Local Govt Bill Voted Amid Protest

Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam told the House that the present bill has sealed the loopholes that existed in the laws of 1989 and 2003.

While the minister of Local Government, Hervé Aimée was summing up his arguments, Mouvement Militant Mauricien MPs staged a walk out in protest of the bill.

Dr Ramgoolam also announced that the municipal elections will take place in 2012. “The elections will be held as soon as possible,” he declared. However, the PM said that the elections cannot take place during the first 3 months because of several public holidays.

The bill will be dispatched to the President of the Republic, Sir Anerood Jugnauth (SAJ) for his approval before it can be enforced as an act. According to the constitution, the President may send back the bill to the Parliament and ask for a revision.

The Independent sought a legal point of view and lawyer Dan Kissoon said that the President has 21 days to give his nod to the bill. However, if he refuses to sign it, he may send it back to Parliament.

He added, “The government may also decide not to revise the amendment. If such a situation arises, the President will have no other choice but to resign from office.”

Kissoon gave as example the resignation of former President of the Republic, Cassam Uteem when he refused to approve the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PoTA) in 2002. If Jugnauth too refuses to sign the bill, he will have no choice but to resign.

Opposition leader Paul Bérenger had met SAJ on Tuesday to discuss the legality of the delimitation of electoral boundaries of the five municipalities.