Association of Tourist Operators (ATO) have filed a complaint with the Independent Commission Against Corruption

Members of the Association of Tourist Operators (ATO) have filed a complaint with the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) against their president, Chetraj Jhurry.

They have complained of conflict of interest in his relationship with the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure and the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. Moreover, the general secretary of the association submitted his resignation and a few others have followed suit.

The members have raised three issues of disagreement. The first is that the president of the association uses the address of the Frontera Group of Industries, a company managed by him for communication with the MTPA and Tourism ministry.

“It has come to our knowledge that in order to deal with the MTPA, the Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism under the name of ATO, Chetraj Jhurry has been consistently using the e-mail address of Frontera Group of Companies, which is managed by him.”

They believe that Jhurry uses his office as president of the ATO to obtain sensitive information on government policy on tourism and funding of the MTPA for the benefit of his company. They added that this is being done without the knowledge of ATO members.

The second problem is that the letters sent under ATO and addressed to the Tourism Authority, the MTPA and the Ministry of Tourism, contain the address and phone number of Frontera Group of Companies.

Thirdly, the members have opposed Jhurry’s demand of Rs 10 million from the MTPA to fund foreign mission.

Also, they are against his demand of being a board member of the Tourism Authority. The members have asked the ICAC to investigate this matter and take necessary action against the against OTA president.