Local Mauritius

Bank One launches new credit card

The island’s first prepaid credit card will be launched by Bank One in November. At the bank’s headquarters on Friday, chief executive officer, Raj Dussoye emphasised on the security of the prepaid card, which allows multiple transactions. He said, “Provided with the same security features and protection as a VISA smart debit card, this prepaid [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

13 complete course in jewellery

The Jewelry Training Unit of the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD) awarded certificates to 13 participants, who successfully completed the Diamonds and Diamond Grading Training Programme offered by the MITD in collaboration with European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) of South Africa. The award function took place on Friday at the Jewelry Training Unit in [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Travellers can now buy online insurance

The first online travel insurance service in Mauritius – I-Go – was launched by the Mauritius Union Group on Friday in Port Louis. It is a registered trademark of the Mauritius Union Group. On I-Go, customers can get individual, family or professional travel insurance. Kris Lutchmenarraidoo, CEO of Mauritius Union stated that travel insurance while [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

India offers gurudwara musical instruments

The newly appointed high commissioner of India to Mauritius, TP Seetharam donated musical instruments including a harmonium and tablas to Guru Singh Sabha, ‘gurudwara’ at Grande Rivière Sud Ouest on Sunday. Also present on this occasion were the priest of the gurudwara, Joga Singh and the director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Pailles SSS bags SEM award

Pailles State Secondary School (SSS) team A emerged as the winners of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM) Young Investor Award 2011. The prize giving ceremony was held at Octave Wiehe Auditorium, Réduit on Saturday. The winning team registered the highest profits 2 per cent profit on the hypothetical Rs 100,000 they had invested on [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Education key to fight poverty: NGOs

On Sunday, the World Poverty Day which falls on October 17 was celebrated at the State House, Réduit. Some 1,500 people attended the event. On that occasion, several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) called for better strategies on the part of the government to fight the scourge of poverty emphasising on the need for education which is [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

MASA to elect board on Oct 23

Following the general meeting held last Sunday, the Mauritius Society of Authors (MASA) will organise the elections for a new board of management on October 23. The deadline for filing of candidacy is October 17 from 9 am to noon at the headquarters of MASA. The members are expected to stand as candidates in the [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Youth learn life skills management

A certificate presentation ceremony was organised on Thursday at the Mahatma Gandhi State School (MGSS) by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the Flacq and Brisée Verdière Youth Centres. Some 150 youngsters, aged between 15 and 22 years, from Bon Accueil State College, Bel Air State Secondary School, MGSS and the youth [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Unions demand public holiday on Oct 7

The Confederation des Trvailleurs du Secteur Prive (CTSP) celebrated World Day for Decent Work on October 7 at Rose Hill. The trade union walked from their headquarters in Rose Hill to the post office for a wreath laying ceremony at a monument dedicated to workers. The president of CTSP, Jane Ragoo demanded that October 7 [...]

10 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Ramgoolam, SAJ meeting heralds thaw

Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam had a meeting with the President Sir Aneerood Jugnauth (SAJ) at the State House, Réduit on Thursday, the first since the latter’s return from China last month. SAJ had left when the MedPoint saga had reached its near culminating point with the imminent arrest of his son, former Finance minister [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

2011 headline inflation hikes considerably

According to a CSO statement, the headline inflation rate for the last 12 months ending September 2011 has reached 6.2 per cent compared to 2 per cent for the period ending September 2010. Based on the figures compiled, consumer prices decreased by 1 per cent from August to September, food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

US embassy helps preserve cultural heritage

A Cultural Heritage Preservation Programme was organised by the US embassy and Municipal Council of Port Louis on Thursday. Presentations were made on the cultural heritage of Port Louis and the United States to highlight the importance of such preservation. According to the lord mayor Mahmad Kodabaccus, Port Louis can be called the heritage centre [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Swan Group offers support to Muscular Dystrophy week

In the context of the Muscular Dystrophy Week, a national awareness campaign will be organised to educate members of the general public on this incurable disease. The Swan Group Foundation is financially supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), a charitable institution providing support to some 60 persons suffering from this disease. At a press conference [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

First woman to be appointed secretary general of a political party

Since its creation in 1936 the Mauritius Labour Party has always been male dominated. Monique Oh San Bellepeau made history when she became the first woman President of the Labour Party soon after the 2010 General Elections but she did not stay in the post for too long. In 2011 she became the first woman [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Special unit on trail of hawkers

A special unit, recently set up by the Municipal Council of Port Louis, has been on the trail of hawkers for the past few days. On Thursday morning, Royal Street was cleared of hawkers by the special unit that consists of inspectors from the municipal council as well as police officers. Speaking to The Independent, [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Travelling smart, together

At a time when the island is focusing on Maurice Ile Durable, cars are being blamed for creating traffic congestion and air pollution. However, a solution to this problem can be carpooling. Carpooling is slowly taking off in Mauritius. In this system, a group of people living in the same area and headed in the [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Tsunami alert system to be tested on October 12

On October 12, nearly two dozen countries, including Mauritius, will take part in a full-scale test of the Indian Ocean’s tsunami alert system, using the 2004 Sumatra quake as the basis for the exercise. This was announced by UNESCO said on Thursday. The test will start at 5 am in Mauritius. According to a forecaster [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Britannia wind farm awaits govt green light

Omnicane is following the government’s crusade to promote renewable energy for electricity generation. Renewable energy is widely popular with the government because it is thought to be an inexhaustible and environmentally benign source of power. Therefore, in its endeavour to expand its activities in the field of renewable energy, Omnicane embarked on preliminary studies in [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

PM proposes de l’Estrac for IOC job

Mauritius is going to nominate its first ever candidate for the post of secretary general at the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) in 2012. This was announced by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam at the 27th session of the IOC council of ministers, which was attended by Malagasy minister of External Affairs, Yvette Silla on Thursday. La [...]

07 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily

Concept paper on CPE near ready

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources is in the process of preparing a concept paper to bring reforms to the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) system. This statement was made by the minister of Education and Human Resources, Dr Vasant Bunwaree at an event held on Wednesday at Gold Crest Hotel, Quatre Bornes. This [...]

06 Oct 2011, The Independent Daily