Opposition MPs Claim Foul Play in PM Question Time Draw

At around 7:15 pm April 30, three members of the parliamentary opposition, including the new Chief Whip of the opposition Patrick Assirvaden, Members of Parliament Adil Ameer Meeah (MMM), and Eshan Joomun (PTr), gathered members of the press for an urgent statement in front of the government house.

Earlier, they had attended the session for the drawing of questions to be addressed to the Prime Minister for next Tuesday, May 7.

They claimed that the exercise was not in line with the agreement signed between the Government and the Opposition in 2022.

They alleged that a new parallel system seems to have been implemented by the Speaker and the employees of the National Assembly, including the new Clerk, whom the three MPs had reportedly warned by reminding her of her responsibilities.

This system, according to their claims, favored questions from majority party MPs over those from the opposition during the Prime Minister’s Question Time.

The three Opposition MPs did not rule out taking this matter to the police and potentially to court. The Opposition Whip even alleged that this new two-stage drawing process was put in place to avoid questions related to Angus Road being asked to the Prime Minister.

The absence of opposition questions in recent PMQs prompted the two Labour MPs and the MMM MP to attend the drawing of questions last night without prior notice, where the majority was allegedly represented by MP Johanne Tour according to Patrick Assirvaden.

At this stage, Mauritian authorities have not been able to confirm the existence of this new question selection process within the official National Assembly procedures.

Nevertheless, it would be surprising if this allegation is not mentioned at the opposition alliance meeting , while waiting for the official National Assembly to confirm or deny what has not yet been commented on by this crucial parliamentary instance.

Source: Le Mauricien