Common call against the Local Government (Amendment) Bill

This common call has been endorsed by the entire parliamentary opposition parties, the quasi-extra-parliamentary parties as well as the former President of the Republic of Mauritius, trade unions, social movements and ecologists and lawyer activist.

This unification of opposition forces and civil society reflects the sentiment prevailing across the country, both in urban and rural areas, against the anti-democratic crime being perpetrated by the present regime.

The authoritative power given to the Prime Minister by the Bill, to abolish local government democratic electoral process, marks the crossing of a second red line, after the attempt by the State to cover-up the murder of late Soopramanien Kistnen as suicide.

If this Bill is not withdrawn this Tuesday, it will mark one of the darkest day in the history of Mauritius. Nevertheless, we sincerely hope that wisdom will prevail and the Bill will be withdrawn by the Prime Minister and Leader of the House.

The Common Letter will be officially submitted to the Prime Minister, this Tuesday 23rd May 2023, at 10.30 a.m, at Treasury Building, Port Louis.

Common Letter of Parliamentary, Extra-Parliamentary Parties, & Social Movements of Mauritius

We, representatives of Parliamentary and Extra-Parliamentary Parties and Social movements of Mauritius endorse this common and solemn call to the Prime Minister and Leader of the House, to withdraw from the agenda of the National Assembly, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill (No. VIII of 2023) presented in Parliament for 1st reading , 2nd reading, Committee Stage and 3rd reading in the same sitting on 23rd May 2023.1. We are of the view that there is no valid reason justifying such a Bill to be on the agenda of the National Assembly.
2. The Bill, if passed;

will deny the urban people, the right to elect their representatives in their respective municipalities for the next two years;
will represent an utter disrespect, and discrimination against the people of Mauritius living in the urban areas;
will give authoritarian power the Prime Minister to lock down the entire local democracy in Mauritius/
will represent a blatant and abhorrent attack on one of the democratic pillars underpinning the Republic of Mauritius
will infringe the Constitution of Mauritius;

3. We hope that wisdom will prevail and the Bill be withdrawn. Otherwise, any insistence to vote this Bill would make members of the governmental majority accomplices of one of the worst betrayals against our Republic.

Parliamentary Parties
1. Labour Party, PTr, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Leader
2. Mouvement Militant Mauricien, MMM, Paul Berenger, Leader
3. Parti Mauricien Social Democrate, PMSD, Patrick K. Armance, Representative
4. Rassemblement Mauricien, RM, Nando Bodha, Leader

Extra Parliamentary Parties
1. Rezistans ek Alternativ, ReA, Stephan Gua, Spokesperson
2. Linion Pep Morisien, LPM, Rama Valayden, Spokesperson
3. Reform Party, RP, Roshi Badhain, Leader
4. En Avant Moris, EAM, Patrick Belcourt, Leader
5. Ideal Democrate, ID, Géraldine Hennequin-Joulia, Leader

Social Movement
Confederation Syndicale de Gauche, General Workers Federation, JNP Sugar Industry, Confederation of Free Trade Union, Centre for Alternative Research and Studies, Ms. Adi Teelock, Ecologist, Me. Dev Ramano, Lawyer/Activist, Joel Toussaint (Journalist), Malenn Oodiah (Sociologist)

Special Endorsement: Cassam Uteem, Former President of the Republic of Mauritius