Pravind Jugnauth

Pravind Jugnauth
5th Prime Minister of Mauritius
In office 23 January 2017 – 13 November 2024
President	Ameenah Gurib-Fakim Barlen Vyapoory (acting) Eddy Balancy (acting) Pradeep Roopun
Deputy	Louis Steven Obeegadoo
Preceded by	Anerood Jugnauth
Succeeded by	Navin Ramgoolam
Minister of Finance
In office 26 May 2016 – 12 November 2019
Prime Minister	Anerood Jugnauth himself
Preceded by	Anerood Jugnauth (Acting)
In office 11 May 2009 – 26 July 2011
Prime Minister	Navin Ramgoolam
Preceded by	Rama Sithanen
Succeeded by	Xavier Luc Duval
In office 7 October 2003 – 5 July 2005
Prime Minister	Paul Berenger
Preceded by	Paul Berenger
Succeeded by	Rama Sithanen
Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation
In office 14 December 2014 – 1 July 2015
Prime Minister	Anerood Jugnauth
Preceded by	Chedumbrum Pillay
Succeeded by	Etienne Sinatambou
11th Leader of Opposition
In office 15 September 2014 – 14 December 2014
Prime Minister	Navin Ramgoolam
Preceded by	Paul Bérenger
Succeeded by	Paul Bérenger
3rd Vice Prime Minister of Mauritius
In office 11 May 2010 – 26 July 2011
Prime Minister	Navin Ramgoolam
Preceded by	Rama Sithanen
Succeeded by	Anil Bachoo
8th Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius
In office 7 October 2003 – 5 July 2005
Prime Minister	Paul Bérenger
Preceded by	Paul Bérenger
Succeeded by	Rashid Beebeejaun
Leader of the Militant Socialist Movement
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 October 2003
Preceded by	Anerood Jugnauth
Member of the National Assembly for Quartier Militaire and Moka
In office 9 May 2009 – 11 November 2024
Preceded by	Ashok Jugnauth
Personal details
Born	(1961-12-25) 25 December 1961 La Caverne, British Mauritius
Political party	Militant Socialist Movement
Spouse	Kobita Ramdanee
Children	3
Parents	Anerood Jugnauth (father) Sarojini Ballah (mother)
Alma mater	University of Buckingham Inns of Court School of Law Aix-Marseille University
Website	www.pravindjugnauth.mu

Pravind Kumar Jugnauth (born 25 December 1961) is a Mauritian politician and former Prime Minister, succeeding, Aneerood Jugnauth, his father, who retired as leader of the majority in 2017. Following the victory of his, Alliance Morisien, coalition in 2019, he remained in office, eventually losing the 2024 Mauritian general election. Jugnauth is the leader of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) party. He has held a number of ministerial portfolios and also been Leader of the Opposition.

Early life and education

Born on 25 December 1961 in La Caverne, a suburb area in Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius, Jugnauth was born into a Hindu Ahir family. He was born to Anerood Jugnauth, former President and Prime Minister of Mauritius, and Sarojini Ballah, a schoolteacher. He has an elder sister, Shalini Jugnauth-Malhotra.

After primary schooling at Aryan Vedic, he studied at Royal College Curepipe. He then went on to study law at the University of Buckingham, thus joining the Lincoln's Inn, and became a barrister. He then joined Aix-Marseille University in France where he graduated with a "diploma in civil law."

Family life

Pravind Jugnauth married Kobita Ramdanee in 1992 and is the father of three daughters: Sonika, Sonali and Sara.

Controversies

Before 2020

Medpoint Gate

In 2010, the PTR-MSM-PMSD government acknowledged the need to create a specialized centre for geriatric care. Thus the cabinet of Ministers approved the purchase of the existing MedPoint Private Clinic which was owned by Dr. Krishnan Malhotra and Mrs Shalini Devi Jugnauth-Malhotra. The latter is the sister of then Minister of Finance Pravind Jugnauth and daughter of then President Sir Anerood Jugnauth. The objective was to convert the hospital into a specialised centre.

On 22 July 2011 following an investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), then Minister of Health Maya Hanoomanjee was arrested by the ICAC Police and the government chief valuer was suspended from his duties. Pravind Jugnauth was also arrested on charges of "conflict of interest". This became known as the MedPoint Affair. On 30 June 2015 Jugnauth was found guilty under Article 13 of the Prevention Of Corruption Act 2002 (PoCA). He was sentenced by the Intermediate court of Mauritius for 1 year of imprisonment. However, he appealed to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and won his appeal. The prosecution appealed to the UK Privy Council which is constitutionally Mauritius' Highest Appeal Court, but the prosecution appeal was ultimately unsuccessful.

