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4 - 10 OCTOBER 2013 | N째 901 | 40 PAGES | RS 15 | WWW.DEFIMEDIA.INFO

SMART CARD suffocates in

OBTUSE SYSTEM The conversion process for old Identity card into the new biometric card kicked off on Tuesday morning. Individuals aged between 18 and 22 were the first to get their cards.

Whilst the debate continues on the benefits and drawbacks of the new system, members of the public have complained about the conditions prevailing at conversion points.

It seems that many practical issues were not foreseen by the authorities.

The introduction of the Mauritius National Identity Scheme (MNIS) has sparked various controversies since government announced its plans to go forward with the scheme earlier during the year. So far, two citizens have approached the Court on the issue, whilst many social organisations including trade unions are

protesting against the scheme.

The card conversion officially kicked off on Tuesday morning at the ten centres across the country. However, people had already started queuing outside the centres from 7.30am. News on Sunday toured a few centres at about 11.30 am and witnessed long queues outside. Accord-

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

ing to an established calendar, only those aged between 18 and 22 will be able to apply for the new card initially. Many of those turning up at the Centres were youths who recently turned 18 and were very enthusiastic at getting their ID card, visibly oblivious of all the protests going around.

Digital dreams getting a closer taste of reality

NEWS Court to debate ID card on Friday?

The case regarding complaints lodged at the Supreme Court against the introduction of the new National Identity Card will be heard on Friday 4 October. Pravind Jugnauth and Raja Madhewoo have both moved the Court for an injunction against the State. The ICT Minister on his side has cancelled a press conference he was to hold on Thursday to provide information on the issue.

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 2 Replacement of the National Identity Card in the ten Conversion Centres scattered all over the island kicked off on Tuesday amidst controversy and protests. Social worker and active member of the Regrupma Travayer Sosyal (RTS) Dr. Rajah Madhewoo and the leader of the Mouvement Socialiste Militant (MSM) Mr. Pravind Jugnauth entered separate petitions to the Supreme Court praying for an injunction against the introduction of the new biometric National Identity Card.

In quest of national identity

Architectes Sans Frontières, in collaboration with the Justice and Peace Commission and Caritas will observe World Habitat Day with the exhibition of a Mock House’ of 31.5m2 at Cathedral Square on Monday 7 October. This house is of the model of the social housing built at Gros Cailloux for persons and families in distress. In this way the organisers will show their appreciation of the kind of houses built for the poor. A communiqué issued by the Catholic Diocèse invites the public to visit the ‘mock house’ while underlining at the same time that its objective is ‘to open a dialogue for the respect of human rights and human dignity for those who benefited from such a house.’

GANDHI JAYANTI On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on 2 October this year, the High commission of India went off the rut by involving school children in the celebrations, it aimed to encourage young people to think about how the Mahatma’s vision and teachings affect their lives today. Local school children of all ages were asked to participate in an ‘arts and essay competition’ centred on the themes ‘Gandhi In My Life’ and ‘Be The Change You Want To See’. The art works of the children were displayed in the Exhibition Hall at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture on Wednesday.

POLITICAL ROUNDUP

World Habitat Day

APPARENTLY former Attorney General Mr. Rama Valayden and some of his colleagues from the legal profession are also entering a petition at the Supreme Court against the introduction of the new National Identity Card but it would appear that their arguments are based on other reasons than those put forward by Dr. Madhewoo and Mr. Jugnauth.

In their separate applications, both of them aver that they feel aggrieved that their fundamental rights will be infringed through data requisites by the State which they consider unsafe, not only for themselves but also for the mass population of Mauritius at large. Both applications will be heard on Friday.

On Tuesday, members of the “No! to Biometric ID Card Platform” which comprises several organisations held a peaceful demonstration in the city. The wordings on their banners speak volumes of their apprehensions regarding the new National Identity Card. Tuesday was also marked by the reply of Lalit to the communiqué issued by the Prime Minister’s Office with regards to number of persons who have actually signed the petition against the introduction of the biometric National Identity Card. The petition was in fact a joint initiative of Lalit and the Confédération des Syndicats du Secteur Privé (CTSP).

It was only on Thursday that Mr. Paul Bérenger (who has been re-instated in his post of leader of the Opposition after the resignation of Mr. Alan Ganoo on Tuesday) took stance on this issue. He has urged the government to review its position on this matter. He added that the Prime Minister Dr. Navin Ramgoolam understands that there are reservations the issue. “Hope he understands what has happened in Great Britain and in Germany. Hope that he understands well and review the whole matter and that he does not wait for the court or even the Privy Council to take a stance”, stated Mr. Bérenger at his press conference held on Thursday.

The arguments of the leader of the opposition are similar to those of the social workers and Mr. Jugnauth: that the new ID card constitutes a threat to their privacy and that data on the holders of the National Identity Card will be stocked in a national databank. Hacking of the new ID card is also feared by those who oppose its introduction. On Thursday Mr. Bérenger referred to a news item broadcasted by the BBC on Thursday 26th September last on the hacking of personal data on US President Mr. Barack Obama and his wife Mrs. Michelle Obama.

But there are a few solid arguments that so far have only be whispered and not voiced out publicly. First it is felt that

18 pupils fall sick with ‘piksidou’

18 pupils of Mohumlall Mohit Government School in L'Avenir, St Pierre fell sick after consuming 'piksidou', a local icy delicacy on Thursday. They complained that the 'piksidou' of tamarind flavour smelled like "dead rat", causing nausea.

The pupils were headed to the regional health centre whereby four were directed to Dr A.G Jeetoo Hospital in Port Louis while the others were sent home. By 4pm, the four pupils left for their respective homes. According to the parents, these children will be taking part in the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) exams scheduled for October 22 to 25. "We refused to admit our children as in hospital they will be more stressed out. We have been advised to bring them to the hospital if ever there is any problem," said the parents. On Radio Plus, the school vendor explained that she was not the one who prepared the 'piksidou'.

These were delivered to her on Wednesday 2 October and the expiry date was for December 2013. She added that the 'piksidou' were stored in a fridge.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has started an investigation since 'piksidou' is one of the foods which have been banned from sale on school premises.

Premita LEELACHAND

the conversion process is taking the shape of a population census and second capture of fingerprints can only be done if the person is agreeable. One lawyer even stated to the media that even if someone is accused of murder that person can refuse to give his or her fingerprints. In such cases, a judge’s order is sought by the police.

So far the government, in particular the Prime Minister, is arguing that there was a felt need to have a modern and secure National Identity Card. And the Prime Minister is right on this aspect, that the current National Identity Card can so easily be tampered with. Rumours are rife that a Mauritian National Identity Card was found on one of the terrorists involved in the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India.

Ironically, government’s intention to make the ID cards more secure is provoking the numerous protests. National ID cards have long been advocated as a means to enhance national security, unmask potential terrorists, and guard against illegal immigrants. They are in use in many countries around the world including most European countries, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Currently, the United States and the United Kingdom have continued to debate the merits of adopting national ID cards. The types of card, their functions, and privacy safeguards vary widely.

Amidst all this protest movement, including at least two applications for injunction at the level of the Supreme Court, the Mauritius National ID Card continued with its conversion process. Young persons aged between 18 and 22 called at these conversion centres. If some found it an ordeal to go through the procedures, others took it as an interesting mo-

BUAV appeals to Mauritius MPs The BUAV is raising concerns with politicians about the Pre-Clinical Research Bill that is due to be presented in Parliament in the coming weeks. The Bill, if adopted, will promote the establishment of experimentation facilities in the country which will inflict further suffering and misery on the country’s native population of longtailed macaques. At a time when the use of primates in research is increasingly being challenged in Europe and elsewhere, the establishment of primate testing facilities in Mauritius will simply encourage further use of these animals. A letter has been sent to all members of the Mauritius Parliament. In the letter, the BUAV argues that in addition to the ethical objections regarding the use of primates in research, there are also strong scientific arguments against their use. Because of biological differences between humans and other species, the results of such research cannot be safely and reliably extrapolated to humans. Examples include: With diseases from AIDS to Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, primate research has simply failed to deliver the benefits researchers anticipated, and in safety testing primates have proved equally unreliable. Just one well-known example of the difficulty of extrapolating from non-human primates to humans: a few years ago, a monoclonal antibody tested on human volunteers at Northwick Park Hospital in London caused serious side-effects.

NEWS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 3 ment for socialisation. It must be noted that as at Thursday only 2,500 persons had called at these centres. Are Mauritians hesitating or really protesting?

The most used arguments against the new ID card have sidelined some other important aspects of this project. For instance, its cost evaluated to more than 1.4 billion Mauritian rupees and the opaque government-to-government contract for its implementation. So far Dr. Ramgoolam has defended Singaporean’s expertise in this field and he has also explained that he preferred the Singaporeans to avoid local “magouilles” (scheming)! Also only 5% of the ID Card stocking capacity is being used. What are the other information that will be stored in later?

