The start of the 2022 parliamentary term promises to be very eventful, but with the new formula of presenting parliamentary questions drawn from the lot, there is hope for equity in the parliamentary sessions. With just a few months before the Budget, there will be a lot of work to do and loads of questions to be asked. The Government and Opposition Chief Whips, Naveena Ramyad and Patrice Armance give us an insights about their expectations for the 2022 resumption.
The inescapable realities
Opposition questions will be coming from all sides countering government measures. The topics of high importance will be the repercussions of the ongoing health crisis, the repercussions of the war in Ukraine, the rise in fuel prices, the high cost of living, inflation in general and especially, around the financial year end 2022 in June and the preparation of the 2022-2023 Budget at this sensitive time. Moreover, the government is the target of the Linion Pep Morisien party, led by the quintet Valayden-Laurette-Sunassy-Barbier-Ramdenee, but also of the general public! This new party which is already proposing a 100% Mauritian constitution for August 7.
The new mode of drawing lots
The members of the government as well as the Opposition are both optimistic about this new mode of drawing lots for the questions. This formula will commit all parties to register their questions one week in advance, from Tuesday at 9am to Wednesday at 2pm. Each question will be assigned a serial number, which will be drawn at random. “This formula has been proposed for a year now, but due to the reluctance at that time, this democratic change was delayed. As times have changed, this new method will prove its effectiveness in ensuring parliamentary fairness,” said Naveena Ramyad, Chief Whip of the Government just as Patrice Armance, the Opposition Whip, who is also very much in favour of this new formula, “it is a great step forward for parliamentary democracy. Each member will have the chance to ask his or her question.”
Expectations
The Chief Whip of the Government says that she expects less “shouting, bullying, hubbub and discord leading to Walk Outs“. Her optimism hides great concern about the current situation. “This new parliamentary term should herald a good season. All the ministries have a lot of work to do, especially with the economic situation and the 2022-2033 budget. We hope that the work of both parties will be done in an elegant manner and that our bible, our code book, the Standing Orders, will be respected to the letter. In the Temple of Democracy, the government acts transparently and productively,” she said. On a more personal level, she stated that “as the eyes, ears and whip of the government, I have to make sure that the Parliament functions well and that all members follow the same line“.
Patrice Armance calculates that this autumn will be full of questions, given the current events. There are also many unresolved issues from the last parliamentary season, and these have already been tabled. There will be new issues. The snags will be around the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which still has about 20 unanswered questions. The Opposition Whip is convinced that the current government is contributing to the loss of our country and that change is needed to get out of this abyss. “This parliamentary season should give more clarity on the economy, education, health, social, corruption and those institutions that are losing their orders of nobility. There are also a lot of wrongs to be rectified. There will be a series of bills and amendments proposed. The Opposition is united in the Parliament and we will work without fear against any form of instability in the country.”
Linion Pep Morisien – Opinions to study
As far as Linion Pep Morisien is concerned, it does not see them as a new adversary, nor in their goals or methods of using the press and social media to involve the general public in extra-parliamentary issues. “We will study and consider everything that can be constructive. But only! We will not give rise to politicking,” concludes Naveena Ramyad. For Patrice Armance, the whip of the Opposition, “Linion Pep Morisien is a political party and just like the general public who has the right to speak, their opinions should be studied and taken into consideration“.
The parliamentary resumption is for this Tuesday 29 March, after 3 months of holidays.
