In a communique issued yesterday, the Joint Economic Council (JEC) expressed its concern as regards the circumstances around which the contract of Bert Cunningham, Director General of Customs of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) has been terminated.

The council says the lack of transparency surrounding the event together with the risk of disruption in the reforms undertaken in the customs services cause some anxiety. The JEC wishes that appropriate measures be put into place to ascertain continuity in the same direction and with the same sense of urgency as Bert Cunningham has undertaken over the last six years. His work, it says, has brought significant improvement in the quality of customs services of the country. It invites the authorities to ensure that all the projects underway, as well as those already in the pipeline, be completed within the scheduled timeline.

In order not to jeopardize the implementation of the reform programmes of the customs services, the JEC invites the MRA to make the necessary arrangements for the urgent appointment of a professional of international repute and of proven experience to lead the customs services. It recognizes the intention expressed by the authorities to launch an international advertisement for the post.

For its part, Transparency Mauritius, in another communique, says that it views with concern that the Chairman of the MRA announced that this Authority and Bert Cunningham ?have mutually agreed to put an end to the contract of employment? of the latter and ?to keep confidential the terms on which the employment has been put to an end?.

Regarding confidentiality, it invites the MRA to make public the reasons for the termination of the contract because, it says, of the wide repercussions this termination would have on the image of Mauritius in its combat against fraud and corruption.

The non governmental organisation says that it notes that in the communique of the MRA, its Director General has concluded that Bert Cunningham ?had not committed any act of malpractice warranting any internal disciplinary action?.