But then why this belated reaction from the opposition? When the National Identity Card (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill was introduced at the National Assembly, why did the opposition chose to delegate Mr. Alan Ganoo to be their spokesperson? Why did other MPs of the MMM and the MSM keep their mouth shut? Mr. Bérenger should enlighten the population on this issue. It is the second time that he is becoming wise after the event. The first time was regarding the incompatibility of the functions of the DPP and that of Commissioner of the Assets and Recovery Unit.

For twelve months, some 900,000 Mauritians will have to call on personally (except for those who are bedridden and/ or severely disabled) at these conversion centres unless the court decides otherwise. Is this massive movement of the population worth the idea, however brilliant it might be, of having a new ID card? Does it meet our quest for national identity, in its broader meaning? Incidentally, the leader MMM triggered a new debate on allowing 16 year old citizens to vote at regional elections.

Sunil GOPAL

Orchids show

The Orchid Society of Mauritius is organising its 33rd annual show on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October, at the Municipality of Quatre Bornes.

Why should Mauritians be kept away from tourism?

THE COUNTRY will not reach the target of one million tourists it had set for this year, according to official estimates.

It will, to the utmost, be able to welcome 980,000 visitors, some 15,000 more than last year, i.e a growth of 1.5 %. But in terms of revenue, the growth is expected to be lower 0.5%, at Rs 44.6 billion. A tiny consolation, compared to our neighbours, in an industry that has exploded globally.

It is estimated that 1.3 billion people have travelled in 2012. The failure to attain our objective is due to a decline in arrivals from Italy (-29%) and France (-6.1).

On average and because of the crisis in Europe, the arrivals from the continent have fallen by 7.5 %. The authorities are now banking on the Asian market, especially China and India, and Russia. Tourism, lest we forget, accounts for 8% of the Mauritian economy.

Though hailed as a dream destination in Europeans’ mind, Mauritius is expensive, in fact very expensive. The air ticket, as well as hotel accommodation, 4 or 5-star, cost enormously. Consider the Italians. They can, from the ports of Venice, Bari and Genoa, embark on a five- star cruise liner that allows them to visit three other countries in one week.

Do you know how much it costs, at this moment, to cruise in Venice (Italy), Katakolon (Greece), Izmir and Istanbul (Turkey) and Dubrovnik (Croatia), say from Bari? About Rs15,000 per person in deluxe cabin! Benefits included are accommodation, all meals on board including two gala dinners, shows of an international level every night, gym, swimming pool and casino. Onshore excursions are at the expense of the travellers. Low price city-harbour shuttles are, however, available. Some do not even want to leave the five - star cruise ship, as the comfort is so cozy. Comparatively, only the return air ticket Italy-Mauritius-Italy costs THREE times as much. And this does not include lodging-boarding and leisure costs.

As for the French, in the absence of

low cost air travel, they can always take the train to reach any port in Italy. And there exist all the new destinations in Eastern Europe and those of Asia. Those who are in the East learn to make the trip in reverse. Cruise tourism, once an abode for the rich, will soon be accessible to the poor. In any case, it is very accessible to the middle classes.

Sen Ramsamy, a tourism consultant, believes that 240,000 Mauritians have travelled for various reasons in 2012.

Is it really one in five Mauritians or the same 10% of the population (one Mauritian out of 10) who has the means and has travelled several times? In the same Radio Plus program, Elizabeth Wiéhé, representative of Air Austral, revealed that taxes, airport fees and other costs exceed the Mauritius-Reunion -Mauritius air fare: Rs 2,140 for the ticket, with taxes and insurance amounting to Rs 2,850, therefore total cost Rs 4,990.

Comparatively, a return SingaporeMalaysia air ticket that is a half an hour flight similar to that of Mauritius-Reunion costs Rs 1,500 on Air Asia or FOUR times cheaper. When we talk of regional cooperation, which includes not only trade in goods and services, but also the movement of people, it is clear that beyond speeches made, there are obstacles to be removed. In this case, it is not a matter of geography or volume, but of taxation. It’s very nice to have a modern airport, but it is not normal to make Mauritians pay the greater burden.

Dubai, Thailand and Turkey are charging foreigners around Rs 2,500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 respectively for a visa. A European tourist who shuns the Tunisian and Spanish beaches, or the Asian visitor who discards the islands of Langkawi, can surely afford to pay an entrance visa fee of Rs 500. Unless it is already included in the cost of the air ticket. Which would mean that whenever he travels, the Mauritian pays either an exit visa or an entry visa, or both at once, in his own country. It’s

absurd!

The first ‘Salon du Prêt à Partir’- (Ready to Travel Fair) , organised by Events Plus, in collaboration with Le Défi Media Group, at the Swami Vivekananda Convention Centre, during the last weekend at Pailles, is a showcase of dreams, both on foreign and of domestic tourism. At a time when bunkers are being erected on our beaches [beware of the result in some Caribbean islands where concrete built up is repelling tourists!], ecotourism is a new attraction for both foreigners and Mauritians.

Elsewhere, such tourism is associated with a historical journey. 10,000 tourists arrive on cruise ships in Katakolon in half a day to visit the ruins of Olympia, where the first Olympic Games were held [while visiting these places, one wonders what would have happened to Greece, a European country reduced to a lower status than some third world countries, if it were not supported by the tourism industry] .

In India, where the splendid Mughal civilisation architectural remnants were left in ruins, because of lack of resources or because of extremists considering the Mughals as invaders, the authorities have given it a second thought. The Taj Mahal is being protected against pollution and the mausoleum of Emperor Humayun has been restored after six years of work.

The tourist of tomorrow will not go for a stupid sun tan. There are large chunks parts of our history that Mauritius need to bring to life again - and fast - in order to face the challenge of future tourism. The history of slavery and the odyssey of the coolies, beyond stupid ethno-political and backward motives, represent milestones to be rehabilitated without any prejudice.

We have nothing to deny of our history, even though it was colonial. It is our heritage, our wealth. By the way, our Dodo is already the hallmark of a store in Venice, which has turned it into … its trademark!

NEMESIS nemesis@defimedia.info

PM vibrant appeal to UN Assembly

Addressing the 68th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on Saturday 28 September, the Prime Minister, Dr Navin Ramgoolam said that the priorities of the world should focus on the elimination of extreme poverty, empowering women, giving more opportunities in terms of education and employment for young people, improving the health service and the management of energy and water supply. The Prime Minister began his speech by condemning the terrorist attack in Kenya that has claimed many victims. He expressed solidarity with the government and people of Kenya, describing the attack as ‘abominable crime’. Addressing the issue of climate change, the Prime Minister said that the very existence of small island developing states (SIDS) is threatened if concrete steps are not taken by world leaders. He referred to the case of Mauritius, which has faced flash

floods causing loss of lives and extensive property damage. Dr Ramgoolam said that small island states are particularly affected by the economic recession causing job losses and exacerbating inequality. These states are vulnerable to external shocks because they depend on foreign markets for trade, tourism and investment.

D Ramgoolam urged policymakers to define a new approach to the world’s oceans as ‘ the health of our economies depends on the health of the oceans. “In this context, the United Nations should take the initiative to increase the economic space of the small island states to promote sustainable development. The Prime Minister also called for a radical reform of the Security Council of the United Nations stating that Africa deserves its place in this instance. Small island states and Latin America should also be represented. Still in the context of the reform of this body, Mauritius supports

the legitimate aspirations of India to sit on the Security Council. Dr Ramgoolam also condemned the excision of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius territory by the colonial power before the accession of Mauritius to independence and in violation of international law. Dr Ramgoolam other hand welcomed the decision of the Security Council on Syria and urged the international community to encourage national dialogue to allow the Syrian people to live in peace and facilitate the restoration of democracy in Egypt. Mauritius reiterated its solidarity with the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian people in their aspirations to be admitted to the United Nations as a member state. The Prime Minister concluded that world leaders should make every effort to make the world “a better, more prosperous and safer place for the whole of humankind.”

I.C

INTERVIEW

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 4

Veerle Jaynut-Van Roy: “Protecting our remaining marine resources is becoming more and more important” Have you submitted any report to the Ministry of the Environment and to the Ministry of Marine Resources on the state of our reefs?

Reef Conservation has submitted reports and photos on the impact on coral reefs and the sea bed of Fixed Mooring Buoys, which were not properly placed nor maintained, to the Tourism Authority and have had meetings with the Ministry of Fisheries regarding the work we are doing on our various projects; especially our Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas Project being carried out in Roches Noires and Anse La Raie.

Is there any legislation that regulates the protection of our marine resources, if not what should be done?

Yes there is legislation under different Ministries for the protection of our marine resources.

There should however, be greater coordination between Ministries where responsibilities are complementary. The general public however, is not always aware of these laws and regulations.

The Fisheries and Marine Resources Act of 2007 relates to the management, conservation, protection of fisheries and marine resources and protection of the marine ecosystems.” The Act specifically focuses on “fish” and “fishing”.

The Pas Géométriques Act concerns the management of coastal areas extending from the seashore above high water spring tide and associated water bodies.

