District Councils Revamp Leadership

The district councils of the northern regions of Rivière-du-Rempart and Pamplemousses underwent a significant leadership change on Monday, December 23, with the election of new presidents and vice-presidents. This biennial election saw Lenine Aukhajan, the district councilor for Roches-Noires, elected as the new president of Rivière-du-Rempart, while Reebouraden Permall, the district councilor for Cap-Malheureux, was appointed as vice-president.

Their election proceeded smoothly, requiring no vote as there were no other candidates nominated.

Lenine Aukhajan succeeded Prembhoodas Ellayah, who vacated the presidency after seven years in office.

Notably, Ellayah faced a motion of censure from 11 councilors back in June, which he contested and is currently under judicial review.

Councilors had expressed concerns regarding Ellayah’s previous promise to step aside for an ally, a commitment he did not uphold when the time came in December 2023.

Interestingly, during the last elections at the end of 2020, all other district councils replaced their presidents, with the exception of Rivière-du-Rempart.

In Pamplemousses, Kalicharan Somaroo, who had served as president for four years, stepped down to allow Totoo Vedanand, the district councilor for Pamplemousses, to take over.

Ng Fuk Chong Clen Brian was designated as vice-president. Similar to Rivière-du-Rempart, there was no need for a vote in Pamplemousses as no competing candidates were presented.

The elections were attended by several government officials, including Kaviraj Sukon, Mahend Gungapersad, Fawzi Allymun, Kaviraj Rookny, Nitish Beejan, and Sandeep Prayag.

In his acceptance speech, Lenine Aukhajan emphasized his commitment to collaborative work, stating, “The district council is revitalizing,” and highlighted the importance of maintaining the infrastructure across the many villages under his jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Totoo Vedanand raised concerns about the troubling financial state of the Pamplemousses district council, calling for government support to address these issues.

Source: l’Express