Africa-Press – Mauritius. The refurbishment of the Splash N Fun Leisure Park started in 2018 for an estimated cost of Rs 350 million and was completed in 2019 except for one item, the “boomerango”, which has been completed up to 68% as the park was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic from 19 March 2020 to 15 October 2020, from 15 March 2021 to 29 October 2021 and again from 12 November 2021 to 29 January 2022.
The Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, provided this information, today, during his reply to a Private Notice Question (PNQ), in the National Assembly.
The PNQ focused on the project for the refurbishment and upgrading of the Splash N Fun Leisure Park. The completion of the “boomerango” is being contemplated subject to the availability of funds, informed the Minister.
He recalled that the Sugar Investment Trust (SIT) Board, in October 1999, set up a subsidiary as a private company, namely SIT Leisure Ltd (SITL), for the purpose of investment in the then Belle Mare Water Park constructed in the year 2000 and which opened on 04 December 2000.
The Belle Mare Water Park was rebranded as the Splash N Fun Leisure Park in 2019, he added. The SIT, he further highlighted, is established under Section 3 of the Sugar Industry Efficiency Act (SIE) Act and, being a body corporate and for the purposes of the Companies Act, it is therefore considered as a company.
The objects of the Trust, he also informed, are set out in Section 4 of the SIE Act, which allows it to invest inter alia in “leisure, entertainment and gaming”.
As for market research, a business review was undertaken by the firm PWC in 2016 for the SIT and its subsidiaries and for the Water Park project specifically, a business review was carried out by KPMG, highlighted Minister Gobin.
The Minister also informed the House that following a board meeting of the SITL held on 02 June 2021, the Board members requested the Internal Auditor to prepare a comprehensive report on the Rs 350 million spent on the refurbishment of the park and the construction of the “boomerango”.
It was submitted to the Board of SITL on 23 March 2022 and is still being examined by the Board, he stated. With regards to police inquiry, the Minister said that he was informed by the Commissioner of Police that, as at date, no case has been reported to the Police for inquiry in connection with the refurbishment and upgrading of the leisure park.
Mr Gobin also highlighted that the Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating this case, and that by virtue of Section 81 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the said investigation and all information surrounding it, is confidential.
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