Madam Speaker, the Bail Act was amended in 2011 to provide in section 8(4) thereof, for the imposition of electronic monitoring for a limited category of defendants or detainees to be released on bail, namely for those who are not ordinarily residents in Mauritius or for those who are residents but liable on conviction for the offence with which they have been charged to penal servitude or imprisonment for a term exceeding two years and who are also persons, whom a police officer not below the rank of Superintendent has reasonable grounds to believe or likely to leave Mauritius. Section 8 (4) was not and has still not been proclaimed. My office has contacted the office of the Commissioner of Police which is responsible for the implementation and operation of the proposed electronic monitoring of defendants and detainees. And, the Commissioner of Police has informed my office that a technical committee was set up, at the time, under the Chairmanship of the then Deputy Commissioner of Police administration, to examine the implementation and use of the electronic bracelets for persons to be released on bail. However, that committee decided that it would not be prudent to proceed with the project due to its high-cost implications. The project was thus put on hold indefinitely. As at today, it is not possible to give a timeframe for the implementation of the project, which though commendable, is one which is very costly. We have to look at the priorities of the day and at the moment, it is not possible to give a precise timetable for its implementation. However, this issue will be looked into anew at the time we finalise the Police and Criminal Justice Bill later this year.

Okay, that’s it. Good. Now, we have Mr Beejan, again. CONSTITUENCY NO. 6 – ACCIDENT-PRONE AREAS – SPEED BREAKERS & TRAFFIC LIGHTS