REZISTANS EK ALTERNATIV – Open letter to MPs of the majority elected in Urban Constituencies

Honourable Mohamad Salim ABBAS MAMODE, MP

Honourable Serge Gilbert BABLEE, MP

Dr The Honourable Marie Christiane Dorine CHUKOWRY, MP

Honourable Ivan Leslie COLLENDAVELLOO, GCSK, SC, MP

Honourable Fazila DAUREEAWOO-JEEWA, GCSK, MP

Honourable Soobeersingh DHUNOO, MP

Honourable Marie Alexandra Tania DIOLLE, MP

Honourable Alan GANOO, GCSK, MP

Dr The Honourable Mohammad Anwar HUSNOO, MP

Honourable Ashley ITTOO, MP

Honourable Georges Pierre LESJONGARD, MP

Honourable Marie Sandra Monia MAYOTTE, MP

Honourable Nand Prakash RAMCHURRUN, MP

Honourable Subhasnee LUCHMUN ROY, MP

Honourable Louis Steven OBEEGADOO, MP

Honourable Kavydass RAMANO, MP

Honourable Marie Joanne Sabrina TOUR, MP

Dear MPs, 

In light of the Local Government (Amendment) Bill (No. VIII of 2023) to be presented in Parliament for 1st reading , 2nd reading, Committee Stage and 3rd reading in the same sitting on 23rd May 2023 and whose explanatory memorandum reads as follows: 

“The object of this Bill is to amend the Local Government Act to empower the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, to further extend the life of the entire Municipal City Council and Municipal Town Councils, or entire Village Councils for a period of 2 years.”,

Rezistans ek Alternativ wishes to draw your attention to the following: 

1. As elected members of Urban Constituencies of Mauritius, it is your foremost duty under the premise of representative democracy to act in the best interests of the voters you serve.
2. Voters or sections of voters in your respective constituencies are also eligible voters for the election of Municipal City Council and Municipal Town Councils under the Local Government Act. 
3. The life of the above-mentioned Municipal City Council and Municipal Town Councils will reach their respective term on 14th of June 2023
4. By voting in favour of the Local Government (Amendment) Bill (No. VIII of 2023) on the 23rd May 2023, you will have most certainly failed in your foremost duty under the premise of representative democracy to act in the best interests of the voters you serve,
5.  As voters or sections of voters in your respective constituencies have been deprived of their democratic right to participate in the election of Municipal City Council and Municipal Town Councils since the last elections were held on 14th of June 2015. (8 years ago) 
6. Rezistans ek Alternativ wishes to point out that Parliament already voted in favour of postponing the holding of such elections in 2021 (Act. No 5 of 2021) on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. 
7. The proposed Local Government (Amendment) Bill (No. VIII of 2023) which will in effect empower the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, to further extend the life of the entire Municipal City Council and Municipal Town Councils, or entire Village Councils for a period of 2 years, is deprived of any democratic consideration and thus represents a blatant and abhorrent attack on the democratic pillars underpinning the Republic of Mauritius. 
8. Rezistans ek Alternativ also wishes to point out that as elected members of Parliament, you are governed by the provisions of the Constitution relating to Chapter V – Parliament, Part II – Legislation and Procedure in National Assembly and more specifically to the following articles:

a. ARTICLE  45. Power to make laws (1) Subject to this Constitution, Parliament may make laws for the peace, order and good government of Mauritius.

b. ARTICLE  55. Oath of allegiance (1) No member of the Assembly shall take part in the proceedings of the Assembly (other than proceedings necessary for the purposes of this section) until he has taken and subscribed before the Assembly the oath of allegiance prescribed in the Third Schedule, whereby the Third Schedule reads as follows:

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE I,…, do swear (or solemnly affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Mauritius according to law. (So help me God.)

9) By voting in favour of the Local Government (Amendment) Bill (No. VIII of 2023) on the 23rd May 2023, you will also be contravening in your duty to ensure the ‘good government of Mauritius’ as well as fail to uphold your sworn allegiance to the Republic of Mauritius.

10) Should the Local Government (Amendment) Bill (No. VIII of 2023) be adopted by Parliament, it will be one of the most important democratic regressions in the history of our Republic and mark one of the darkest chapters of our history.

11) Rezistans ek Alternativ appeals to your conscience as empowered citizens of Mauritius and urges you to call for the immediate withdrawal of this Bill from the Agenda of the National Assembly, and if the Bill is maintained, this Tuesday 23rd May 2023, to reject the Local Government (Amendment) Bill (No. VIII of 2023). Failure to do so would make you accomplices of one of the worst betrayals against our Republic.

KUGAN PARAPEN & STEFAN GUA
REZISTANS EK ALTERNATIV 

21.05.2023