Case of Sedition

On 26 December 2012 Pravind Jugnauth was arrested and interrogated by Central CID on charges of sedition. This followed a complaint lodged by former minister Sheila Bappoo of the Labour Party after Pravind Jugnauth's revelations about the abuse of power and financial scandals involving Navin Ramgoolam's girlfriend Nandanee Soornack. Pravind Jugnauth's arrest was decried as being arbitrary and a form of harassment by Navin Ramgoolam, as the previous application of the anti-sedition law dated back to 1972. Lawyer Roshi Bhadain assisted Pravind Jugnauth in his legal defence.

2020 and onwards

The Wakashio Disaster

The wrecking of the MV Wakashio was not only an environmental catastrophe but also raised questions about the Mauritian government's handling of the crisis. When the ship grounded on July 25, 2020, no immediate action was taken, even though the potential risk of an oil spill was evident. The delay in mobilizing resources and seeking international assistance has been criticized as a failure of leadership under Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth's administration.

Key areas of criticism include:

1. Delay in Action: Despite warnings from experts and environmental activists, the government took nearly two weeks to declare a state of environmental emergency on August 7, after the oil spill had already begun on August 6. This delay allowed the situation to worsen significantly.

1. Lack of transparency: The government’s decision-making process, including its choice to tow part of the wreck into the ocean and sink it, was seen as opaque. Many experts and environmentalists argued that the wreckage could have been better utilized to negotiate compensation from the ship’s owner or insurers.

1. Political Tensions and Protests: The handling of the crisis led to widespread protests in Mauritius, with thousands demanding accountability and accusing the government of incompetence and corruption. There were also allegations that the government ignored early offers of international assistance, which could have mitigated the disaster.

1. Compensation Challenges: Critics argue that the government failed to leverage international maritime laws effectively to secure adequate compensation, particularly given the limitations of the 2001 Bunker Oil Convention, which caps liability based on the ship's gross tonnage.

These points contributed to a perception that the government, and by extension the Prime Minister, mishandled the crisis, prioritizing political and economic interests over environmental and public welfare.

Pack and Blister Scandal

The "Pack & Blister" scandal in Mauritius revolved around the purchase of malfunctioning ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government ordered these ventilators, reportedly at inflated prices, through Pack & Blister, a company with no track record in medical equipment. The scandal highlighted poor procurement procedures and a lack of accountability.

Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth’s role became contentious when it was revealed that key information regarding the deal was either ignored or dismissed at the highest levels. While he eventually acknowledged the issue, critics argued that he should have been more proactive in overseeing the procurement process, ensuring transparency, and addressing potential corruption earlier. The failure to act swiftly and decisively led to public outcry, with many questioning the government's commitment to accountability.

This scandal is part of a broader pattern of questionable contracts and procurement processes during the pandemic, casting a shadow over the PM's leadership in safeguarding public funds and maintaining oversight of critical decisions.

Molnupiravir Scandal

The core issue in the Molnupiravir scandal in Mauritius was the alleged overpricing of the medicine.The Ministry of Health awarded a Rs80 million contract to CPN Distributors, a company with no significant pharmaceutical experience, 8 times higher than the price that Mauritius Pharmacy had offered for the procurement of the medicine as another contractor. This has raised concerns about transparency and potential misuse of public funds.

This massive markup sparked outrage, with critics accusing the government of financial mismanagement and possible corruption. Allegations also included political favoritism, as some claimed the procurement process was manipulated to benefit connected individuals. These revelations led to investigations by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), though the process faced criticism for being selective and ineffective.

2024 Phone Tapping scandal

During the 2024 electoral campaign, there are audio recordings of various public figures that were leaked on social media under the guise of a fictitious figure calling themself Missie Moustass. Before the 2014 General Elections Ramgoolam stated that he had ordered the machines in order to combat the illegal traffic of drugs and terrorism. The phone tapping would only be used by the police with permission for a limited amount of time from the supreme court whenever they have a suspect. However, when Jugnauth became prime minister, the phone tapping was then installed by him instead dismissing all laws that Ramgoolam had set regarding this. Sherry Singh, the former CEO of Telecom Mauritius mentioned in his interview that Jugnauth was able to listen to the citizen's conversation at his own house. There had been issues where the account Missie Moustass was banned on Facebook and TikTok as apparently, it made use of Artificial Intelligence, according to Pravind Jugnauth. However, many local news have disregarded this statement as a lie.

Start of political career

Pravind Jugnauth entered the political arena in 1987 and officially joined the MSM in 1990.

2000 to 2005

Jugnauth with Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2004

As Minister of Agriculture from 7 September 2000 to 7 October 2003 (under MSM-MMM government), Jugnauth reformed the sugar sector by diversification with the production of ethanol, agricultural rhum, special sugars, electricity generation from bagasse and other high value-added products. Besides production costs were significantly reduced in response to a drop in the protected sugar price under the Sugar Protocol with the European Union. He also negotiated a package for workers under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme which enabled around 8000 workers to retire with cash compensation exceeding 2.5 billion rupees and around 825 arpents of land worth 3 billion rupees.

