Republic of Mauritius- National Youth Parliament familiarises young Mauritians to the proceedings of the National Assembly

The Deputy Prime Minister urged the young parliamentarians to deliberate as per the rules of the parliamentary etiquette and procedure and to make optimum use of their public speaking, presentation, leadership skills when addressing each other.

The NYP, Mr Collendavelloo noted with satisfaction, has elected a woman as Prime Minister.  Moreover, he dwelt on the increasing number of countries that are eliminating the gender barrier as regards to the representation of women in the political system and conferring them with the responsibility of acting as the head of the country.

It is imperative for Mauritius, the Deputy Prime Minister said, to push for major changes in the political scene so that women are guaranteed adequate proportional representation for a fairer and more equitable parliament. Government, he emphasised, advocates for the empowerment of women in all spheres of the socioeconomic landscape of Mauritius, and are being gradually entrusted top positions.

As for the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mrs Santi Bai Hanoomanjee, she expressed pride and satisfaction as regards the achievement of her Office in hosting the NYP, adding that the first edition in 2018 was a resounding success.  The second edition will further provide opportunities to the 82 new participants to get an insight and experience of the functions and operations of the Parliament, she indicated.

The Speaker also reiterated Government’s determination to empower the youth of the country and underlined the need for young people to be involved in the political activities of Mauritius at an early stage. The NYP, she emphasised, is geared towards developing the interest of the younger generation and enable the youth to get acquainted with the parameters within which parliamentarians evolve.

Another major achievement of the Speaker’s Office, said Hanoomanjee, is the live broadcast of the proceedings of the House, which considerably helps in reinforcing the parliamentary democracy in our country. She announced that the parliamentary debates of the NYP will be broadcast live as well, and urged the participants to abide to parliamentary etiquette during their debates.

The parliamentarians will have a question time, statement time, and debates on two motions.  The debates will focus on the themes of zero hunger, sustainable development goals, industry, innovation and infrastructure.

National Youth Parliament

The main objectives of the NYP are to provide young citizens with a platform to discuss issues of national and international importance in a parliamentary setup with a view to strengthening democracy; and give them a better understanding of the functions and operations of the legislature with regard to the Constitution, Standing Orders and Rules of the National Assembly, parliamentary traditions, conventions and practice.