Minister Ramyad’s ‘Mystery Shopping’: Fair Oversight or Fearmongering

Barely appointed as minister, Naveena Ramyad has started to cause discontent and provoke a climate of fear among employees of organizations under the Ministry of Industrial Development, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Cooperatives, including the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council, the Mauritius Standards Bureau, the Assay Office, and the Academy of Fashion and Design.

Reference to a Mystery Shopping policy has raised questions among employees about her intentions. It appears that the minister plans to conduct an unusual investigation to ensure that officials carry out their tasks in a professional manner. Some even believe that the minister intends to settle scores with those she does not get along with.

According to some employees of these organizations, the minister requested an urgent meeting with them on Monday, February 19, after being sworn in on Thursday, February 15. They expected the minister to have meetings with the directors and board members of these organizations, as is customary. These employees feel that the minister is interfering in the daily operations of these institutions from the outset.

When questioned, Naveena Ramyad explained that Mystery Shopping does exist in public service regulations. However, she clarified that when she mentioned these words, she did not target the executives of these organizations because their work is more technical.

“I simply wanted to explain to them that I will be informed about the services offered to the public. For example, if someone is dealing with the opening of a small business and complains about delays, then I will ask for explanations from the officials of that organization. That’s the Mystery Shopping I intend to undertake.” She concluded her explanations by affirming that those who are doing their job correctly have nothing to fear.

Source: l’Express