Local Mauritius
Government spending big on infrastructure
The government plans to inject Rs 21.2 billion for key infrastructure projects. According to minister Duval, this will give a major boost to the construction industry. The pursuit of the Harbour Bridge and Métro léger projects will provide a significant stimulus to riding out the crisis. Minister of Public Infrastructure, National Development Unit, Land Transport [...]
05 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
MTPA demand met by budget
The government will adopt a three-pronged strategy focused on attractiveness, visibility and accessibility. The chairman of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), Robert Desvaux said the budget met their demands, “It emphasised on the product, quality and rating of the industry.” He added stakeholders were not respecting rules and the new official rating system will [...]
05 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Foreign students can work 20 hrs weekly
Foreign students will now have the opportunity to study and work at the same time on a part time basis for up to 20 hours a week except in the security sector. One of the measures announced by finance minister Xavier Luc Duval which aims to attract more foreign students. The minister of Tertiary Education, [...]
05 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Jugnauth Jr needs therapy, says Jeetah
At a press conference held on Saturday, MSM leader and former Finance minister Pravind Jugnauth had said that degrees from Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management (EIILM), based in Sikkim and which has a campus in Mauritius, are not recognised by the University Grants Comission (UGC), New Delhi. This issue is also in the [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
MPL unveils post office at Pailles
Mauritius Post Ltd (MPL) opened its 113th post office on Thursday at Pailles in the presence of minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum. The opening of the post office represents a big development for Pailles allowing some 10,000 inhabitants to benefit from postal and non-postal services. Members of the MPL as [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Quartier Militaire drainage system to undergo major works
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, National Development Unit, Land Transport and Shipping is working hard to improve the drainage system in Quartier Militaire. The cost of the works is estimated at Rs 43 million and should be completed by January 2012. “The government of Dr Navin Ramgoolam is providing funding of over Rs 1.7 billion [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Flacq Hospital adds new wing
The new wing of Flacq hospital, Block C is now operational. The renovation work and building of new wards were undertaken at a cost of more than Rs 125 million. The handing over should be done by the Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam in November. “The government has invested more than Rs 125 million in [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Valley Pitot fire destroys houses
The residents of Vallée Pitot became victims of a fire that destroyed two houses. This incident took place on Thursday at Colline Monneron.The fire, broke out at about 10 am injuring one. Sayed-Hossen Yassin, 48, was burned on the arms and leg. According to him, it might have been a hill fire due to the [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Coca-Cola promotes healthiness
An Information and discussion session on nutrition and active lifestyle was organised by Coca Cola and Phoenix Beverages on Thursdayat the Link hotel in Ebene. On this occasion, Coca Cola Indian Ocean Islands and Phoenix Beverages emphasised on the problem of obesity, which is a complex global issue that requires collective effort. At the forum, [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Tickets remitted to MUN winners
The four best Mauritian delegates at the 15th Model United Nations (MUN) held in July were awarded air tickets to participate in Amity International MUN 2011, which will be held at Amity University, Noida in India from November 17 to 19. The air tickets were handed by the minister of Education and Human Resources, Dr [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Closing speeches presented in Nobin brothers’ case at Assizes
The prosecution and defense presented their closing speeches on November 3, at the Assizes. Prosecution attacked the defense’s argument of self defense and provocation by basing itself mainly on the accounts of two witnesses and the autopsy report. They claimed that anyone with no intention to kill would not aim for a vital organ, which [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Jeetah urges out of the box thoughts
On Thursday, Students at Work Club (SAW), which operates under the aegies of the University of Mauritius (UoM) held its prize giving ceremony-cum-cultural show to commemorate its second anniversary at the Octave Wiehe Auditorium, Réduit. It was attended by the minister of Tertiary Education, Rajesh Jeetah and the vice chancellor of the university, Konrad Morgan. [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Budget 2012 historic for PMSD
For the first time a minister of the Parti Mauricien Social-Démocrate (PMSD) will present the budget. Xavier-Luc Duval, vice prime minister and minister of Finance and Economic Development, will be present the 2012 budget this afternoon. The aim is to harness traditional and, more importantly, emerging sectors such as knowledge, healthcare, creative industries, biotechnology, ICT [...]
04 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Dookun-Luchoomun to be shifted from ICU
Former minister Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun will soon be shifted from the intensive care unit (ICU) said former MSM minister Maya Hanoomanjee to The Independent on Wednesday. “We are very satisfied with the treatment that she is receiving. The doctors have said that she would be soon shifted from the ICU,” Hanoomanjee, who has been visiting [...]
03 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Expectations grow as budget day draws near
Expectations are rising as the 2012 budget nears. It will be presented in Parliament by Finance minister Xavier-Luc Duval on Friday. Rumours are rife that the Value Added Tax (VAT), currently at 15 per cent, will be increased. Speaking to The Independent, Federation des Travailleurs Unis (FTU) representative Atma Shanto stated that this move, if [...]
03 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Blackberry tries to save face with 25 free applications
Following its recent service outages, BlackBerry has rolled out a set of some 25 free applications in an attempt to apologise to its customers. This wave of free applications includes Facebook, Windows Live Messenger, WhatsApp Messenger, Shazam Encore, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, Photo Studio, Twitter and eBay among others. Customers can download these applications from [...]
03 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Nation ranks 77 in HDI, 2nd in Sub-Sahara
Mauritius retains its 77th position on the Human Development Index (HDI) from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The report which was released on November 2 compiled data from a record 187 countries. Norway, Australia and the Netherlands lead the board while Congo, Niger and Burundi rank last. With an HDI of 0.728, Mauritius settles [...]
03 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
President, PM do not share outlook
The commemoration of the arrival of indentured labourers brought on the same platform the three leaders, President Sir Anerood Jugnauth, Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam and Opposition leader Paul Bérenger. Because of the rigmarole of political alliances, all eyes were focussed on them. However, they kept to themselves. After the PM’s speech, the President surprised [...]
03 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
No need for lip service, SAJ calls for respect instead
On the 177th anniversary of the arrival of indentured labourers in Mauritius held on Wednesday at Aapravasi Ghat in Port Louis, the President of the Republic, Sir Anerood Jugnauth stressed on the need to work together to make the country progress. “We should not always look at countries that are not faring well economically. We [...]
03 Nov 2011, The Independent Daily
Bérenger confirms alliance with MSM
Speaking at his weekly press meet held at The Link Hotel, Ebène on Saturday, Opposition leader Paul Bérenger stated that the party central committee had unanimously taken decision to form a remake of the 2000 MMM/MSM alliance, but nothing concrete has been decided yet, thus denying information stated by a radio station and a weekly [...]
31 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily