1 No. 13 of 2017 SIXTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIRST SESSION FRIDAY 16 JUNE 2017 2 CONTENTS PAPERS LAID MOTION STATEMENT BY MINISTER 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 Adviser Dowlutta, Mr Ram Ranjit Deputy Clerk Ramchurn, Ms Urmeelah Devi Clerk Assistant Gopall, Mr Navin Hansard Editor Jankee, Mrs Chitra Serjeant-at-Arms Pannoo, Mr Vinod 6 MAURITIUS Sixth National Assembly --------------- FIRST SESSION ------------ Debate No. 13 of 2017 Sitting of 16 June 2017 The Assembly met in the Assembly House, Port Louis at 3.00 p.m. The National Anthem was played (Madam Speaker in the Chair) 7 PAPERS LAID The Prime Minister: Madam Speaker, the Papers have been laid on the Table – A. Ministry of Arts and Culture The Reports of the Director of Audit on the Financial Statements of the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund for the years ended 31 December 2014 and 2015. B. Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection (a) The Legal Metrology (Pre-packed Commodities) (Amendment) Regulations 2017. (Government Notice No. 109 of 2017) (b) The Bread (Control of Manufacture and Sale) (Amendment) Regulations 2017. (Government Notice No. 110 of 2017) (c) The Consumer Protection (Control of Price of Taxable and Non-taxable Goods) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2017. (Government Notice No. 111 of 2017) (d) The Rodrigues Consumer Protection (Control of Price of Taxable and Non-taxable Goods) (Amendment No. 18) Regulations 2017. (Government Notice No. 112 of 2017) (e) The Rodrigues Consumer Protection (Control of Price of Taxable and Non-taxable Goods) (Amendment No. 19) Regulations 2017. (Government Notice No. 113 of 2017) (f) The Rodrigues Consumer Protection (Control of Price of Taxable and Non-taxable Goods) (Amendment No. 20) Regulations 2017. (Government Notice No. 114 of 2017) (g) The Consumer Protection (Consumer Goods) (Maximum Price) (Amendment) Regulations 2017. (Government Notice No. 115 of 2017) 8 ANNOUNCEMENT POINT OF ORDER - SITTING 25 APRIL 2017 – PHOTOGRAPHS UPLOADED ON FACEBOOK Madam Speaker: Hon. Members, at the sitting of Tuesday 25 April last, the hon. First Member for Port Louis Maritime and Port Louis East, hon. Shakeel Mohamed, rose on a point of order claiming that photographs have been taken unlawfully within the Assembly by a Member of the Government and had been uploaded on Facebook. At the outset, I wish to inform the House that with the implementation of E- Parliament, Members are allowed the use of electronic devices, including tablets and mobile phones in the Chamber to access and download parliamentary documents and other information necessary for them to deliver on their parliamentary duties. It is, therefore, expected that the use of these devices by hon. Members in the Chamber should, besides being discreet, be exclusively reserved in the pursuit of parliamentary business with due regard to the decorum of the House. Any other use to which these devices may be put, such as, in the case at hand, taking the photograph of an hon. Member depicting him in an unenviable situation and the uploading thereof on the social media website Facebook constitutes a serious breach of etiquette which ought to be dealt with severity. The enquiry has revealed that the picture was taken from the floor and is not a screenshot taken from the Parliament Live Broadcast stream. (Interruptions) However, after considering the issues raised by the hon. Member, I have come to the conclusion that the impugned act neither falls within the purview of the rules of coverage nor constitutes an offence under the National Assembly (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act, and therefore cannot be considered as a breach of privilege. Besides, all my attempts to find out, with certainty, who took the impugned photograph, have not been conclusive. I am, therefore, unable to take any action in that regard, the more so as our Standing Orders do not regulate the use of mobile phones in the Chamber. 9 I take this opportunity to make a pressing appeal to the good sense of hon. Members, when using their electronic devices, to act in accordance with the central principle that such devices should be used with due regard to the decorum of the House. I must also add that I have been advised that the impugned act may be reported to the Police for enquiry for a potential breach of section 46 (ga) of the Information and Communication Technologies Act (ICT Act). The hon. aggrieved Member may, if he still wants to seek redress, avail himself of the provisions of the ICT Act. Thank you. ORAL ANSWER TO QUESTION REPUBLIC OF INDIA – DOLLAR CREDIT LINE AGREEMENT & AGALÉGA DEVELOPMENT The Leader of the Opposition (Mr X. L. Duval) (by Private Notice) asked the hon. Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development whether, in regard to his recent mission to the Republic of India, he will provide full details thereof, indicating – (a) the Dollar Credit Line Agreement signed during his visit and table copy thereof; (b) the terms and conditions of the redeemable preference shares to be issued, and (c) the infrastructural works to be carried out in the Agaléga Islands, indicating the estimated cost thereof. The Prime Minister: Madam Speaker, as the House is aware, I was on a State visit to India on 26 and 27 May 2017. The details of the outcome of my visit were highlighted in the Press Communiqué issued after the Cabinet Meeting on 02 June 2017. Madam Speaker, during my State visit, I was accompanied by the hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, who had fruitful discussions with his counterpart, the Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines. He also had discussions with other energy institutions on possible areas of cooperation. 10 Madam Speaker, with regard to part (a) of the question, a Dollar Credit Line Agreement was signed on 27 May 2017 between the State Bank of Mauritius Infrastructure Development Company Ltd and the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM India) for an amount of USD 500 m. The purpose of the credit is for the SBM (Mauritius) Infrastructure Development Company Ltd to subscribe in redeemable preference shares to be issued by public sector Special Purpose Vehicles to implement the following infrastructure and development projects - i. Metro Express Project by Metro Express Ltd; ii. Construction of Social Housing Units by National Housing Development Company Ltd; iii. Construction of two Towers by Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd to accommodate Government Offices, and iv. Water and Energy Projects by SPVs to be set up. The Dollar Credit Line of USD 500 m. bears an annual interest rate of 1.8 per cent with a repayment period of 20 years including a moratorium of 7 years for capital. The interest accrued during this period will be capitalised and becomes payable upon completion of projects or 7 years whichever is earlier. Capital and interest will be repayable in 26 equal semi-annual instalments after the grace period of 7 years. It is proposed that Government will guarantee the repayment of one semi-annual instalment at a time in case of default by the respective SPVs. No guarantee document has yet been signed. Madam Speaker, I would like to make it clear that a loan should be evaluated by its effective cost and not merely by its interest rate. The cost of borrowing on the local market for 20 years is around 6.5%. Thus, even with an annual appreciation of 3% of the dollar, the servicing of the Dollar Credit Line will still be lower than borrowing in Mauritian Rupees. Moreover, the Line of Credit comes with a moratorium period of 7 years and the interest rate is fixed for the twenty-year period.