After nearly three months? holiday, Parliament resumed last week with renewed gusto: government has acceded to the opposition?s request for a commission of enquiry on the allocation of the Mare-Chicose landfill management contract since 1997, after the Private Notice Question of the opposition leader to the prime minister. A major controversy is cleared for the time being. Another resumes today with the debates on the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Bill.

The provisional charge of corruption against the landfill site field manager a month ago fuelled the controversy and speculation over the allocation of the contract to STAM, a subsidiary of IBL group. Its contract had expired in December and was due to be renewed. Meanwhile, the government asked the Central Tender Board (CTB) to cancel the tender exercise and start a fresh one.

The opposition having over the past two years expressed doubts and made open allegations of corruption concerning this one billion rupee contract, neither the PNQ nor the request for a commission of enquiry came as a surprise. The same topic had been the subject of a PNQ last November.

In spite of the turbulence around him, the new MSM minister of Local government, Prithviraj Putten, looked confident and gave answers to all the questions. He confirmed later that he had ?throroughly studied? the file and had not found ?any irregularities? in the allocation. The announcement of a commission of enquiry by former judge Robert Ahnee has however caused surprise and has been variously commented by both majority and opposition.

Some contest the haste in setting up the commission and even say that the PM ?is in league with? the opposition leader to weaken his partner in government. The timing is also interpreted as a show of strength by the latter especially after the opinion poll underlined the weakness of the deputy prime minister and MSM leader.

The session was also marked by the start of the debate on the GMO Bill. Both majority and opposition are agreed on the potential and risks of GMOs. The main contention concerns the timing. The majority thinks that, with globalisation, the country cannot evade the issue. It should take advantage of biotechnology as a tool for sustained development while adopting a very cautious approach. The opposition is more prudent and suggests a national debate on the issue before any move is taken. Today?s session will see more debates and the eventual voting of the Bill.

Renewed vigour

From both sides of the house last Tuesday, MPs seemed ready and eager to start another term especially after the recent opinion poll from Syntheses/l?express credited the majority with more popularity than it expected and the opposition with a new vigour after their victory in the by-election last December. This enthusiasm should without doubt leave its mark on today?s session, which sounds promising with questions on the commission against corruption, Mauritius Duty Free Paradise and proportional representation.