The Beach Authority Act of 2002 relates to the management of public beaches extending between the tides and offshore for 100m.

The Ministry of Environment also has its say through the Inter Coastal Zone Management Unit ICZM established in 2008 – Some of the ICZM objectives are to control beach erosion, to develop guidelines for coastal construction, to monitor coastal water quality, to protect marine flora and fauna, and to monitor coastal resources including wetlands.

What is the impact of reef bad conditions on erosion and on the state of our beaches?

The ‘under-water towns’ which are built by corals are essential to the protection of the environment. These natural barriers protect our coastal regions from erosion.

In fact a coral reef in good shape has the role to reduce the velocity of deep sea waves and to protect our coasts, the larger the reef the more efficient it becomes. In the Seychelles a study has shown that coastal erosion is directly linked to the whitening of corals, thus causing the lost of the latter very rapidly.

Frequent visits to the reefs cause erosion of the beaches but are also the cause of degradation of the edifice by walking on it and the breaking of the corals by various leisure activities and of fishing. It is to be noted that the corals grow by only a few centimeters per year. Furthermore the larvae fixed

The state of our oceans was the main focus of the speech of the Prime Minister, Dr Navin Ramgoolam, at the United Nations General Assembly a few days ago. News on Sunday approached the vice-president of Reef Conservation, Veerle Jaynut-Van Roy to find out whether our lagoons and the ocean surrounding the island are in good health.

Veerle Jaynut – Van Roy is the director of SYNERGY Training and Coaching Ltd. She has more than 20 years experience in adult learning, training, coaching and HR consulting. An avid diver since her arrival in Mauritius from her native Belgium in 1997, she developed a keen interest in marine ecology. She joined Reef Conservation in 2005 and has been a member of the managing committee since 2006.

In the following interview she tells us of her dismay at the whitening of our coral reefs due mainly to pollution and its negative impact on our tourism industry.

on hard corals before turned into a living thing are very small in size and can easily be crushed. It is thus the future generation which is being eliminated.

Is the situation the same in Mauritius and in Rodrigues?

Reef Conservation focuses on Mauritius. In Rodrigues, the NGO, Shoals, which shares the same objectives and vision as REEF Conservation, is very active.

What is the impact of tourists’ activities such as walking undersea, snorkeling, skiing … on the life conditions of reefs in our lagoons?

Coral reefs are the world’s most biologically diverse marine system. They cover less than 1% of the ocean floor and support an estimated 25% of all marine life, including important fish species.

They play important roles like protecting coastal communities, habitats and vulnerable beaches from wave action, storms, erosion and floods.

Reefs provide employment and food for coastal communities through the tourism and fishing industry.

Coral reefs have evolved to cope with many natural obstacles such as storms, diseases and changes in currents. Because of additional threats from human activities including tourism activities, the health of coral reefs is rapidly deteriorating.

Scientists inform us that 60% of the world’s reefs are either severely damaged or threatened with immediate damage unless we act soon.

Undersea walk and snorkeling has no major impacts on our reefs as long as proper guidelines such as not walking and touching of corals, not dropping anchors on live corals, are respected.

Water sports like skiing do impact on our Reefs and Seagrasses if they are done in shallow waters.

One of the impacts on reefs worldwide is due to sunscreen used by swimmers and snorkelers.

Researchers explain that chemicals present in sunscreen can awaken coral viruses. The coral then becomes sick and expel their life-giving algae.

Without these algae, the coral “bleaches” (turns white), and often dies.

What are the main causes of reef deteriorationpollution, actions of fishermen and the public, or is it because of waste, whether solid or those of the people spending fun times on the beaches?

The coral reef ecosystem is very fragile. Many of our daily activities can and do disrupt or damage it, even activities that happen far from the seashore! Such as pollution from your house, car or from factories.

The main impact on our Reef ecosystems comes from inland pollution. Air pollution is responsible for 33% of the toxic contaminants that end up in oceans and coastal waters. About 44% of the toxic contaminants come from runoff via rivers and streams.

Sewage and waste water: Untreated sewage

INTERVIEW

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 5 brings an excess of nutrients to the lagoon, which in turn causes rapid and excessive growth of algae.

This is called an algal bloom. When they die in large amount, they decompose and create a layer of dead matter on the sea bed which smothers the corals and prevents light from reaching the polyps and their symbiotic algae.

Anchors: Dropping an anchor on a patch of corals can kill as much as one square metre of corals.

Using Fixed Mooring Buoys reduces anchor damage to corals.

Destructive fishing practices: Basket traps (casiers) can destroy corals when they land on the sea bed.

Walking on corals when fishing also severely damage corals.

Dumping inland and on beaches: Waste coming from inland or left over on the beach affect animals leaving in our marine environment. Waste depositing on corals kills them as they block sunlight from reaching the corals.

Tourists complain of not much to see beneath our sea, if such a situation persists what could be its consequences on the tourism industry?

Tourists are becoming more and more educated about what a healthy marine environment should look like; those that have been exposed to snorkeling and diving in other destinations may very well be disappointed or disheartened when they venture into our lagoons or dive sites and see broken coral, dead coral areas, overgrowth of algae and few fish. Mauritius is advertised as a pristine island and its coral reefs are featured as one of its assets. Disappointed tourists can result in negative publicity which of course can impact our tourist numbers. Protecting our remaining marine resources is becoming more and more important along with finding strategies for restoring already damaged areas. Healthy coral reefs do not only translate into happy tourists but has greater implications for a healthy fishery and naturally protected coastlines and beaches. The education, sensitisation and involvement of local people in respecting existing marine laws, disposing of waste properly and ultimately co-managing marine resources is greatly needed. There is need to preserve Mauritius’ and Rodrigues’ Marine Environment. A quote from a recent article in the New York Times: It’s past time to tell the truth about the state of the world’s coral reefs, the nurseries of tropical coastal fish stocks. They have become zombie ecosystems, neither dead nor truly alive in any functional sense, and on a trajectory to collapse within a human generation. There will be remnants here and there, but the global coral reef system, with its storehouse of biodiversity and its fisheries supporting millions of the world poor will cease to be.

Reef Conservation attempts to address these issues and needs support through its projects and actions.

What are the actions taken by REEF Conservation to address these issues?

Our coral reefs support an incredible diversity of life. Everything from lobsters and octopus to sea turtles and most fish species our fishermen bring to our table depend on the reef for food, habitat and protection. As such, it plays a key role in the reproduction and the renewal of our marine resources. It is simple: no reef, no local fisheries.

Our reefs provide us with calm lagoon beaches that attract nearly one million visitors each year to our shores. A large part of our country’s BNP comes directly and indirectly from the hospitality industry, and so many families’ livelihood depend on it. Furthermore, the total value of all real estate on our 320 kilometer shoreline – which also includes port infrastructure – is immeasurable. These enormous investments are protected by our coral reef, which minimizes the forces of erosion, and acts as a buffer in case of cyclones or tsunamis. A healthy reef is thus

“ Our reefs

also a non-negligible economic concern.

It is with the ambition to protect what still remains of this national treasure that people from various horizons came together in 2004 and created REEF Conservation.

The first project of REEF, with the support of the UNDP, was the deployment of Fixed Mooring Buoys at popular dive and snorkel sites to protect the coral from damage and degradation caused by the use of anchors. We have also installed numerous demarcation buoys to create lanes for water sports and boating so that these activities do not harm the reef even further.

We hope to install much more fixed and demarcation buoys in the years to come.

To save what remains and even think about restoring the Mascarene part of the global reef on our small island state, REEF has engaged in many more projects around four pillars: community outreach and conservation, research and monitoring, education and awareness and training and capacity building.

Our NGO employs qualified biologists and professional support staff who work with tremendous enthusiasm to implement and manage these projects.

REEF can rely on the dedication of many volunteers, on numerous sponsors, and on the help of other NGO’s to make things happen.

The aim and the scale of these projects however, require financial, logistic and human resources far from the reach of a small NGO, and also needs the full agreement, support and participation of many stakeholders.

One example of such a mutual supportive partnership is the Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas project. These are selected sites in the lagoon where

all users of a coastal community (hotels, dive centers, boat owners, fishermen) agree that no extractive or destructive activities will be done.

What are the objectives of REEF Conservation?

The objective is to help marine life in these parks and the surrounding lagoon to restore themselves. Reef has been working with fishermen and other stakeholders to facilitate the establishment of 3 voluntary no take areas in the villages of Trou D’Eau Douce and Roches Noires.

These voluntarily managed marine areas are the first to be agreed in Mauritius. With new funding, Reef will be able to continue to work on these sites as well as initiate a new one with the villages around Anse-la-Raie.

Another example is the education project: learning to respect and protect from an early age is key to long-term successful marine conservation. We got the support of the Ministry of Education to deliver hands-on, field-based classes in primary and secondary schools. The Pereybere Beach Resource Center, put at our disposal by the Beach Authority and the Nauticaz Marine Resource Center at Anse-La-Raie, which would not exist without the generous help of a private sponsor, serve as a base for all field activities.

