Madam Speaker, given the issue to be addressed, I am seeking your indulgence to enable me to provide a more elaborate reply to this question. I wish to inform the House that in accordance with Section 12 of the Residential Care Homes Act 2003, the Residential Care Home Board may, upon application, grant or refuse a license to a person who intends to operate a residential care home. A license issued is valid for a period of one year and shall be renewed for successive periods of one year upon application made by a licensee. The Residential Care Home Board was last reconstituted in September 2025. With regard to part (a) of the question, I am informed that as at date, 22 Charitable Institutions and 63 Private Residential Care Homes are registered with my Ministry. I am tabling the full list of the Registered Institutions. Out of the total of 85 licenses, the licenses of 7 Charitable Institutions and 8 Private Residential Care Homes are under process for renewal. I am further informed that for the last five years, only 3 Private Residential Care Homes have ceased operations. Madam Speaker, with regard to part (a)(ii) of the question, I wish to inform the House that during my tenure as Minister, my Ministry has received 11 cases of unregistered/illegal homes as at date. I am tabling the full list of the reported case of unregistered and illegal homes. During this period, out of the 11 cases, my Ministry has had 3 important cases to deal with – • Case 1: Occurred on 09 May 2025 at Fieldview Care Home situated at Maison Blanche, Mon Goût, Pamplemousses. • Case 2: Occurred on 07 November 2025 – a suspected illegal Residential Home villa located at Pereybere. • Case 3: During this month, on the 10 March 2026 at Mon Destin Residential Care Home located at Forest- Side, where a murder case occurred. Madam Speaker, with regard to part (b) of the question, I wish to inform the House that in accordance with Section 20(3) of the Residential Care Homes Act 2003, officers from the Welfare and Elderly Protection Unit (WEPU) of my Ministry may at all times enter and inspect any building, premises, means of transport and any other facility which are used for the purposes of a Residential Care Home. Officers of the unit effect monthly visits in registered private homes; and twice monthly in charitable institutions to ensure cleanliness, safety, food quality and proper care of the residents. Surprise checks are also effected in residential care homes to detect any case of abuse. I am informed that for year 2025, my Ministry has effected 1044 visits and registered 5 cases of elderly abuse, which are being monitored. Madam Speaker, with regard to part (c) of the question, I must first say that the Junior Minister and myself were shocked to note that though provisions have been made in the Residential Care Homes Act 2003 to establish contraventions and to institute proceedings for any breach of conditions of a license, the existing law has not been fully applied for years, certainly for at least the last 10 years, prior to our taking the office. No rigid corrective action has been taken against Homes in cases of non-compliance. It is clear that the responsible unit was not properly resourced and trained. Furthermore, policy wise, let me inform the House of 10 important measures – 1) Since I took office, cases of ill-treatments and operation of illegal homes have been promptly and duly reported to the Police and the FCC. The case of Fieldview has been reported and the case of Pereybere has been duly reported; 2) A 2 months moratorium period was provided to enable both reporting and regularisation of illegal homes; 3) Following the above, a new protocol has been designed to establish clear guidelines and courses of actions to follow in respect of complaints received regarding residential care homes, and for handling cases of abuse and illegal homes; 4) A Ministerial Committee was instituted in this context, to ensure transfers of residents from potential illegal homes, to safe places; 5) A new Board under the Residential Care Homes Act 2003 was put in place in September as I said, and is now fully operational; 6) After the very disturbing events reported at Mon Destin Home, Curepipe, this month – (a) The Residential Care Home Board has promptly met on 18 March 2026 and acted upon the advice of the SLO on 23 March 2026 to declare that the Mon Destin Residential Care Home located in Forest- Side, was in an illegal situation; (b) I have immediately directed the WEPPU to conduct a full audit of all Residential Homes in Mauritius. (c) I am writing to the Commissioner of Police to conduct joint inquiries, with the Ministry, under Section 20 of the Residential Care Home Act 2003. This section was never applied previously. 7) My Ministry is also working on the Terms of Reference to appoint a team of consultants to audit and make recommendations to fundamentally review the whole system of residential care home in Mauritius; 8) As a transition, my Ministry is working, on urgent transitional amendments to be brought to the Residential Care Homes Regulations 2005, to ensure that all licensed homes provide a list of relevant information on their residents on a regular basis to my Ministry, more so, that at present the police is suspecting cases of human trafficking. 9) In the immediacy, the Cabinet recently has agreed to the Proclamation of Section 9 of Protection of Elderly People Act (PEPA), which will allow for better protection of the elderly. 10) In parallel, my Ministry is preparing institutional changes and budget proposals for the massive training of carers to provide their service to both Residential Care Homes institutions and at domicile care. As per policy of my Ministry, intensive consultation will take place in the preparation of the new measures announced. Madam Speaker, I wish to highlight that the Mauritian society is facing major challenges with social mutation underway in recent years. The shift in the family structure, from extended to nuclear family, compounded with aging population, with significant emigration of our youth and adults, with housing crisis, and with working time pattern, are concurrently – • Causing serious caring issues for our elderly and people with disabilities and mental health issues, and • Causing serious caring and nurturing issues for our youth, aggravated by the drug problem in Mauritius. Madam Speaker, our society and institutions have not dedicated the proper attention and resources to these social mutations. Now, the very future of our society will depend on us addressing these fundamental challenges. This is my mission and that of the Junior Minister, and of this Government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, hon. Minister. Yes, Dr. Ms. Daureeawo, you are, okay? Hon. First Member for Savanne. I am sorry. Can we backpedal? J’introduis une nouvelle méthode. I am sorry I missed Mr Rookny; I did not see him. I am sorry, Mr Babajee. Mr Rookny, but you have to speak out.

I will. That’s so kind of you. Could the hon. Minister please advise how many licenses have been given for the construction or establishment of new residential care homes over the last two years?

I have the figures since the new board has been appointed. Since September 2025, the new board has approved 70 licences, out of which, 68 licences have been issued as at date. The 70 approvals are detailed as follows – • 64 renewals of licences; • 6 new licences, and • 2 licences which were applied for what is called the INS principle. Approval has been received by the board and has not been granted by my Ministry for noncompliance with law, the Residential Care Home Act 2023.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Mr Babajee. I am trying to be as fair as I can. May I, since we are on this issue because we had a problem the other day with one other member who tried to catch my eye; sometimes it’s better to catch my ear than my eye. Thank you. Now, Mr Babajee, the floor is yours. BLACK RIVER – AVAILABLE FOOTBALL GROUNDS – INFRASTRUCTURAL CONDITIONS