Accused of 'Bias' by Adrien Duval: The Speaker Responds

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, has responded to Adrien Duval, who accused her of being "biased" during an intervention on a private radio and in comments posted on his Facebook page, stating that "she is often overwhelmed by events." In a statement made to the Assembly on Tuesday, December 2, the Speaker invited the opposition Whip to submit a "substantive motion" if he believes she has not been impartial in her decision, rather than going through the media.

"I am not going to repeat negative decisions of the past by ordering members out or naming anyone. (…) I need to take time to give a ruling precisely. It is better to take time in order to be fair and make a proper decision. But my decision cannot be questioned," she emphasized.

The Speaker also revisited the incident from the previous Tuesday, when a clash between Minister Shakeel Mohamed and Adrien Duval led to the suspension of the session. She reminded that there are strict rules regarding the conduct of the Speaker, notably citing Standing Order 40 (5), and clarified that she fully stands by her decision to suspend the session.