Thank you, Madam Speaker. The 8000 residential units were designed to cater for 400 units per constituency. I am informed by the NSLD that as date, the construction of 2438 housing units including on-site and off-site infrastructural works have been completed over 12 sites across the island. I am further informed that as at 26 March 2026, out 56,794 applicants for the whole island, there were 3574 for Constituency No.14. In regard to allocation procedures, or applicants for housing units are, I understand from the NHDC, called for an interview whereby they are also requested to submit all relevant documents thereafter. Only those who meet the established eligibility criteria are short listed. I am given to understand that once an applicant has been found to be eligible for a housing unit, the time taken for delivery of the unit to the beneficiary, depends on two major factors – (a) the approval of the loan by the lending institution in most cases, commercial banks, and (b) signature of deed of sale. According to information provided to me, it is expected that by the end of August 2026, the 2438 housing units which are ready will have been delivered. Let me take this opportunity once again, Madam Speaker, to underline that there is a set eligibility criterion at the level of the NHDC. The first one is based on ownership; that the applicant should not be owner of the housing unit or a plot of residential land subject to paragraph (b) – an applicant or spouse who is the owner of undivided rights in the property by way of succession, inheritance” is eligible for an NHDC, NSLD housing unit where the inherited property cannot be conveniently divided in kind among the co-heirs to allow the construction or allocation of an individual housing unit to each heir. So, those eligibility criteria – and I would like to underline the following – that there is an income threshold of Rs48,000, that the applicant is considered to have the repayment capacity to service the mortgage debt for the purchase of NHDC housing unit and the applicants selected for the NSLD house unit are directed to financial institutions for the purchase. Now, the eligibility criteria, I would like to underline that the couple married or in pre- union or joint applicants or single applicants; divorced, widow, single parent with – • four or more dependents, they earn 10 points; • with three dependents, they earn 9 marks; • with two dependents, they earn 8 marks, and • with one dependent, they earn 7 marks, and • couples or joint applicants without dependents, 6 marks; • divorced, widowed, old age pensions without dependents, 5 marks. So, try not to get divorced but with regard to households which are not given any marks, other types of households, zero marks. Now, the catchment area also is of relevance and hardship cases – a lot of people ask me those questions – they are – • victims of fire, cyclone, floods and other natural disasters; • victims of domestic violence; • single parents with dependents; • persons with severe medical conditions or impairments, and • officers of the NHDC carry out site visits and liaise with relevant authorities to assess the genuineness of the applicants under the hardship criteria. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Yes, thank you, hon. Minister. Yes?

Madam Speaker, can the Minister inform the House where matters stand concerning the project of 90 houses for the site of Surinam, whether it is going on or not?

I believe that this House referred to No. 14 in Surinam. I am getting to that right now. With regard to Surinam, he is most probably talking about the one that has stopped. There has been – I do not know if he is referring to the one which was where Kuros was responsible for the construction. There has been non-compliance with the contractual obligations. I speak from memory, non-compliance with contractual obligations and the NSLD has put an end to contracts with regard to the company called Kuros and followed all procedures in order to bring an end to that. However, basically the project is not over. There is the need to ensure that houses that could not be completed because of breach of contract on the part of the contractor, are proceeded with and therefore, the NSLD is going to ensure that this is continued. So, it is not over. Unfortunately, it has been delayed and under the old regime, there are certain contractors clearly who have been paid a lot of money but who have not, in any way, given results. Unfortunately, there was a laissez-aller which was totally uncalled for, criminal in behaviour I must say, and taxpayers’ money was thrown left, right and centre, as though they owned the thing and they were like there was no tomorrow. So, at the end of the day, you end up with what you end up with, which is basically not much to really write home about. So, we have to wipe and clear up the mess. So, this is precisely what we are endeavouring to do and I can assure the hon. Member and the inhabitants of that Constituency that the job is not over but we are going ensure that it is completed and that there is value for money. Thank you.

Yes, hon. Babajee, then hon. Jhummun.

Will the hon. Minister consider squatters to have some special criteria for those social houses as the number of squatters in the west is increasing?

