Parliamentary question (Horseracing Turf Authority)

Mardi dernier, à l’assemblée, le Premier minister Sir Aneerood Jugnauth, a répondu à des questions du Parlementaire Rajesh Bagwan au sujet de la réception des recommandations des Britanniques Benn Gunn et Paul Scotney et sur les courses pour l’institution d’une Horseracing Turf Authority. Turf Magazine publie dans son intégralité  les questions et réponses des personnes concernées.
The Honourable First Member for Beau Bassin and Petite Rivière (Mr Bhagwan)
To ask the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Home Affairs, Minister for Rodrigues and National Development Unit –
Whether, in regard to the Report of Messrs Peter Scotney and Ben Gunn on Horse Racing in Mauritius, he will state when same was handed over to his good self, indicating (a) if copy thereof will be tabled (b) the amount of fees paid to Messrs Peter Scotney and Ben Gunn therefor and (c) the main recommendations thereof regarding the setting up of a Mauritius Horseracing Turf Authority, indicating if a draft of the Mauritius Horseracing Turf Authority Bill was included therein and, if so, indicate when it will be introduced in the House?
The Honourable Third Member for Port Louis South and Port Louis Central (Mr Osman Mahomed)
To ask the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Home Affairs, Minister for Rodrigues and National Development Unit –
Whether, in regard to the Report of Messrs Peter Scotney and Ben Gunn on Horse Racing in Mauritius, he will state the main recommendations thereof?
SAJ: Madam Speaker, With your permission, I shall reply to Parliamentary Questions B/607 and B/611 together.
I do not know and have not heard about any Mr Peter SCOTNEY.
As the House is aware, the services of Messrs. Paul SCOTNEY and Benn GUNN were enlisted as Consultants by my Office to assist in the implementation of the recommendations of the ‘Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Horse Racing in Mauritius’, known as the Parry Report.
The two Consultants started their assignment on 25 January 2016 and on Friday, 03 June 2016, at around 10.30 a.m, Mr Benn GUNN submitted the co-signed Report to the Chairperson of the Strategic Management Group, as myself and the Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service were both taken up in the Cabinet Meeting of the day.
The Report was accompanied by a covering letter (in a separate sealed envelope) addressed to me.  Both the letter and the Report were handed over to me, on the same day, at the first available opportunity which was around 14.00 hours.
In regard to part (a) of the question, I wish to inform the House that the Report submitted by the Consultants is a working document, executed at the request of my Office, to facilitate and assist in the implementation of the recommendations of the ‘Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Horse Racing in Mauritius’.  As it contains a number of sensitive information with regard to structuring intelligence gathering and strategic directions on fighting illegal betting, I do not deem it fit to render it public.
As regards part (b) of the question, I am advised that the Consultants have, each, charged a fee of £ 750 per day, as consultancy fee for five days a week.  As at today, a sum of around Rs 3.2 million (£ 62,175) has been paid to Mr. Paul SCOTNEY and a sum of around Rs 3.2 million (£ 61,387.50) to Mr. Benn GUNN.  A sum of £ 24,150 remains to be paid to Mr. Paul SCOTNEY and a sum of £ 25,012.50 to Mr. Benn GUNN.
With regard to part (c) of Parliamentary Question B/607, the Consultants advocate the creation of an independent Mauritius Horse Racing Authority, outside the ambit and purview of the Gambling Regulatory Authority, accountable to a separate independent Governing Board, which should consist of, interalia, a non-executive Independent Chairman, from abroad, a Chief Executive Officer enlisted from abroad and two other nominees, from abroad.  They have, further, recommended that the employees of the Mauritius Turf Club be transferred directly to the proposed Mauritius Horse Racing Authority. In addition, they are also of the view that some 8 to 10 foreign resource persons be recruited by the proposed Mauritius Horse Racing Authority.  No draft Bill has been included in the Report.
As I have stated before, the Report is a working document to facilitate and assist in the implementation of the recommendations of the ‘Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Horse Racing in Mauritius’.  “The recommendations,” per se, are only functional guidance as to the ways and means through which the Parry Report can be best implemented.
I wish to inform the House that a Committee comprising of officers of my Office, the Gambling Regulatory Authority and the State Law Office has been set up to look into the Report and map out the practical and feasible course of action in the best interest of the horse racing industry.
Madam Speaker,
I can assure the House that, upon assessment of the Report, everything will be done to ensure the integrity of horseracing in Mauritius in the best possible way.