Saving what remains of the beautiful and vitally important coral reefs is a daunting task, and there is no time to lose. Only through a joint effort of all community stakeholders, the private and the public sector as well as civil society will we be able to preserve this national treasure so that it is not lost for future generations of Mauritian citizens.

provide us with calm lagoon beaches that attract nearly one million visitors each year to shore

”

Indradev CURPEN

WEEK IN REVIEW Alarming decrease in water level The situation regarding water level in reservoirs is becoming increasingly alarming with the approach of summer. All the reservoirs of the island has witnessed more or less a drastic fall in water level in recent months. To cope with this situation, the authorities have worked out an action plan to control the situation. Bhishek Narain, head of communications of the CWA, talked about the reasons for the fall in our reservoirs: “There has been a dry winter. May was very low in terms of rainfall. The last time there was such a low percentage of rainfall was in 1985,” he said. Midlands Dam is the most affected with a fill rate of 50.7%. Mare aux Vacoas, the largest reservoir of the island is filled to 64% of its capacity. It is the same for Piton-du-Milieu, which is just below 64%. La Ferme is at 33.8% of its capacity. Mare-Longue displays a rate of 72% and La Nicolière a rate of 71%.

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 6

‘Salon du Prêt-à-Partir’

a success

Exit Ganoo, Enter Bérenger

Alan Ganoo has resigned from his post as Leader of the Opposition on Tuesday. He submitted his resignation letter to the President of the Republic, Kailash Purryag. This move was to allow Paul Bérenger get back his post “as previously agreed”. Alan Ganoo feels a “sense of accomplishment”. “The five months as leader of the Opposition were a personal satisfaction. I had the opportunity to serve my party and my country.”

Bérenger is back to political business after undergoing a treatment in France for his throat ailment.

Chedumbrum at the CCID

Preety Chedumbrum, the ex-wife of Narain Chedumbrum, the teacher of the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development [MITD] and who was accused of having an affair with one of his students of 14 years, was interrogated at the Central CID [CCID] on October 2. She was allowed to go home after the enquiry. Preety Chedumbrum was convened in the wake of the investigation into the alleged affair between her ex-husband and the teenager. Her lawyer, Roubina Jadoo said that she was called as a witness to give her version of events: “She maintained what she had said in her affidavit, which was voluntarily. She had reported a crime, which according to her, has been committed by several persons.”

Severely burnt while cooking

Hema S., a resident of Vacoas was severely burnt while cooking in her kitchen on Monday.

Her loud screams alerted her husband who was on the first floor. He rushed to the scene only to see his 33-year-old wife lying down with her blouse on fire. He quickly grabbed a towel and doused the flames. Hema was burnt at the abdomen, hands and face. She was transported to Victoria Hospital. Police do not suspect foul play. In a separate incident, a fire broke out in a house at Eau-Coulée on Wednesday morning.

A college student aged 18 was lightly burnt on her hands, mouth and body. In her statement to police, the student confided that she had a ‘briquet’ (cigarette lighter) in her hands while she was cleaning her nails with nail polish when the fire broke out.

THE ‘Salon du Prêt-à-Partir’ held from 27 to 29 September 2013 was a huge success. Organised by Events Plus, in collaboration with the Defi Media Group and Radio Plus, the event was a unique opportunity for thousands of Mauritians to live a three-day dream and to find out about exciting offers in the tourism and leisure sector.

The exhibition brought under one roof various organizations engaged in tourism and leisure activities.

The objective of Event Plus was to promote international tourism and local tourism, encourage exchanges between tourism professionals and visitors, inform the visitor about the leisure activities offered in Mauritius,

about the procedures to be followed before travelling, highlight the history of aviation and airport of Mauritius through a cultural space and to educate visitors to sustainable tourism.

Like in an airport, the exhibition was divided into four terminals comprising of different gates which will correspond to specific industries: Terminal 1, the world; Terminal 2, Discover Mauritius; Terminal 3, Logistics and Terminal 4, Discovery and Information. Air Mauritius, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and Air France were the main partners of the event. (Photos on pages 20-21 ).

Cattle thieves nabbed

Since the beginning of the year, police stations around the island have recorded several complaints regarding cattle theft. The recent case took place on a farm at Camp-Carol, Le-Bouchon, where seven bulls were stolen in the early hours of Wednesday. Plaine-Magnien police was alerted. The market value of the stolen cattle is estimated at Rs700,000. It took the police only half a day to trace the suspects and the seven stolen bulls were found at Brisée-Verdière. The culprits, Ishfaaq Antoaroo aged 26, Anwar Joomun aged 34, Sahil Jawally and Ibne Fazil Saifula Ali, aged 22 quickly confessed upon interrogation. They had used the truck of Anwar Joomun to transport the stolen bulls.

The four suspects revealed they planned to slaughter the cattle and sell the meat. They were provisionally charged of “larceny more than two in number” at Mahebourg District Court. Police suspects more people could be involved in the gang. Le Défi Quotidien brought the issue of stolen cattle to light in its issue of 19 September 2013, following complaints from cow breeders who made a number of suggestions to help tackle the issue.

Relax, no Aliens in sight

REPORTS ABOUT a fuzzy-looking unidentified flying object streamed in from observers all over Mauritius on Sunday night. The ‘UFO’ was also sighted in southern Africa and Reunion. The sightings came about an hour after the Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket’s launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9 a.m. PT (noon ET) on Sunday. There was much speculation over the “strange moonlike object” seen from our island, as well as from Botswana, Malawi and South Africa.

Many wondered whether it was a UFO, a satellite or a star cluster.

But the NBC, an American television channel, provided the explanation on its site: After sending several satellites into a pole-to-pole orbit, the Falcon’s second stage released its leftover fuel, which is standard procedure to avoid a blowup during its atmospheric re-entry.

“This release by chance coincided with sunset beneath that part of the orbit, as the booster and

its deployed satellites flew from south to north directly over Madagascar, about 850 miles high,” NBC News space analyst James Oberg explained. Sunlight set the cloud of rocket fuel aglow.

This sort of phenomenon has been seen many times before and the bottom line is that you can expect an uptick in UFO reports anytime there’s a rocket launch, particularly when the rocket is blazing a new trail, like this brand-new breed of Falcon.

ECHOES AND WHISPERS

Dr Jack Keel and Mr Hiding

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 7

Our seniors DR JACK KEEL: The senior citizens had their day the other day.

MR HIDING: Yea. Every dog has his day. Why not the senior citizens?

DR JK: That’s very mean. Wanting to assimilate our seniors with dogs?

MR H: That’s how they are treated, aren’t they? At least many of them. Some are treated worse than dogs in their own houses.

DRJK: You may be having a point there. But you shouldn’t generalise.

MR H: I agree. But for every old person who receives due respect and treatment how many are left aside, forsaken and forgotten by their own kith and kin?

DR JK: Fortunately, there are Senior Citizens Clubs around the island to bring some sunshine to their setting lives.

MR H: That is there, of course, but have you thought of the great number of aged people who are unable to benefit from the activities of those clubs through ill health or other impediments?

DR JK: It breaks my heart to think about them.

There are many who are nailed to their beds with no one near or dear to look after them.

MR H: They are left to the mercy of benevolent neighbours.

Return of the Leader Paul érenger, the original and historical Leader of the MMM, has staged a comeback on the political scene, after an absence of eight months during which he was never really absent. In fact, as everybody knows, he had taken a sick leave as Leader of the Opposition from the Parliament and as Leader of his party. He had to go to France for treatment for a short spell.

But in spite of his sickness, Bérenger never kept away from politics. Week after week he was present at MMM press conferences, giving his view and comments on all matters and raising important issues.

Alan Ganoo, who had stepped into the Leader’s shoes for some time, is coming out enriched and full of new experience. He is satisfied to have successfully met the challenge “in spite of initial apprehensions, even within the party.” The general impression is that he has done honour to his office and has given a hard time to the Government front.

However, inside the MMM, it was not mere apprehension but downright mistrust and misgivings. Some could never accept him as their Leader, for reasons that have nothing to do with his leadership acumen.

DR JK: Some of them are admitted to old people’s homes.

MR H: The State has some sort of Health scheme for such people.

DR JK: But more than a doctor’s occasional visit they need the constant company and support of their own families, their children and grandchildren.

MR H: There is nothing more pathetic than the sight of an old grandfather or grandmother having to fend for themselves, all alone.

DR JK: And yet, these old people have spent their lives toiling hard and sacrificing for their children.

MR H: They have slogged, they have shed their sweat, blood and tears, and they have sacrificed their today in order to secure their children’s tomorrow.

DR JK: The have withered themselves out so that others may bloom.

MR H: What have they received in return?

DR JK: Many of them are relegated to some corner of the house.

MR H: The trend among the more affluent ones is to send their aged parents to homes.

DR JK: Maybe they are better off in those homes than they would be in their own houses.

