1 No. 30 of 2020 SEVENTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) (UNREVISED) FIRST SESSION TUESDAY 18 AUGUST 2020 2 CONTENTS PAPERS LAID QUESTIONS (Oral) MOTION STATEMENT BY MINISTER BILLS (Public) ADJOURNMENT QUESTIONS (Written) 3 THE CABINET (Formed by Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth) Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Home Affairs and External Communications, Minister for Rodrigues, Outer Islands and Territorial Integrity Hon. Louis Steven Obeegadoo Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning, Minister of Tourism Hon. Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, GCSK Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Dr. the Hon. Mohammad Anwar Husnoo Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Local Government and Disaster Risk Management Hon. Alan Ganoo Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail Dr. the Hon. Renganaden Padayachy Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Hon. Nandcoomar Bodha, GCSK Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Hon. Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo, GCSK Minister of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity Hon. Soomilduth Bholah Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives Hon. Kavydass Ramano Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change Hon. Mahen Kumar Seeruttun Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance Hon. Georges Pierre Lesjongard Minister of Energy and Public Utilities Hon. Maneesh Gobin Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security Hon. Yogida Sawmynaden Minister of Commerce and Consumer 4 Protection Hon. Jean Christophe Stephan Toussaint Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation Hon. Mahendranuth Sharma Hurreeram Minister of National Infrastructure and Community Development Hon. Darsanand Balgobin Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation Hon. Soodesh Satkam Callichurn Minister of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training Dr. the Hon. Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal Minister of Health and Wellness Hon. Sudheer Maudhoo Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping Hon. Mrs Kalpana Devi Koonjoo-Shah Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare Hon. Avinash Teeluck Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage Hon. Teeruthraj Hurdoyal Minister of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms 5 PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS Mr Speaker Hon. Sooroojdev Phokeer, GOSK Deputy Speaker Hon. Mohammud Zahid Nazurally Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hon. Sanjit Kumar Nuckcheddy 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 MAURITIUS Seventh National Assembly --------------- FIRST SESSION ------------ Debate No. 30 of 2020 Sitting of Tuesday 18 August 2020 The Assembly met in the Assembly House, Port Louis, at 11.30 a.m. The National Anthem was played (Mr Speaker in the Chair) 7 PAPERS LAID The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Papers have been laid on the Table. A. Ministry of Land Transport and Light Rail (a) The Road Traffic (Paid Parking) (Amendment) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No. 179 of 2020) (b) The Road Traffic (Parking Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No. 180 of 2020) B. Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Performance Audit Reports (In Original): (i) “Environment Protection – Ensuring Proper Disposal of Hazardous Wastes”– Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change; (ii) “Food Production – Are Agricultural State Lands Optimally Utilised?” – Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security; (iii) “Moving Towards e-Government through ICT-Enabled Projects” – Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation; and (iv) “Ensuring Safe Disposal of Wastewater” – Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities. C. Ministry of Financial Services and Good Governance (a) The Financial Services (Peer to Peer Lending) Rules 2020. (Government Notice No. 184 of 2020) (b) The Financial Services (Consolidated Licensing and Fees) (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2020. (Government Notice No. 185 of 2020) D. Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation 8 The Annual Reports for the years 2008 to 2015 of the National Computer Board. (In Original) E. Ministry of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training The Workers’ Rights (Prescribed Period) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No. 183 of 2020) F. Ministry of Health and Wellness (a) The Nursing Council (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No. 181 of 2020) (b) The Mauritius Family Planning and Welfare Association (Criteria for Eligibility for Membership of Association and to Stand as Candidate for Election as Member of Committee) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No. 182 of 2020) G. Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage The Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Mauritius Marathi Cultural Centre Trust for the period 01 July 2018 to 30 June 2019. 9 ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS TOURISM SECTOR - TOURISTS, EMPLOYMENT LOSSES, HOTEL OCCUPANCY & REVENUE - STATISTICS The Leader of the Opposition (Dr. A. Boolell) (by Private Notice) asked the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning, Minister of Tourism whether, in regard to the tourism sector, he will state the – (a) expected number of tourists visiting the country in 2020; (b) number of direct and indirect employments lost, from January 2020 to date, indicating the expected number of losses thereof for 2020; (c) hotel occupancy rate from January 2020 to date, indicating the expected rate thereof for 2020, and (d) amount of revenue expected therefrom for 2020. The Deputy Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I, first of all, apologise to the House for being slightly delayed this morning. I bid the hon. Leader of the Opposition good morning and thank him for raising the subject of tourism, which is a major preoccupation for the country at the present time. The tourism sector is and remains a fundamental pillar of the Mauritian economy, representing a direct contribution of 8.1% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but an estimated overall contribution of some 23% to GDP, including direct, indirect, induced and catalytic economic effects. It is also estimated that tourism represents some 10% of the labour force, i.e. - and this is an estimate - some 44,000 as direct employment and 90,000 in total, inclusive of associated jobs in both the formal and informal sectors. In order to place in proper perspective the issues and challenges facing our tourism sector, it would be proper to consider comparative figures for 2018 and 2019 in answering the hon. gentleman’s question. Now, considering part (a) of the question, it is worth recalling that in 2018, 1.399 million tourists visited Mauritius, of which 78% resided in hotel resorts. In 2019, the corresponding figure was 1.383 million and for the first three months of 2020, 304,842 tourists, it is estimated, visited Mauritius, the number thereof dwindling to practically naught. As for part (b) of the question, the figures for the first quarter of 2020 relating to the evolution of employment in the tourism sector are being compiled and as soon as they are available, I undertake to have them laid in the Library of the National Assembly. I cannot, at this stage, state whether there have been any significant employment gains or losses in the 10 tourism sector in 2020. As from 20 March, borders have been closed and the hospitality industry has been at a virtual standstill during the period of confinement save for a few hotels operating as quarantine facilities, managed by the Ministry of Health and Wellness. After confinement, that is, as from the end of June 2020, let us say, the number of hotels operating as quarantine centres has increased in line with the number of repatriation flights. On the other hand, a number of hotels and related activities in the hospitality sector have reopened for an exclusively Mauritian clientele. And as from 15 August, Government is implementing a new strategy for the accelerated repatriation of all stranded Mauritians and cruise workers, which will allow a larger number of hotels to go back into operation as quarantine centres. However, it is obvious that the hospitality industry as a whole will not be fully operational unless and until our borders are reopened to tourists in general. Now, let me add, in response to part (b), that no relevant statistics are at present available concerning employment losses in the tourism sector from April to the present time. As stated by the hon. Prime Minister and my colleague the Minister of Finance repeatedly, Government’s topmost priority, alongside safeguarding the health of our compatriots, has been the preservation of employment and the protection of livelihoods. From the start of the COVID period, as we are all aware, Government has implemented a Wage Assistance Scheme for employees of the formal sector of the economy and a Self- Employed Assistance Scheme that includes persons in the informal sector. In respect of the tourism industry, up to the end of July, it is estimated that an amount of some Rs2 billion has been disbursed in respect of more than 39,000 employees in the tourism sector under the Wage Assistance