It is a very interesting question indeed – and very often, a lot of people or at least my predecessor and those who have been around for a few years during the last regime – what has happened in No. 14 and I am going to say it very bluntly, forgive me for that because that is truth – some people have encouraged and those people know who. Some people who were in ministerial positions have encouraged people to go and squat. Go and squat and you shall be régularisé and in the circumstance of what had happened, is that you have proliferation of squatters, specifically in Constituency No. 14 and the hon. Member knows well together with his colleagues where. So, this proliferation has led to a situation of problem with regards to infrastructure, problem with regards to law and order and there is a total indiscipline. We end up with a situation, Madam Speaker, where people believe that because they are squatters, they are entitled to a plot of land given by the State. The answer is no. There is no automatic entitlement because if we are to go along your suggestion – because I take it is only a suggestion and we are here to at least discuss constructively – to under the hardship case to put in squatters, I can assure the hon. Member, Madam Speaker, that we are going to have not only a proliferation of squatters, we are going to have people even with houses squat the place because they think it is a God-given right to them to get a plot of land. No! On the other hand, you have people who have real hardships as it is in the eligibility criteria and we have to help them and we will help them whereas people who end up going to places to squat simply because in return, they expect it to be given to them free of charge, that cannot be tolerated. Yes, we will show ourselves generous to people and understandable, compassionate to people who are on a plot of land, who had no other choice than to go there and they have not come to knock at our door to say ‘give it to me as a matter of right’. It is because we understand, ça doit être régularisé, we do it on a case-to-case basis. So, we cannot continue tolerating this indiscipline. So, in answer to your question, the answer is no. It will not be put under the criteria of hardship eligibility because that would be opening the flood gates and doing the same thing that was done by a former Minister, whom you know very well.

Hon. Jhummun!

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Following the answer of the hon. Minister to hon. Jugurnauth, does the same issues arise for No. 13, regarding the houses still pending and we are unable to give them to house seekers?

The bad news is that yes, in the Constituency No. 13 that happens to be the first constituency I was elected in and I have good memory of that constituency, yes, it is the same situation because that very company is guilty of laches and breach of contract and we have had to take action once again because we cannot sit down idly and see a company which has been paid by taxpayers’ money blatantly breach the contract. We cannot do that. So, we had to act. We have taken the decision. The reason for the delay in that constituency as well as No. 14 is precisely the fault of the contractor. So, let us not cry over spilt milk. What is the solution? The solution is that there has to be a bidding process for a contractor to be chosen to complete the job. And yes, I know that there are certain inhabitants in certain places who have complained because some of the sites – in other constituencies as well – where contractors have done wrong and are left in an abandoned state, it is not as though it is over. It will continue but I cannot, as Minister, choose, who is going to be the contractor. There is a process to follow and it has to be followed in line with the law.

Yes?

Do you have any idea as to when we can allocate these houses? Any idea?

If it could have been done yesterday, I would have been the happiest. No, it is not only a question of money but for that…

Short and sweet!

No, I mean once upon a time, they used to say as soon as possible but to be honest, it is a construction and for construction, you cannot have a set date on it. Once the bidding process is completed, we will have a date, estimated completion and then as we hope, it will be done quicker. So, our intention and our aim are to finish very quickly because we know that there are a lot of people waiting for those.

Yes, hon. Beechook?

Yes, Madam Speaker. I thank the hon. Minister for this reply. I would ask the hon. Minister how much this disaster is going to cost additionally to the NSLD?

This disaster has led us to see how we can mitigate the risk because we cannot just let costs increase. So, a risk mitigation has been implemented. That is why we put an end to the contract. Now, there were certain performance guarantees that were held and were viewed by financial institutions. Forgive me, I am only speaking from memory. I know for a fact that we have tapped onto that. But still, there will be losses. I cannot put it in figures. What annoys me in terms of prejudice here – let alone the financial prejudice – are the hearts of many of those, who are waiting for houses, that are broken. They are impatient, and it is legitimate on their part to get a roof over their heads. I am aware of it. I have heard them. I have spoken to many of them. But I can assure you, through this House, Madam Speaker, as I have said, that we will endeavour to complete those projects. Not only that, we will endeavour to start new ones as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Your memory seems okay! Hon. Ramdass, yes! MAURITIUS POST LTD SERVICES – PAYMENT MODALITY

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