because there are serious problems there. There are such urgent problems there that deserve our immediate attention. It is not in any way minimising the problems elsewhere but what I am saying is that I want to take it upon myself to meet with the Members of each constituency, where I will expect and I hope that you will all be helpful to organise meetings with all residents at one place, where we show them exactly what we want to do and now the timeline is very simple. We are going to start by next week at the most, the week after with Constituency No. 19. We will be moving then to Constituency No. 3. Forgive me, I just wanted to do so in my constituency – I am sure you will understand – and then we will be moving to other constituencies on a weekly basis. So, it is going to be constant progress, work in progress, but it is going to be changed.

Everyone will ask when you will come to their constituency now. So, okay. Hon. Quirin, the document you have produced has not been admitted yet. They are mere communication. They are print outs of computer communication. I will have to study it and see whether we can admit it or not. For the time being, it is not admitted. The next question, hon. Caserne, Third Member for Port Louis North and Montagne Longue! COVID-19 VACCINES – DONATION, PURCHASE & EXPIRED DOSES