While waste and energy grab the headlines, there is another threat to our way of life whose consequences are at least as severe. Our society is sick and without the proper treatment it will only get worse.

• Symptom: increasing spread of HIV
• Highest prevalence: intravenous drug users (IDUs), sex workers
• At risk groups: wider population, tourists
• Vectors: shared syringes, unsafe sex

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Land is a scarce resource in Mauritius. With one of the highest population densities in the world, we must be particularly judicious in its use. While politicians bemoan our lack of extractable and therefore finite resources, they ignore one of our most valuable: fertile agricultural land. Instead, they seek an instant kickback by permitting the destruction of an eternally productive resource and turning it into short-lived business parks and unused villas for foreigners. Just one more example of killing a goose that lays golden eggs. Continue reading →

In 1994, Vision 2020 – the inspirational product of a ground-breaking exercise in national collaboration – was largely complete. It was not made public until 1997 due to the change in government. We are about half-way there in terms of time but have we achieved 50% of the results ? Let us remind ourselves what we were planning some 12 years ago. Continue reading →

Imagine if those whom we deem too young to vote and contribute to national decision-making were to think like this…

“We, the Youth of Mauritius, are greatly concerned about our future. We observe that past and current actions on a global and national level threaten the quality of our lives in the years to come. Such risks include global warming, environmental degradation, resource depletion and asymmetric wealth distribution.
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Our government tells us that we need a new airport terminal to cater for the targeted 2 million tourist arrivals per year by 2015, with the expectation that this will be sustained and even increased in the longer term. While it may well be possible to achieve the target (although at what risk to the environment and social cohesion?) is it really sustainable? Continue reading →

No matter how much we try to ignore it, the undeniable truth is that the vast majority of us in Mauritius are the descendants of slaves and servants. Some were sold into slavery by pirates, others were convinced to sell themselves into servitude by deception. French colonialists were largely responsible for the former and British colonialists for the latter. We are now an independent nation but do we ever reflect on the degree to which this cultural legacy lives on? Download audio

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