Opposition Leader slams ‘World Trade Centre’ project, Rs250M in Africa Fund

The Leader of the Opposition, Xavier-Luc Duval, launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing them of mishandling the “World Trade Centre” project with utter “disregard and amateurism”.

Duval revealed that Rs 15 million of taxpayers’ money have been squandered on acquiring the rights to the “World Trade Centre” name alone, adding that there has been no tangible progress in the actual construction of the building.

The revelation unfolded during the Private Notice Question session in Parliament on Tuesday, where Duval held the government accountable for the three-year delay in commencing construction on the World Trade Centre in Côte-d’Or.

Interim Minister of Finance Sunil Bholah reponded that administrative hurdles forced a reconsideration of the initial construction site, causing further setbacks.

“Moreover, investment projects in Africa, vital for the project’s success, were severely impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Bholah acknowledged the challenges faced but reportedly failed to provide satisfactory answers, leaving Duval to further expose the government’s lacklustre performance.

Duval also criticised the Mauritius Africa Fund, into which a staggering Rs 250 million has been injected, with no discernible results to show for it.

Source: Le Mauricien