Parliament: “Reward Money” System Review Under Consideration

The parliamentary session scheduled for Tuesday, 15 July 2025, is anticipated to be highly substantive, featuring numerous questions on the agenda as well as the presentation of a significant bill aimed at combating financial crime.

Approximately 24 questions will be directed to Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam during the Prime Minister’s Question Time (PMQT), while ministers will respond to around 43 questions from backbench Members of Parliament.

Among the most anticipated inquiries to the Prime Minister is that posed by Independent MP Franco Quirin, seeking clarification on the recruitment procedures within the Horse Racing Integrity Division, specifically regarding selection criteria and pre-employment verification processes.

Additionally, MP Khushal Lobine will question the government on the monetary rewards allocated to police officers over the past five years.

MP Lobine will seek details on the criteria for awarding such rewards and the mechanisms established to prevent potential abuses.

In the wake of the arrest of Assistant Police Commissioner Lilram Deal, MP Farhad Aumeer intends to scrutinize the transparency of police reward practices.

MP Aumeer will inquire whether an administrative investigation is ongoing and whether a new, more transparent system could be implemented.

Other MPs, including Arvin Babajee, Raviraj Beechook, Manoj Seeburn, Nitish Beejan, and Roshan Jhummun, will raise sensitive issues such as the seizure of 95 kilograms of cocaine in 2019, public debt levels, expenditures related to Dubai Expo 2020, government legal fees, and Covid-19 related convictions under the Miscellaneous Provisions Act.

Furthermore, several ministers will be questioned on social and diplomatic matters. MP Adrien Duval will ask Minister Ashok Subron about measures to address declining birth rates, while MP Ritesh Ramful will inquire about expenses incurred by Mauritian diplomatic missions abroad.

MP Anabelle Savabaddy will address Minister of Gender Equality Arianne Navarre-Marie regarding reports of children classified as “beyond control.”

Following the question period, the debate will continue with the presentation and subsequent vote on the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) (Amendment) Bill.

This legislation seeks to enhance the powers of the FCC, enabling it to conduct joint investigations with law enforcement authorities into offenses governed by the FCC Act 2023.

This development represents a significant advancement in institutional cooperation between the FCC and the police, aiming to improve the effectiveness of investigations, reduce redundancy, and facilitate coordinated efforts in complex cases of financial crime.

The bill proposes that joint investigations may be initiated when deemed necessary by the police commissioner or the FCC, with provisions for mutual notification, information sharing, and organizational arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of investigations.

Source: l’Express