1 No. 23 of 2019 SIXTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) (UNREVISED) FIRST SESSION FRIDAY 12 JULY 2019 2 CONTENTS PAPERS LAID MOTION (S.O. 10(2)) STATEMENT BY MINISTER BILLS (Public) MOTION – CHAGOS ARCHIPELAGO 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. Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Local Government and Outer Islands, Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare Hon. Yogida Sawmynaden Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation Hon. Nandcoomar Bodha, GCSK Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade 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. Maneesh Gobin Attorney General, Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Institutional Reforms Hon. Jean Christophe Stephan Toussaint Minister of Youth and Sports 4 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. 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 Housing and Lands Hon. Marie Cyril Eddy Boissézon Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms Hon. Dharmendar Sesungkur Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance 5 PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS Madam Speaker Hanoomanjee, Hon. Mrs Santi Bai, GCSK Deputy Speaker Lesjongard, Georges Pierre Deputy Chairperson of Committees Jahangeer, Hon. Ahmad Bashir Clerk of the National Assembly Lotun, Mrs Bibi Safeena Adviser Dowlutta, Mr Ram Ranjit Deputy Clerk Ramchurn, Ms Urmeelah Devi Clerk Assistant Gopall, Mr Navin Clerk Assistant Seetul, Ms Darshinee Hansard Editor Jankee, Mrs Chitra Parliamentary Librarian and Information Jeewoonarain, Ms Prittydevi Officer Serjeant-at-Arms Pannoo, Mr Vinod 6 7 MAURITIUS Sixth National Assembly --------------- FIRST SESSION ------------ Debate No. 23 of 2019 Sitting of 12 July 2019 The Assembly met in the Assembly House, Port Louis at 3.00 p.m. The National Anthem was played (Madam Speaker in the Chair) 8 PAPERS LAID The Prime Minister: Madam Speaker, the Papers have been laid on the Table. A. Prime Minister’s Office Certificate of Urgency in respect of the following Bills (In Original): (i) The Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (No. XVI of 2019). (ii) The Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (No. XVII of 2019). B. Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities The Annual Report 2017-2018 of the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency (MARENA). 9 MOTION SUSPENSION OF S.O. 10(2) The Prime Minister: Madam Speaker, I move that all the business on today’s Order Paper be exempted from the provisions of paragraph (2) of Standing Order 10. Mr Roopun rose and seconded. Question put and agreed to. (3.06 p.m.) STATEMENT BY MINISTER Madam Speaker: Hon. Roopun! HAJJ 2019 – VISAS & ACCOMMODATION The Minister of Arts & Culture (Mr P. Roopun): Madam Speaker, with your permission, I wish to make a statement on the outcome of negotiations carried out for Hajj 2019. At the request of Government, hon. Soodhun, who has been untrusted with a responsibility of overseeing and coordinating arrangements for Hajj pilgrimage in consultation with the ICC, proceeded to Saudi Arabia from 04 to 09 July to sort out the problems of flights to tally with the dates of booking for accommodation and finalised the price of air tickets. Following negotiations carried out, flights have been secured for the 1500 pilgrims. In addition to the following negotiation carried out, we have been granted 535 additional visas for this year. Hence, the total visas for Mauritius for 2019 will be 2035 instead of 1500. Regarding the additional 500 visas, the Islamic Cultural Centre Trust Fund, is liaising with individuals who have registered themselves to perform the Hajj to see if they are interested and ready to proceed on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Potential pilgrims have been asked to confirm same by Friday 12 July 2019. Arrangements are being made by Hajj operators under the supervision of the ICC to secure adequate accommodation facilities in Mecca and Medina in buildings of acceptable standards. Furthermore, the dates of two additional flights have been confirmed with departure on 29 and 31 of July to address the problem of accommodation. The price of air ticket per 10 person has decreased from Rs40,109 to Rs33,324 inclusive of taxes and all applicable charges. Thank you. PUBLIC BILLS First Reading On motion made and seconded, the following Bills were was read a first time - (a) The Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (No. XVI of 2019) (b) the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (No. XVII of 2019) (3.10 p.m.) MOTION CHAGOS ARCHIPELAGO & DIEGO GARCIA - CONSTITUENCY - INCLUSION The Prime Minister: Madam Speaker, I beg leave to move the motion standing in my name on the Order Paper, namely – “This Assembly is of the opinion that, pursuant to section 39 of the Constitution, the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, shall be included in such one of the constituencies as the Electoral Boundaries Commission may determine.” Madam Speaker, this Motion provides for the inclusion of the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia in such one of the constituencies of Mauritius as the Electoral Boundaries Commission may determine. Madam Speaker, as the House is aware, on 25 of February 2019, the International Court of Justice delivered its advisory opinion on the legal consequences of the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965. The International Court of Justice found that the decolonisation process of Mauritius was not lawfully completed when it acceded to Independence in 1968 in view of the unlawful excision of the Chagos Archipelago from the territory of Mauritius. It concluded that the UK is under an obligation to bring an end to its administration of the Chagos Archipelago as rapidly as possible and that all Member States are under an obligation to cooperate with the United Nations in order to complete the decolonisation of Mauritius. 11 The House is also aware that, on 22 of May 2019, the United Nations General Assembly, adopted by an overwhelming majority of 116 votes to 6, a draft Resolution which was tabled by Senegal on behalf of African States, Members of the United Nations to give effect to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. In the Resolution which it adopted, the General Assembly has, inter alia, affirmed that the Chagos Archipelago forms an integral part of the territory of Mauritius and that the continued administration of the Chagos Archipelago, by the United Kingdom constitutes a wrongful act, entailing the international responsibility of that State. The General Assembly has, therefore, demanded that the United Kingdom withdraws its colonial administration from the Chagos Archipelago unconditionally, within a period of not more than six months thereby enabling Mauritius to complete the decolonisation of its territory. The General Assembly has further called upon the United Nations and all its specialised agencies as well as all other international, regional and intergovernmental organisations including those established by treaty to recognise that the Chagos Archipelago forms an integral part of the territory of Mauritius and to support the decolonisation of Mauritius as rapidly as possible. The General Assembly has also called upon the United Kingdom to cooperate with Mauritius in facilitating the resettlement of Mauritian nationals including those of Chagossian origin in the Chagos Archipelago and to pose no impediment or obstacle to such resettlement. Madam Speaker, it follows from the United Nations General Assembly Resolution that, under the rules and principles of international law, Mauritius is the sole State lawfully entitled to exercise sovereignty and sovereign rights over the Chagos Archipelago and its maritime zones. As such, the United Kingdom is an illegal colonial occupant and has no right to take any action in respect of the Chagos Archipelago. Madam Speaker, I need not recall that all the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago were forcibly and shamefully removed by the United Kingdom from the Archipelago in the wake of its unlawful excision from Mauritius in blatant violation of their fundamental human rights. Our citizens of Chagossian origin have since yearned to resettle in the Chagos Archipelago. Government supports their