The public funds spent on housing Mauritius’ ambassador to Mozambique, Jean-François Chaumière, have sparked controversy within the opposition.
Adil Ameer Meea, from the MMM party, has raised concerns with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maneesh Gobin, regarding Chaumière’s accommodation expenses.
It has been revealed that the ambassador rented a residence for USD 7,000 per month, despite the bidding process having a limit of USD 5,000.
Jean-François Chaumière was appointed ambassador to Mozambique on May 24, 2022.
The expenses related to his installation have been criticized in the latest Audit report. Adil Ameer Meea highlighted that the report had described “inadequate control and non-compliance with procedures.”
In this context, he demanded details on a hotel bill amounting to Rs 2.5 million on behalf of the Mauritius embassy in Maputo.
Maneesh Gobin responded that he did not have this information as it was not part of the initial question. He stated that he needs to be informed in advance to provide such details.
Adil Ameer Meea pressed further about a bidding process for a furnished residence costing between USD 3,480 to USD 5,000 per month.
However, the final rent paid was USD 7,000 per month (Rs 350,000). He asked the minister if there was a ceiling for ambassador residences rental.
Maneesh Gobin declared that any rented residence must be suitable for its functions.
Additionally, he emphasized that the top priority is the residence being in a secure location. The minister mentioned that residences in Diplomatic Corners are often more expensive for obvious reasons, but did not specify if there is a set limit that is adhered to.
In the Audit report, it was noted that Jean-François Chaumière’s residence will cost the Mauritian government an additional USD 2,000 per month for three months, totaling an extra Rs 3.2 million over three months.
Previously, the government had paid a bill of Rs 2.5 million for the stay at a hotel in Maputo from June 2022 to May 2023. The Audit report criticized the lack of detailed breakdown in this bill.
Source: Le Mauricien
