PORT LOUIS (Reuters) -A deputy governor of Mauritius’ central bank, Gerard Sanspeur, said on Friday he had resigned from his post after clashing with the son of the bank’s governor, whom he accused of trying to meddle in the running of the institution.
Mauritian newspaper L’Express reported earlier on Friday that Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam had dismissed Sanspeur, who was the third most senior official at the central bank and had the title of second deputy governor.
Sanspeur told a press conference that he had submitted his resignation due to an “external influence” that was seeking to control certain functions in the bank. Asked for more details, he identified Tevin Sithanen, son of Central Bank Governor Rama Sithanen, as the “external influence”.
“This person wanted to interfere in banking licences processes, in recruitment and laying off of staff and tender procedures,” Sanspeur said.
“When I made it clear that I didn’t want to collaborate with that person, things started to become difficult for me. There were all sorts of traps to push me out,” he said, without elaborating.
Tevin Sithanen did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The Bank of Mauritius said in a statement that Sanspeur had resigned but gave no details.
Central bank governor Sithanen later told a separate news conference that he was compiling information on Sanspeur to share with the police and financial crimes centre for further investigation, accusing him of corruption.
He also said the accusations against his son were false.
When Reuters contacted Sanspeur for comment on Sithanen’s corruption allegations, he said he would respond later.
Spokespeople at the prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sanspeur said there had been disagreements at the bank on recognition of a trade union at the central bank, an audit of the state-owned Mauritius Investment Corporation and the appointment of the chairman of the State Bank of Mauritius.
(Reporting by Jean Paul Arouff and Villen AngananEditing by Ammu Kannampilly, Frances Kerry and Gareth Jones)