MR H: “Home sweet home” is a mere mirage with-

Catch them young While he was on sick leave, the Leader of the Opposition took the opportunity to shed some of his opposing spirit and to go constructive for a change.

It is refreshing to see that Paul Berenger is making his comeback on a positive note. He has emitted the wish that the right to vote be brought further down and be given to those aged 16. It is to be recalled that when former Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam had decided to bring the voting age from 21 to 18, he had encountered a barrage of opposition, mostly from within his own party. They had argued that this was going to be suicidal to the Labour Party. But, in his tenacious wisdom, SSR held on to his desire for change. The Leader of the Opposition has announced that his party will be called upon to give a deep thought to the matter, and they will certainly come up with an enlightened conclusion. One of the important factors they will have to consider is whether in the event that the 16 year olds are allowed to vote, will they also have the right to stand as candidates?

out meaning for them.

DR JK: Most old people are considered as burdens.

MR H: Cases are frequent where the old ones are dispossessed of their properties and kicked out of the house.

DR JK: Many have no place to go to after they have bequeathed their possessions to their heirs.

MR H: Providing medical care to the elderly is a very serious and troubling problem.

DR JK: More than medical care thy need love and affection.

MR H: But in the absence of filial care and affection, the burden of caring for the elderly is the no 1 health problem in the world.

DR JK: Government has announced the opening of a full-fledged geriatric hospital but there’s nothing in sight.

MR H: It will figure again prominently in their next election manifesto. In the meantime the MedPoint scandal is waiting to be solved.

DR JK: Once bitten, twice shy?

MR H: Rather, once bitten, twice sly.

DR JK: We are soon going to become a country with a very large population of senior citizens.

MR H: The money being spent on the ailments and afflictions of old age is woefully inadequate.

DR JK: Increased life expectancy is certainly something we can all be looking forward to, but we should only be pleased about it and look forward to it if this extended life is worth living.

Wasteland The National Library, the National Archives and the National Art Gallery, three repositories par excellence of culture, have always been housed in makeshift accommodations. Governments have come and gone, and come back to go again. They have expressed the desire to harbour these three institutions in conducive and convenient locations. It is said that if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. But so far this wish has never become a horse for beggars to ride. Now at last there is some light at the end of the tunnel with the Rs250 M loan approved by the People’s Republic of China. But the light proposed is hardly appropriate for the tunnel. By any fantastic flight of the imagination, the idea of sending the Library, the Archives and the Gallery to an impossible place like Riche Terre in the long-awaited Jin Fei site is injurious to common sense.

It is not because the Chinese Government is intimately involved that we should condemn these high temples of Culture in a cultural wasteland at Jing Fei. It is to be wondered whether they have asked the opinion and advice of the Minister of Arts and Culture before negotiating and accepting the loan for such a complex at Jin Fei.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 8

MCB net profits reach Rs 4.3 billion

MPC keeps Repo Rate at 4.65%

The MCB Group net profits for the year ended 30 June 2013 rose by 4.9% to reach Rs 4.315 million. Consequently, earnings per share stood at Rs 18.15 as compared to Rs 17.32 in FY 2011/12.

The main contributors to the group’s profits are outside loans portfolio and cross-border trade finance. MCB is resolutely geared to further expand its foreign sourced activities with a key focus being to strengthen its market positioning in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mauritius investor shows interest in Pakistan sea farm A Mauritius investor has shown his keenness to invest $40 million to establish Inland Sea Farm (ISF) in Pakistan, reports the Pakistani press. The newspaper quotes the commercial Attaché of the Pakistan embassy in Mauritius, Aga Saeed, saying that the business deal of $40 million was expected to be finalised after video conference between the Mauritius investor and Fishery authority to be held on October 7, 2013. He said government of Pakistan would finance 50 percent of the project while rest of the investment would be made by the Mauritius investor. Aga said that ISF would hatch all sea species except fish and added that the Mauritius investor had also assured Pakistani authority to provide assistance in maintaining standards required for seafood exports to European Union (EU) countries. News on Sunday has been unable to confirm the news with the Embassy.

Tourism to see better days

The Key Repo Rate has been maintained at 4.65 per cent per annum following a meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Mauritius held in Port Louis on Monday. The rationale of this decision is based on the need for the MPC to provide continuous support to the economy against the backdrop of contained inflation, which they expected to remain below the Bank of Mauritius (BOM) forecasts.

The MPC observed that based on a projected impact on the Consumer Price Index for Budget 2014 and on the basis of no change in the monetary policy stance, BOM forecasts year on year inflation will remain within the range of 4.5 per cent to 4.9 per cent

by December 2013, before rising to a range of 4.9 per cent to 5.5 per cent by June 2014.

Furthermore, the MPC noted that year on year inflation has declined

sharply to 3.1 per cent in August 2013 after revolving around 3.6 per cent since February 2013 owing to muted food and fuel prices. Wage developments in excess of inflation and productivity gains continue to remain the main upside risk to inflation in the medium term.

The Committee also noted that Statistics Mauritius revised its growth

PTA Bank Opens Regional Office in Ebène The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Trade and Development Bank, commonly known as the PTA Bank, was officially inaugurated on Monday at the Blue Tower in Ebène by the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Xavier-Luc Duval in the presence of the President and CEO of the PTA Bank, Mr Admassu Tadesse. The of-

fice represents the third regional office of the PTA Bank and similar ones are already operational in Kenya and Zimbabwe. It is designed for entrepreneurs undertaking development investments and carrying out trade activities that drive the economy within the COMESA region.

A host agreement for the establishment of the Bank was signed in July by Minsiter Duval and Mr Ad-

The tourism sector is getting ready for the summer season. Tourism Minister Michael Sik Yuen is confident that tourist arrivals will increase as from this month. Hotels have got satisfactory reservations up to March 2014. Despite revised forecast

by Statistics Mauritius, the minister feels we might cross the 1 million mark for total arrivals this year.

Mauritius recently participated in the Top Resa event in France where officials negotiated with Corsair for additional flights to Mauritius during the coming peak season. The destination is also being actively promoted in Romania and Russia.

Chinese film shooting in Mauritius

November will see the shooting in Mauritius of a high-budget Chinese film entitled ‘Five Minutes to Midnight. Costing nearly 12 million dollars, nearly two-thirds of the film will depict local scenes. Produced by Japanese film-maker Katahara Tomoko and directed by writer Ohno Shinsuke, the film will be a huge boost to our tourism sector in the Chinese market. It will be presented to the next edition of Cannes Festival. The target audience of this film is estimated at 176 million viewers.

forecast from 3.3 per cent to 3.2 per cent for 2013. BoM forecasts indicates that domestic growth in 2013 will be within a range of 3.1-3.5 per cent, slightly down from the projection of 3.2-3.7 per cent, made at the previous MPC meeting.

Regarding the global economy, the MPC noted that it has improved slightly since its June 2013 meeting with some improvement in the US economy although the outlook remains clouded by the fiscal deadlock. The UK has picked up within the euro area and Japan has returned to positive growth while in several major emerging economies, including China and India, growth has slowed and looks unlikely to return to previous highs, added the MPC. However, the MPC maintains strong vigilance in monitoring economic and financial developments and stands ready to meet in between its regular meetings, if the need arises.

massu Tadesse. The PTA Bank will use Mauritius as a strong platform to advance regional economic integration and growth through trade and investment in the region.

Its activities will focus on a fiveyear corporate plan which is to reposition it as a tripartite Bank and expand its membership and its operational strategy and targets as well as its recent funding and capital markets transactions. PTA Bank which has its headquarters in Burundi was established in 1985 with the aim to facilitate export and import trade flows from, to and within the COMESA region.

To date, the Bank has provided around USD 10 billion for the financing of trade and socio-economic investment in the region. The African Development Bank and the People’s Bank of China are the key institutional and non-regional member state shareholders alongside the African member states of COMESA, East African Community and the Southern African Development Community.

Export of Construction Services to Africa The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), in collaboration with Enterprise Mauritius last week organised a half-day workshop on the Export of Construction Services to Africa.

The objective of the event held at Gold Crest Hotel, Quatre Bornes was to promote and assist contractors and consultants to seize oppor-

tunities for construction available on the continent. The CIDB is a statutory body which has been set up to bridge the gap between Government as a facilitator and the stakeholders of the construction industry.

Its mission is to promote and encourage the participation of small and medium enterprises in the construction industry, as well as extend

assistance in the export of construction industry related services. According to African standards, Mauritian firms are considered too small to carry out big projects.

Therefore, it is imperative that the firms engage into partnerships with local and international firms to make the most of the prospects available in Africa.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 9

Digital dreams getting a closer taste of reality We have heard of world famous names like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell’ giants who have changed technology with great leaps forward. The passion to bring meaningful changes in information technology is found in people nearer home and we are yet to be stunned at how they are contributing to make Mauritius better equipped. We are meeting this week, Avinash Meetoo, founder and CEO at Knowledge7.

The latest buzz in technology is seemingly the 3D printing that has grabbed the attention of many I.T professionals and many business persons. Do you think Mauritius is there yet?