Jugnauth also encouraged hydroponics and other modern methods of agricultural production as well as agricultural biotechnology research. He created a National Agricultural Biotechnology Institute and Food Technology Laboratory in Mauritius and later launched the Small Planters Welfare Fund. The fund caters to the welfare of planters and their families and provides crop insurance schemes designed to financially support planters whose crops are affected by unfavourable weather conditions.

As Finance Minister from 7 October 2003 to 5 July 2005, Jugnauth reduced taxes on thousands of commodities. He increased subsidies on basic commodities and gave salary compensations well above inflation rates in two successive years. He launched a project to make Mauritius a Duty Free Island.

2005 to 2009

In June 2005 Prime Minister Paul Berenger dissolved the Parliament in preparation for the 2005 General Elections. The Labour-led Alliance Sociale won a total seat of 38 against the MSM-MMM alliance which obtained only 24 seats. Pravind Jugnauth was defeated in his constituency, received 48% of vote and was not elected. Paul Berenger became Leader of the Opposition made up of MSM (14 seats) and MMM (10 seats).

In 2006 MP Ashok Jugnauth left the MSM party and formed a new party following a dispute with Pravind Jugnauth regarding the leadership of the party. At that time Pravind was not an elected member of Parliament but still held leadership of the MSM. Nando Bodha the general secretary of the MSM became Leader of the Opposition after the MSM-MMM alliance split up due to Pravind Jugnauth's disapproval of Paul Berenger's request to make Rajesh Bhagwan the Opposition Chief Whip. In 2007 two members of MSM (Joe Lesongard the party's president and Sekar Naidu) left the MSM and swore allegiance to Berenger who became Leader of the Opposition.

2009 By-Elections

Ashok Jugnauth (half-brother of Sir Anerood Jugnauth and uncle of Pravind) had been elected as MSM member of parliament in Constituency No.8 Quartier Militaire and Moka. But he had to resign in November 2008 as the British Privy Council upheld the guilty verdict that the Supreme Court of Mauritius had issued in 2007 following charges of electoral bribery during the campaign leading to the 2005 General Elections. Thus by-elections had to be held in 2009. Ashok Jugnauth stood as a candidate with the support of MMM. The Labour Party supported Pravind Jugnauth who then announced his candidacy in the 8th constituency. On 2 March 2009, Pravind Jugnauth won the by-elections. His victory paved the way for the next alliance (Labour Party-MSM) during the 2010 general elections.

2009-2014

In 2009, MSM formed a coalition known as Alliance de L'Avenir or Ptr-MSM-PMSD by joining forces with the Mauritian Labour Party and Mauritian Social Democrat Party. The coalition won the May 2010 elections. On Navin Ramgoolam's advice, President Sir Anerood Jugnauth then appointed Jugnauth Vice Prime Minister & Minister of Finance as of 11 May 2010. On 26 July 2011 Jugnauth and all other MSM ministers resigned due to the scandal known as the MedPoint Affair.

In 2014, following the resignation of Paul Berenger as Leader of the Opposition, President Kailash Purryag appointed Jugnauth to the office. Jugnauth served as Leader of the Opposition from September to December 2014.

2014-2017

He was appointed Minister of Information Technology following the Alliance Lepep's victory.

2017-2019

Jugnauth with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 19 April 2018

On 23 January 2017, he was chosen by his party MSM to lead the National Assembly. This triggered the ruling coalition partner Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate to leave the government and join the Opposition. Pravind Jugnauth served as Prime Minister of Mauritius during the second half of the Alliance Lepep's mandate which concluded with general elections in November 2019.

2019–2024

Following the victory of the Alliance Morisien (a coalition of MSM-ML-MAG parties) at the 2019 General Elections Pravind Jugnauth was elected as prime minister for a five-year mandate.

Until 2024, the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean was disputed between the United Kingdom and Mauritius. In February 2019, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that the United Kingdom must transfer the islands to Mauritius as they were illegally separated from the latter in 1965. At first, the UK did not recognise Mauritius' sovereignty claim over the Chagos Archipelago. In October 2020, Jugnauth described the British and American governments as "hypocrites" and "champions of double talk" over their response to the dispute. In a joint declaration by Jugnauth and British prime minister Keir Starmer issued on October 3, 2024, it was announced that an agreement had been reached between the UK and Mauritius about the return of the archipelago to Mauritian sovereignty. Under the agreement, most of the territory constituting the archipelago will be given to Mauritius, while the island of Diego Garcia will remain under the jurisdiction of the UK and USA for at least 99 years, pending the ratification of a treaty between the UK and Mauritius.

Jugnauth conceded his government losing in the 2024 Mauritian general election.

Recognition and awards

Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Mrs. Kobita Ramdanee-Jugnauth being received by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Shri Upendra Kushwaha, on their arrival at IGI Airport, in New Delhi.

Pravind Jugnauth was honoured Doctor from the University of Buckingham with an Honoris Causa in 2005. In 2017 he has awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the President of India.