Gerard Sanspeur, the second deputy governor of the Bank of Mauritius, has resigned from his position after clashing with Tevin Sithanen, the son of Central Bank Governor Rama Sithanen, whom he accused of trying to meddle in the bank’s operations.
Sanspeur claimed that Tevin Sithanen wanted to interfere in key areas such as banking license processes, staff recruitment, and tender procedures.
He stated that after refusing to collaborate with Tevin Sithanen, things became increasingly difficult for him, with various attempts to push him out.
The Mauritian newspaper L’Express reported that Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam had dismissed Sanspeur, but Sanspeur himself said he submitted his resignation due to the “external influence” of Tevin Sithanen. The central bank confirmed Sanspeur’s resignation without providing further details.
In response, Governor Rama Sithanen accused Sanspeur of corruption and said he would share information with the police and financial crimes center for further investigation.
Sanspeur highlighted existing disagreements within the bank, including issues related to trade union recognition, audits of the state-owned Mauritius Investment Corporation, and the appointment of the chairman of the State Bank of Mauritius.
The situation has sparked controversy, with Sanspeur and the central bank governor holding differing views on the circumstances surrounding his departure.