It may take a while before it is adopted here. 3D printing is also going to change the way designers, architects, engineers and artists develop their products. 3D printing is like normal printing except that you get a real object. Most people will just print object they get online. A few will create objects from scratch and will need to know computer aided design. It’s a way to turn digital dreams into plastic reality. Those who want to build small toys (i.e. Do-it-yourself legos, transformers, etc.) will also love it!

There has been much debate on the new I.D card? What is your observation?

This new ID card will cost a fortune and people need to understand that it is only a means of identifying and authenticating someone. We will only have a good return on this massive investment if and only if most Governmental services become e-services.

It’s high time that we, Mauritians, stopped wasting our time having to go to Port-Louis, Phoenix or Ebène just to submit a form.

I.T has been your call for a very long time, as a lecturer and now as an entrepreneur. What are the new tricks up your sleeves?

I provide solution to people experiencing problems. For example, people are submerged with information and, therefore, I am working on solutions to more effectively manage information overload. Another example is education. Kids are bored to death with normal classrooms because they are used to being always stimulated.

Consequently, I’m working on ways to make learning a joy through the use of mobile devices and social interactions. The idea is to make passionate people discover things and learn together. I tend to be inspired by entrepreneurs who have managed to change the world by working on things which are relevant. I’m bored with people who waste their precious time.

Along with the many opportunities the I.T sector is facing some challeng-

British Airways offers half price to London

From 30 September to 12 October, British Airways is offering massive discounts on two of its classes, namely World Traveller and World Traveller Plus for Christmas. Air fare for London will thus cost 50% less. Travelling should take place in December, with return in 2014. Given limited flights, those interested are advised to book early.

Commonwealth Business Forum in Sri Lanka

The Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) will take place this year in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 12 to 14 November 2013 in conjunction with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The Forum is the premier business event in the Commonwealth, bringing together the Heads of Government, Ministers and top business leaders from around the world and will be attended by over a thousand delegates. Those interested to participate may register on www.cbcglobal.org

es, what would you suggest to young professionals?

We are living in an era where mobile devices are commodity. People are used to live and interact online.

The next revolution will be when people in businesses start using modern technological tools such as private social networks and cloud technologies within their organisation to increase effectiveness. Another trend is the move towards collaborative working from anywhere. People need to be able to work together whether they are in the office, at home or on the move. The challenges are the high level of expectation that people have now as well as the complexity of the technology behind. Most people are not aware, for example, that Google, which provides Google Search, is one million computers working in tandem. This level of complexity has never been attained by humankind before. Another major challenge is confidentiality and security. In our era of computer crime, it is important that companies follow recommended

practices when moving online.

Are social network platforms effectively adopted as a marketing tool?

Many companies have a presence online. A lot of them miss the point too. It’s not a question of doing classical advertising online. It’s about engaging with people and offering them solutions to their own problems. So, instead of bombarding people with promotional material, it’s better to ask people what they need. Then, if possible, offer them solutions. Marketing departments need to adapt.

Digital marketing is in a way more subtle than they think.

How do you find socializing in Mauritius? .

Limited and, sometimes, superficial. People tend to always socialise within the same groups and rarely cross boundaries. Consequently, there are few opportunities for people to meet others and engage in, potentially, far reaching actions. This needs to change.

Tasleemah JOOMUN

LUX* profits multiply tenfold

Hotel group Lux* Resorts is laughing all the way to the bank. Its profit has risen from Rs 14 million in 2011/2012 to Rs 145 million in 2012/2013. The group’s turnover reached Rs 3.8 billion whilst its total debt has dropped from Rs 5.4 billion to Rs 5 billion.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 10

October 1st is the Memorial Day for the founding of the People’s Republic of China. A military parade was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on that day and in Mauritius the Chinese embassy held a banquet to celebrate the event last week. At the beginning China did not have many friends because it is a communist state and had little place in the world assembly of nations. ns accepted the PeoIn 1971 the United Natio C) and it was given (PR , ple’s Republic of China is was followed by an a seat at the Council. Thpolitical move- the presinternational surprisingtes decided to visit comident of the United Sta xon’s 1972 visit to the munist China. Richard Niina, from February 21 People’s Republic of Ch rtant step in formally to 28, 1972 was an impo tween the United States normalising relations be d by these two events, ge and the PRC. Encoura lam decided to accept oo Sir Seewoosagur Ramg de to him by Chou-en-Lai ma n tio ita inv l cia offi the official agreement was to visit China in 1972. Angovernment for the esse signed with the Chine c links during a banquet tablishment of diplomatii and since then relations presided by Chou en La by year, between the became stronger, year Sunday met the newly two countries. News on Federation of Chinese elected president of the i Wing, to review the Wa Societies, Mario Hung n Mauritius and China. ee tw be s on current relati What has been done during the past 40 years to deepen the relations between China and Mauritius?

The year 2012 marked the 40th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between China and Mauritius. On that occasion the head of the Republic of China, Wen Jiabao sent a message of congratulations to Dr Navin Ramgoolam telling him that “40 years ago, as part of his official visit to China, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, your father and first prime minister of Mauritius, has signed with Prime Minister of the day, Zhou Enlai, the laying of the groundwork for diplomatic relations between our two countries, marking a new chapter in the history of friendly relations Mauritius / China.”

Since then our links with China have gone on consolidating year after year whether it is through direct loans, helping in the development of our infrastructure- roads, buildings and the brand new airport; cultural exchanges, with an agreement signed for the exchange of youths from both sides every two years and recently the establishment of direct flights between the two countries. Our relations are dynamic, positive and enriching on all lines.

Mauritius is encouraging Chinese tourists to visit Mauritius. What is the response from the Chinese side?

Chinese tourism has taken a bolting speed during the past years and there is need to tap this potential at a time when Europe is facing financial and monetary crisis. The World Tourism organisation has classified China as the third biggest outward tourist country of the world. The number of world travellers has more than doubled in the past five years, from 34.5 million in 2006 to 70 million in 2011, with Germany the first provider of tourists followed by the USA. Formerly very few tourists came from China; more of them came to renew links with family members who left the mainland to establish here. Visa facilities were not as easy as to-day. A tourist coming from the country does not need any visa for a two-month stay and since a month no visa is needed; the same facility is offered to Mauritians who go to China for a stay of one month. Everybody sees that with the direct flight to Beijing and Shanghai the number of Chinese tourists have increased. One of the main hallmarks of the new Chinese influx is surely the increasing number of Chinese youths who get married on the Mauritian soil and spend their honeymoon in a 5-star hotel. This kind of tourists

Mario Hung Wai Wing “Chinese tourists are spending big on the island”

is increasing so much that big hotels are now employing an interpreter to help communicating not only with the brides and grooms but also with the large number of parents accompanying them. I think that we are going in the right direction as Chinese tourists are spending big on the island.

A Chinese delegation was in Mauritius recently. They showed interest in the Fisheries and seafood sector.

What are the decisions taken in this connection?

The visit of the Chinese delegation is an outcome of the high-level technical mission led by the Minister of Fisheries, Nicolas Von Mally, to the People’s Republic of China in July 2013. The delegation which came here from the China Overseas Fisheries Association, which visited Mauritius from 19th to 25th August 2013. Given the conducive investment environment in Mauritius, the Association is keen to encourage its members to set up fishing and seafood processing operations in Mauritius.

In fact, one of the members who were part of the delegation has already signified his decision to register five fishing vessels under the Mauritius Ship Registry. This project is expected to bring an investment of USD 20 million to Mauritius in its initial phase.

The meetings focused on perspectives for cooperation in the fisheries sector with particular emphasis on sustainable management of fisheries resources, aquaculture, technical assistance, capacity building and quality and safety of fish and fisheries products.

On the other hand we have the largest exclusive economic zone over the planet; with the agreement signed with the Seychelles for the sharing of the northern continental shelf this zone has been enlarged offering a vast possibility for investment in the exploitation of the deep sea for fuel and poly-metallic nodules without mentioning fishing and cruising between coastal states. China will be invited to take this opportunity as quickly as possible.

What are the new developments in the Cin Gin project after Tian Li and Jin Fei failed in Terre Rouge?

During his recent visit in China, the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Xavier Luc Duval had talks with Chinese officials on the project. Both parties signed an agreement and I am confident that the project is being implemented soon. Already a sum of Rs 250 million has been earmarked for consultancy services and the construction of a Cultural Centre in the area.

Mauritius hosted the 3rd World Chinese Conference at Grand Baie in September last year. What were the results of such a meeting?

The event was organised by the Federation of Chinese Societies in collaboration with the Ministry of Arts and Culture, with the main objective to promote cultural exchanges, cooperation and development among members of the Chinese Diaspora. The theme was: ‘The role of the Chinese Diaspora in the shaping of the modern world.’

The third edition of the World Chinese Conference coincided with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations of Mauritius with the People’s Republic of China and the centenary anniversary of the foundation of the Chinese Middle School. The Chinese Middle School was founded on 10 November 1912 in a bid to promote Chinese language and to foster Chinese culture among the Chinese descendants in Mauritius.

