1 No. 12 of 2017 SIXTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) (UNREVISED) FIRST SESSION THURSDAY 15 JUNE 2017 2 CONTENTS PAPER LAID QUESTION (Oral) MOTION BILL (Public) ADJOURNMENT 3 THE CABINET (Formed by Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth) Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Hon. Ivan Leslie Collendavelloo, GCSK, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Energy and Public SC Utilities Hon. Sir Anerood Jugnauth, GCSK, Minister Mentor, Minister of Defence, Minister for KCMG, QC Rodrigues Hon. Showkutally Soodhun, GCSK Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Lands Hon. Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, GCSK Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Hon. Yogida Sawmynaden Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation Hon. Nandcoomar Bodha, GCSK Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport Hon. Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research Hon. Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, SC Minister of Tourism Dr. the Hon. Mohammad Anwar Husnoo Minister of Health and Quality of Life Hon. Prithvirajsing Roopun Minister of Arts and Culture Hon. Marie Joseph Noël Etienne Ghislain Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity, and Sinatambou Environment and Sustainable Development Hon. Mahen Kumar Seeruttun Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security Hon. Ashit Kumar Gungah Minister of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection Hon. Ravi Yerrigadoo Attorney General Hon. Jean Christophe Stephan Toussaint Minister of Youth and Sports Hon. Soomilduth Bholah Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives Hon. Marie Roland Alain Wong Yen Minister of Social Integration and Economic Cheong, MSK Empowerment Hon. Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare 4 Hon. Premdut Koonjoo Minister of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping Hon. Soodesh Satkam Callichurn Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training Hon. Purmanund Jhugroo Minister of Local Government and Outer Islands Hon. Marie Cyril Eddy Boissézon Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms Hon. Dharmendar Sesungkur Minister of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms 5 PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS Madam Speaker Hanoomanjee, Hon. Mrs Santi Bai, GCSK Deputy Speaker Teeluckdharry, Hon. Kalidass Deputy Chairperson of Committees Jahangeer, Hon. Ahmad Bashir Clerk of the National Assembly Lotun, Mrs Bibi Safeena Deputy Clerk Ramchurn, Ms Urmeelah Devi Clerk Assistant Gopall, Mr Navin Clerk Assistant Seetul, Ms Darshinee Hansard Editor Jankee, Mrs Chitra Serjeant-at-Arms Pannoo, Mr Vinod 6 MAURITIUS Sixth National Assembly --------------- FIRST SESSION ------------ Debate No. 12 of 2017 Sitting of 15 June 2017 The Assembly met in the Assembly House, Port Louis at 11.30 a.m. The National Anthem was played (Madam Speaker in the Chair) 7 PAPER LAID The Prime Minister: Madam Speaker, the Paper has been laid on the Table - Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training The Annual Report of the Manufacturing Sector Workers Welfare Fund for the period January to December 2015. ORAL ANSWER TO QUESTION PORT LOUIS, RIVIÈRE NOIRE & GRAND PORT – SQUATTERS - RELOCATION The Leader of the Opposition (Mr X. L. Duval) (by Private Notice) asked the Vice- Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Lands whether, in regard to the squatters of Port Louis, Rivière Noire and Grand Port, he will state the – a) number of families on each site who have – (i) been regularized in situ; (ii) been allocated an alternative site, indicating the number thereof who have physically moved to the new site; (iii) neither been regularized in situ nor been allocated an alternative site; and b) amenities, including water, sewerage, electricity, roads and street lighting, which have been installed at each site. The Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Lands (Mr S. Soodhun): Madam Speaker, first of all I wish to thank the Leader of Opposition for having set a question which is close to my heart. As the House is aware, the problem of squatting over State Lands is a long outstanding one. It has existed for decades. Usually, squatters are persons who are economically vulnerable and, who, without authorisation, put up CIS structures over State lands and use same as residential units. The living conditions thereat are deplorable and generally unhygienic conditions prevail. At the specific request of the hon. Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, I have been entrusted with this responsibility to address and solve the squatting problem. Moreover, in 8 my personal capacity as father and grandfather, I cannot remain insensitive in front of the plight of these vulnerable families especially those with children. The regularisation of squatters in general is subject to them satisfying the eligibility criteria which are mainly about the person not being already a land owner and of his social and economic conditions being very precarious. Some of these squatters may have the option of applying for a housing unit under existing housing schemes of the NEF and the NHDC whereby sites are granted at rental determined in accordance with their income. The issue of squatters is a very sensitive issue which has to be handled with utmost care and humanity. The cut-off date for the regularisation of squatters is 01 July 2015. Madam Speaker, with regard to Port Louis, as I had already indicated on 01 September 2015 in my statement in the National Assembly on squatters over the whole island, I mentioned that there were 347 squatters in Port Louis as follow – S.N Region Number of Squatters 1 Monseigneur Leen 13 2 Military Road, Vallée Pitot 19 3 Alma Street-Vallée Pitot 72 4 Vallée Pitot Block 1 14 5 Tranquebar 82 6 Camp Yoloff-Nicolay 08 7 Motorway Reserves-Roches Bois 24 8 La Cure-Sir Robert Scott Avenue 12 9 La Cure Jhelum Road 21 10 La Cure-Marjolin Road 69 11 Vallée des Pretres 7 9 12 La Cure Sir Hillary Blood Avenue 1 13 Vallee Pitot Block 5 1 14 Citadel 4 TOTAL 347 With regard to part (a)(i) of the question 62 squatters have been regularised in situ. With regard to part (a)(ii), 192 have been allocated alternative site at Pointe aux Sables and Batterie Casse. 107 have physically moved to their new sites. With regard to part (a)(iii), 45 squatters cannot be regularized either in situ or through relocation for the following reasons - i. the site is above 20% slope gradient and which is against the PPG and the squatters have categorically refused to move out; ii. some of them are non-residential units; iii. some families have squatted over part of State land and part of private land or wholly over private land; iv. Squatters are on State land which are already leased, and v. Squatters are not submitting their necessary documents. With regard to part (b) of the question, amenities are already available except for Pointe Aux Sables. The NHDC Ltd has already initiated action to provide amenities such as electricity, water, roads, drains and street lighting thereat. An amount of Rs26 m. has been earmarked for this project and it is expected to be completed by the end of June this year. Thereafter, the site will be handed over to the Local Authorities. I wish to point out that, out of the remaining 48 squatters, 10 have vacated the squatted site and 38 have yet to produce their relevant documents for regularization. The case of Longere Tôle/Longere Blanc, Baie du Tombeau, is not included in the above figures. 140 10 families were identified thereat in July 2016. These families comprise about 560 persons and it is aberrant that there are only three toilets for all 560 people and bathrooms available for them. I would add that there has been a former Prime Minister for nearly more than ten years in this constituency. I will invite hon. Members to go and visit these families and see for themselves, de visu, how they are living in a deplorable state. The then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, now Leader of the Opposition, did carry out a visit in October. He raised the issue with me. I have requested the NHDC - and I thank the hon. Prime Minister - to work on the rehousing of these families in situ and in phases to minimize any disturbance to them. Thank you, hon. Prime Minister, as at least Rs225 m. have been provided for the project within the 2017/2018 Budget. And I can assure the House and my good friend, the hon. Leader of the Opposition, that the consultant has already been appointed. Tender for works will be launched in mid-July and I am going to follow closely this project. I am going to monitor because they badly need, where they are now. Madam Speaker, with regard to Black River, as I mentioned in my statement in the National Assembly, there are 232 squatters. With regard to part (a) of the question, 36 squatters have been regularised in situ. With regard to parts (b) and (c), 132 squatters at La Ferme and Eau Bonne will be relocated in the context of the rehabilitation of the La Ferme Dam. It has been a special request from my good friend, the hon. Deputy Prime Minister, and we have set up a Committee under my chairmanship to look into the issue. With regard to part (d), 64 squatters at Le Morne (Dilo pourri) cannot be regularised as they are squatting on lands which fall under the purview of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security. With regard to part (b) (e), provision of amenities is being looked into at… (Interruptions) Madam Speaker: Hon. Vice-Prime Minister, it is with regard to part (b). Mr Soodhun: Yes. (Interruptions) Madam Speaker: There is no (b) (e).