The Trafficking in Persons (Amendment) Bill was voted on Tuesday night. The three final speakers who took the floor were all from the Government side. Attorney General Maneesh Gobin and Minister Kalpana Koonjoo-Shah both stressed that the Bill would strengthen existing legislation and that the government was continuing to support the most vulnerable citizens. During his summing-up, the Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, strongly criticised the leader of the Labour Party. He even called him an executioner. Pravind Jugnauth also criticized MP Joanna Bérenger. Pravind Jugnauth pointed out that the Opposition members had failed to mention that the US State Department report also contained positive points about the actions taken by his government.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed his government’s firm commitment to the relentless fight against human trafficking in all its forms. While thanking the House for the consensus reached on this new legal framework, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth also returned to the criticisms voiced by certain members of the Opposition, notably MMM’s MP, Joanna Bérenger, regarding certain government actions. He wondered how a person who claims to be a women human rights defenders could associate herself with a politician with a contemptuous past towards women. He cites examples to illustrate his point about the leader of the MMM-PTR-PMSD alliance. He asks the Opposition to practice what they preach. The PM loudly and clearly said that neither he nor his government has any lessons to learn on the issue of morality and domestic violence. His government wants to establish respect for women. The Prime Minister underlined with determination his commitment to protecting the most vulnerable children and women.