The organizers welcomed around 800 participants attending the conference, including representatives of China Provincial governments, Chinese chambers of commerce and Chinese associations from Mauritius and across the world as well as business executives, academics and cultural officials. Delegates discussed the roles and contributions of the Chinese organisations and Chinese people towards future development under the new global order. A Business Forum was also held during that Conference which aimed at better positioning Mauritius as an investment and tourist destination.

Apart from business, the conference organised other activities covering the Culture and History of the Chinese people in Mauritius and the Chinese Diaspora.

Indradev CURPEN

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 11

Massey Ferguson celebrates 60 years’ presence

Scomat celebrated the 60 years of Massey Ferguson’s presence in Mauritius. This tractor brand, formerly represented by Robert Le Maire Ltd (RLM), is now commercialised by Scomat after the IBL Group acquired RLM. About 200 tractors have been sold during the past 10 years. Scomat also announced the arrival of the latest Massey Ferguson tractor model MF 7600, which is said to be more fuel efficient. Nuradin Osman Managing Director for Africa and Middle East was also present at the celebrations.

Kenya seeks investors for coal and natural gas power plants

Kenya has invited bids from investors for the development of two power plants with a combined output of up to 1,800 megawatts (MW) from coal and natural gas, the ministry of energy said on Wednesday. With capacity of 1,664 MW against a maximum recorded demand of about 1,410MW, Kenya is under pressure to boost power generation as east Africa’s biggest economy is expected to expand at more than 5 percent. The government last month said it wants to add 5,000 MW to Kenya’s power output by 2017 to accelerate growth, which is expected to push Kenya’s power demand up to 15,000MW by 2030.

The Energy and Petroleum ministry said it was seeking investors to develop a 700-800 MW natural gas fired plant near the port city of Mombasa. “The proposed project will be a 700-800MW power plant to be located on a 300 acre parcel of land at Dongo Kundu or any other appropriate location between Mombasa and Kilifi,” the ministry said in a statement. The ministry also plans to build a 900-1,000MW coal power plant in Lamu, a coastal region in northern Kenya where the government wants to develop a $5.5 billion mega port that will link landlocked South Sudan and Ethiopia to the Indian Ocean.

Illicit tobacco trading

on the rise The Head of Cooperate and Regulatory Affairs of British American Tobacco was recently in Mauritius. News on Sunday met Mr Jerry Gilbert who gave us an insight on the growth of illicit trade of counterfeit cigarettes on the global market as well as in Mauritius. Indeed, the problem of illicit trade is a worldwide phenomenon and is found in all types of counterfeits products namely consumable goods, medicines, baby products and perfumes, amongst others.

The global market for tobacco includes 12% of illegal cigarettes sold – that is about 660 billion cigarettes every year.

For Mr Jerry Gilbert, the one major cause of the illicit trade is the price. “An estimate of the total taxes the tobacco industry pays to the Mauritian government is Rs 3.5 billion annually and this is a very substantial amount of money. Taxes in Mauritius are extremely high compared to other markets such as South Africa or Kenya. Because most of the price is made up of taxes, there is a tipping point where the consumer wants to stop paying for such a high tax.” In fact, high taxes on products and goods drive more consumers to buy cheaper ones – that is the illicit ones.

Cigarettes figures amongst the most commonly traded products on the black market due high taxes being evaded and governments around the world lose at least US$40 billion a year in unpaid taxes. Moreover the problem of illicit strongly affects first world markets as well, as 35-40% of cigarette supply is illegal. “In the UK you have 30% and South Africa 25-29%,” said Mr Gilbert. According to him, it is a combination of taxes increasing their prices that leads to smuggling in the tobacco industry. Nevertheless, it is actually costly for counterfeiters to comply with all of the rules and the smuggled products are just deliberate copies. “If the health warnings, which cover 60 to 75% of the packaging, are missing then you know that this is an illegal product. Other signs are the missing tax stamps.

Consumers have to be wise and vigilant,” he pointed out. What customers may ignore is that those counterfeit products have been manufactured in non-hygienic conditions. “The environment in which they are manufactured is not sanitary. Most of these primarily come from the Far East market where a significant amount of manufacturers have learnt how to bypass taxes,” Mr Gilbert added.

However as the Head of Cooperate and Regulatory Affairs of the British American Tobacco

informed us, the problem of illicit trade in Mauritius is not that excessive and it is at a stage where it is relatively under control. “In Mauritius, the BAT has appointed a dedicated resource (a full time consultant) to combat illicit trade and also sensitise retailers on the risks of purchasing/ selling counterfeit products. We are committed to do everything we reasonably can to minimise the risk of our products being into illicit trade channels,” he stated. Mr Gilbert has personally engaged with the Mauritian government officials during his last visit to counteract the problem.

Furthermore, the BAT has signed an MOU with the MRA in 2012 to effectively combat tobacco contraband products. “It is a partnership that we have made to combat the illicit trade. The MRA is on the ground and they have the resources to do it. There is a sharing of information, expertise and best practices between us and we are happy to work with them,” he said.

Last but not least, it is no secret that the tobacco industry and the level of consumption amongst the Mauritian public has declined through the past years. “There is definitely a change in the way people are behaving. The level has been steady to slightly declining. This year we are going to have a more significant drop than last year. However we will supply as long as we satisfy the consumers’ demand,” Mr Gilbert highlighted. It is good to know that the BAT has recently bought a Swedish company in 2008 which produces ‘snuf’ that does not burn as well as the CN Creative company dealing in electronic cigarettes in 2012.

Jameela JADDOO

SOCIETY

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 12

Smart card, obtuse system The conversion process for old Identity card into the new biometric card kicked off on Tuesday morning. Individuals aged between 18 and 22 were the first to get their cards. Whilst the debate continues on the benefits and drawbacks of the new system, members of the public have complained about the conditions prevailing at conversion points. It seems that many practical issues were not foreseen by the authorities. News on Sunday investigates.

THE INTRODUCTION of the Mauritius National Identity Scheme (MNIS) has sparked various controversies since government announced its plans to go forward with the scheme earlier during the year. So far, two citizens have approached the Court on the issue, whilst many social organisations including trade unions are protesting against the scheme.

The card conversion officially kicked off on Tuesday morning at the ten centres across the country. However, people had already started queuing outside the centres from 7.30am. News on Sunday toured a few centres at about 11.30 am and witnessed long queues

‘Lost Card’ cases

outside. According to an established calendar, only those aged between 18 and 22 will be able to apply for the new card initially. Many of those turning up at the Centres were youths who recently turned 18 and were very enthusiastic at getting their ID card, visibly oblivious of all the protests going around.

‘An organised mess’ Although the debate regarding the benefits and drawbacks continues, many members of the public have questioned the measures taken to ensure a smooth conversion process. First of all, the centres were overcrowded inside,

An identity card represents an important tool in the daily lives of individuals. Therefore, those who have lost their cards and are over 22 cannot wait until their respective schedule comes through to apply for the new cards. Hence, those who have lost their cards simply have to obtain a ‘police memo’ and then apply for a replacement card. However, the traditional ID Card Units are not issuing replacement cards but are directing people to the Conversion Centres to apply for a new one already. In some cases, the Conversion Centres asked them to come back after 2 pm.

Clearly, it seems no mechanism was devised to deal with lost cases, which further infuriated those concerned. This has also given some unscrupulous persons wishing to get a new card quickly the idea of reporting a ‘loss’ in order to jump the queue. How far is the ‘loss’ genuine is a matter for enquiry!

“I went to the police station and reported my card as lost. I had no choice as I am going abroad to work in the coming days and will not be able to wait until which January for my batch according to my age group,” explained one person holding a ‘Police Lost Memo’.

leaving no room for movement, and with poor ventilation, coupled with the sweltering heat, this inflicted discomfort on applicants, some of whom waiting for as long as three hours.

With lack of space, people had to queue outside. Some persons were so frustrated that they did not hesitate to voice out their concerns, prompting minor incidents where some persons jumping the queue were sternly told off.

At Port Louis, the situation was a lot hectic. There was no space outside the building, a former ‘churidaar shop’ converted for the purpose, and people queued on the narrow pavement. By 9 am, the queue already stretched from

Yousouf Jhugroo: “Lessons are never learnt”

For Yousouf Jhugroo, Director of ICP, it seems that public officials and decision takers never learn lessons from past experiences. “We have fewer driving licence holders than identity card holders, yet we had more distribution centres for DLC than we have conversion centres for ID cards. However, even with 23 DLC distribution centres, we noted long queues outside police stations. Now, with only 10 conversion centres for more than 800,000 card holders, we should definitely expect shortcomings, resulting in uncomfortable situations for the public. I suggest that in Port Louis alone there should have been at least 5 centres. We should also increase the total number of centres from 10 to 25 or 30 across the island.

