🇲🇺MauritiusEast Africa
Speaker exits National Assembly after heated exchanges during debate on foreign labor
via Le Mauricien1 min read
A heated debate erupted in the National Assembly following the Private Notice Question PNQ by Leader of the Opposition, Joe Lesjongard, concerning foreign labor. The discussion escalated into a verbal altercation between Minister of Labour, Reza Uteem, and Member of Parliament Joanna Bérenger, over allegations of connections between a recruitment agency seeking a license and political figures. The Speaker, Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, ultimately left the chamber after repeated attempts to restore order amidst a tense atmosphere marked by interruptions and simultaneous interventions from several MPs. The tension began when Joe Lesjongard questioned Minister Uteem about Lexus Recruitment Agency, alleging that the company's shareholders were spouses of two of the minister's close collaborators, and asked if this constituted a conflict of interest. Reza Uteem denied these accusations, stating that license allocation is independently reviewed based on established criteria. The exchanges then shifted to Joanna Bérenger when the minister alluded to alleged ties between a license-seeking company and certain political figures. Ms. Bérenger immediately challenged these claims and demanded substantiation. The Speaker intervened to caution the minister, noting it was the second time he had addressed Ms. Bérenger as "Miss Bérenger" instead of "Honourable Member," and instructed him to cease using the informal address. The situation further deteriorated as multiple MPs from both sides began
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Mauricien.
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