1 No. 25 of 2020 SEVENTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) (UNREVISED) FIRST SESSION TUESDAY 14 JULY 2020 2 CONTENTS PAPERS LAID MOTION BILLS (Public) MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE ADJOURNMENT 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. 25 of 2020 Sitting of Tuesday 14 July 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. Office of the President The Public Service Commission (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No.154 of 2020) B. Prime Minister’s Office Ministry of Defence, Home Affairs and External Communications Ministry for Rodrigues, Outer Islands and Territorial Integrity Certificate of Urgency in respect of the following Bills (In Original) - (i) The Criminal Code (Amendment)Bill (No VIII of 2020); (ii) The Mon Choisy-Cap Malheureux Road Overhead Pedestrian Bridge (Authorized Construction) Bill (No. IX of 2020) (iii) The Courts (Amendment) Bill (No. X of 2020). C. Ministry of Local Government and Disaster Risk Management The District Council of Savanne (Fees for Classified Trades) (Revocation) Regulations 2019. (Government Notice No. 153 of 2020) D. Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development (a) The Income Tax (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No. 150 of 2020) (b) The Financial Statements of the Lotto Fund for the 21-month period ended 30 June 2018. E. Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection (a) The Annual Report of the State Trading Corporation for the Financial Year ended 30 June 2018. (b) The Consumer Protection (Importation and Sale of Second-hand Motor Vehicles) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No. 148 of 2020) (c) The Consumer Protection (Scrap Metal) (Amendment) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No. 149 of 2020) (d) The Rodrigues Consumer Protection (Control of Price of Taxable and Non-taxable Goods) (Amendment No. 16) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No.151 of 2020) F. Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation (a) The Data Protection (Fees) Regulations 2020. (Government Notice No.152 of 2020) (b) The Annual Report 2019 of the Data Protection Office. 8 MOTION SUSPENSION OF S.O. 10(2) The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that all the business on today’s Order Paper be exempted from the provisions of paragraph (2) of Standing Order 10. Mr Bodha seconded. Question put and agreed to. PUBLIC BILLS First Reading On motion made and seconded, the following Bills were read a first time - (i) The Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill (No. VIII of 2020); (ii) The Mon Choisy-Cap Malheureux Road Overhead Pedestrian Bridge (Authorised Construction) Bill (No. IX of 2020) (iii) The Courts (Amendment) Bill (No. X of 2020) Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I have the following announcement. I wish to draw your attention that debate on the Bill must be confined to the reasons as to why the extra money is being sought in regard to the three Votes of Expenditure specified in the schedule and for the period specified therein. Hon. Members should, therefore, stand governed accordingly and I request Dr. the hon. Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development not to open the debate on extraneous matters. Second Reading THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION (2017-2018) (No. 2) BILL (NO. VI OF 2020) Order for Second Reading read. (11.36 a.m.) The Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development (Dr. R. Padayachy): Mr Speaker, Sir, I move that the Supplementary Appropriation (2017-2018) (No.2) Bill (No. VI of 2020) be read a second time. 9 The Bill makes provision for a supplementary appropriation of fifty-seven million and one hundred thousand rupees (Rs57,100,000) in respect of services of Government for financial year 2017-2018 under three Votes of Expenditure. Mr Speaker Sir, the National Assembly, through the Appropriation (2017-2018) Act 2017, had voted a sum of Rs116.2 billion for financial year 2017-2018. A further amount of Rs2.0 billion was voted for that financial year through the Supplementary Appropriation (2017-2018) Act 2018 as transfer to the National Environment Fund for implementing various projects to better protect our environment and mitigate the risks associated with climate change. Thus, the total authorised spending limit for financial year 2017-18 was Rs118.2 billion. The sum actually spent in that financial year amounted to Rs105.6 billion. This is Rs12.6 billion below the total sum appropriated for that financial year. However, actual expenditure under three Votes of Expenditure exceeded their appropriations by a total amount of Rs57.1 m. This excess amount was met through reallocation of funds during that financial year from other Votes that had savings and underspending. Mr Speaker Sir, however, section 105 (3)(b) of the Constitution stipulates that, where in any financial year, it is found that any money has been expended on any head of expenditure in excess of the amount appropriated for the purposes included in that head by the appropriation law, or for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by the appropriation law, then a Supplementary Appropriation Bill need to be introduced in the National Assembly to provide for the appropriation of those sums. Thus, although total actual spending in financial year 2017-18 is below the total appropriated amount, a Supplementary Appropriation Bill is required in respect of the three Votes for which expenditure in the year have exceeded their voted provisions. These three Votes, which are listed in the Schedule to the Bill together with the respective sums, are the following - (i) First, a net amount of Rs29.1 m. under Vote 1-3: National Assembly, mainly for the Live Broadcasting Project. 10 In fact, the total excess expenditure in the different items under this Vote amounted to Rs40.1 m. This excess was partly offset by underspending of Rs11.0 m. in other items of the same Vote. An additional sum of Rs34.9 m. was required for payment of claims in connection with the procurement of IT equipment and other related services for the completion of the Live Broadcasting Project. The House will note that a total amount of Rs137.2 m. has been spent on this landmark project over two financial years. (ii) Second, a net amount of Rs1.2 m. under Vote 1-4: Electoral Supervisory Commission and Electoral Boundaries Commission mainly for payment of legal fees in connection with court cases lodged against the Commission and renewal of contract of two Advisors, and (iii) Finally, a net amount of Rs26.8 m. under Vote 1-5: Office of the Electoral Commissioner essentially in connection with the holding of the National Assembly By-Election in Constituency No. 18 - Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes in December 2017. The total excess expenditure under this vote amounted to Rs32.9 m., of which, Rs30.5 m. was for the By-Election that was not foreseen at the time of the budget preparation. This excess was partly offset by underspending in other items. The bulk of this supplementary appropriation is, therefore, due to the holding of the By-Election in December 2017 and the completion of the Live Broadcasting Project of the National Assembly. Details on the items of expenditure concerned as well as explanatory notes are set out in the Estimates of Supplementary Expenditure (ESE) that has already been tabled in the National Assembly.