The public should be treated decently. After all, the purpose of the card is to modernise our society, so even the distribution system should be modern,” he said. “Another issue is that most people would tend to come in the early weeks in their respective batch whilst the number will decline later. The batches should have

one street corner to another. By 11.30 am there was mayhem inside and outside. Raj told NoS that he had been waiting since 9.30 am and his number was called nearly 3 hours after.

“I had to take a local leave from work. The wait was exorbitant.” JeanPierre, also queuing since 9 am, decided to leave at 11am.

“The place resembles as a ‘désordre organisé’ (organised mess). I cannot wait anymore; I will come back another time.” The collection centre in PortLouis has six counters dealing with paper work and three counters for taking of photo and finger prints.

Yousouf Buglow

been further narrowed to avoid crowding. It’s all a question of organisation and planning, two things that this country seriously lacks.”

Jayen Chellum: “the public deserves a better service” Jayen Chellum, of the ‘Association des Consommateurs de l’île Maurice (ACIM)’ told us that the authorities did not properly plan the conversion process of the identity card. “It is time for the population to stop saying yes to everything and demand their rights. They need to demand proper facilities for basic human necessities. Indeed, there are certain people who are afraid because of fines, but they have a right to good service. The authorities have not made good provision for all those coming to collect their cards,” he stated. Jayen Chellum also added that the conversion process should not have taken place on Tuesday. “The authorities have a lack of respect for the court, the judge and the public also. How can the authorities ignore the two cases called for the day? And we are supposedly living in a democratic society.”

SOCIETY

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 13

Health and safety issues A FEW INCIDENTS involving near-miss between pedestrians and vehicles were also witnessed. The bus stop opposite the centre and the presence of two schools nearby only made matters worse given the huge crowd in the area. Jenna and a group of frustrated young girls told NoS anger about lack of hygiene, inaccessibility to toilets and drinking water. “Waiting for hours obviously leads one to use the toilet or to feel thirsty. But such facilities are lacking,” she told us.

Another person remarked that the building has not been designed to accommodate such a crowd, and there was indeed a risk of transmission of infection, especially when the A1H1 virus is in the air these days. “I wonder why they choose to set up only one centre in Port Louis, and that too in a small building at Labourdonnais Street, when we all know that thousands of people from all regions who work in Port Louis will be coming to the Port Louis centre,” fumes Sylvie, another applicant. Some staffs are also worried that they will have to work in these conditions for the next twelve months.

Dr Farad Peerally explained to us that the concerns of these youngsters are justifiable. “In a place where there is interaction between hundreds of people proper facilities need be put in place. Proper ventilation, toilet facilities need to be kept clean, tissue

paper to keep sweaty hands free from bacteria and more importantly drinking water in order to stay hydrated. Places without such amenities can represent a danger to the public.

For instance, the spread of the flu, risk of contracting gastroenteric

The winners

Home service for the disabled

Shops located around conversion centres are experiencing booming business as hundreds of customers pour in to buy food and drinks and other items that catch their attention. Sales of items like tissue papers and bottled water are on the rise. Some youths have even made a quick dash to beauty parlours to improve their looks before getting themselves photographed at the centres!

A senior officer at one of the conversion centres confirmed that provisions have been made for disabled persons unable to come to the Centre.

“Disabled persons will have to contact the Ministry of Social Security. Specific conditions apply: if they are recipients of carer’s allowance due to reduced mobility, they will be serviced by mobile units. However, it is necessary for the person to have an existing identity card but exceptions can be made depending on the situation of the person,” she explained.

PR Agency unable to communicate

News on Sunday has been pressing on the MNIC office for various unanswered questions. We also put the same questions to its official PR firm, Blast Communications. Unfortunately, our questions remained unanswered.

Dr Madhewoo takes ID card to Court So far, two persons, namely Dr Raja Madhewoo and Hon. Pravind Jugnauth have approached the Court for redress.

Both are protesting against the introduction of the new card system.

The State has been summoned to explain to the Court why an injunction, as required by the protestors, should not be issued.

Dr Madhewoo, there have been rumours that the conversion process is a disguised population census the

amongst others, can have serious health consequences of individuals.

The bodies of youngsters are more resistant to illnesses. However, it is of higher concern when the elderly will need to endure the same circumstances,” he said.

10 Conversion Centres across the island results of which might be used for future elections. How far do you agree?

“It is obvious that there is a political motive behind this conversion. Many people are aware of this and rightly so.

Although the government already has a lot of information on the public already, further private details will be at their helm.

There have many complaints regarding facilities that are unavailable to the public. What do you have to say?

The work carried out by the authorities was premature. There is no

doubt about it that the conversation process was not properly organised.

Furthermore, the public should not have rushed into trying to obtain their cards as there is a case still pending in court.

There are claims that card readers have not yet been installed in respective institutions. How true is this?

I can confirm that no banks, ministries or hospitals have yet installed card readers. So what is the point in giving people a card that will have no use for the time being? The readers should have been set up before the distribution. The process is a mess!

The ten conversion centres across the island are: Goodlands: VIP Commercial Village Port Louis: 44, Labourdonnais Street (La Poudrière junction) Flacq: La Source Rose-Hill: NPF Building, Moka Road Bambous: Allée Tamarin Quatre Bornes: 28 Vacoas Road, La Louise Vacoas: New Municipal Building (opposite Vacoas Market), Independence Avenue Mahebourg: Les Mariannes Street Chemin Grenier: Royal Road, Camp Charlot Ebène: Cyber Tower 1, Cybercity Y.B.

WOMEN

Nalini Ramasamy

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 14

President of the Women with Disabilities Associations Sometimes an incident can change one’s life drastically but it is only a few brave who successfully recover and start afresh. Former air hostess Nalini Ramasamy suffered an injury on a flight which obliged her to put an end to her career.

HOWEVER, the daring woman did not give up.

She took the bull by the horns and started afresh.

Last year, the Women with Disabilities Association was founded with Nalini as its Chairperson. She now strives to empower other women with disabilities to enable them live a dignified life. She shares her touching story with News on Sunday.

Young and beautiful, it was a promising career as air hostess which unfolded in front of Nalini when she started in 1988. Unfortunately after four years of loyal service at Air Mauritius, she encountered an incident which put her career in peril. “I became a primary school teacher after my college studies and then joined MK as an air hostess.

I had this accident on my fourth year of service.

I was badly injured whilst on duty on a flight to Frankfurt on Friday 31 July 1992 when the plane, a Boeing 767 went through a turbulence.” Nalini was severely injured at the level of the spine.

She found herself at ground zero as she became physically disabled. “I went through a 360 degrees change. I had to learn how to walk again at the age of 26. My first thought was about how my parents would be affected if a second daughter would never walk. I just toiled a lot and never looked back. I was greatly helped by my colleagues and the Mauritian community living in Frankfurt,” she told us.

Nalini had to undergo surgery and rehabilitation in Frankfurt. It is after nine long months that she came back to Mauritius. Born in a family of four children with her youngest sister being physically and mentally infirm, Nalini did not want to give more trouble to her parents. Her inspiration in fact came from her sister and was motivated to go further in life and achieve something bigger. “My greatest catalyst was my sister. I did not want to put a burden on my parents.” As she states “one INGREDIENTS : l To make puri: l 1 cup Semolina l 3 tblsp Fine Wheat Flour l 1/4 tsp Baking Soda l 1/2 tsp Salt l Oil to deep fry l To make pani: l 1/2 cup Tamarind Pulp l 2 cups Waterl 2 tblsp roasted Cumin Seed Powder l 2 tblsp un-roasted Cumin Seed l 1/2 cup Coriander Leaves l 3 Green Chilly l 1 cup Mint Leaves l 1 tblsp Black Salt l 1 tblsp Boondi l 2 tblsp crushed Jaggary l To make stuffing: l 2 medium boiled potatoes l 1/2 cup boiled dried yellow peas/ small chickpeas l salt to taste l Green chutney l Red Tamarind Chutney METHOD : l To Make Puri: Mix suji, maida, baking soda and salt in a wide mouth vessel. Now add warm water little by little to knead a stiff dough. The stiffness should be same as for the puris. Cover it with a damp muslin cloth and keep it aside for 30 mins. Now make small equal lemon sized balls of the dough. Do remember to keep them covered with damp muslin cloth while making more balls.

1995, after she removed the metal prosthesis she had in her back, that she started taking training courses. “I did a Diploma in Human Resource from the Institute of Commercial Management. I followed this course at the British Council and I also took IT courses,” she said. A few years later, Nalini who already had her driving license since 1987, bought an adapted car for people with disabilities. “If did not know how to drive I would have encountered more difficulties. Driving on my own is real blessing.” At the same time, she took a parttime job as secretary at the Air Mauritius Cabin Crew Association (AMCCA) at Vacoas, which she still does up to now. “It is thanks to the support of my ex-colleagues that I got this job. This job helps me to distract myself.” Unfortunately, other complications came in the way. In the year 2000, Nalini was diagnosed with an incurable disease known as Syringomyelia in her whole spine. But with her invincible optimism Nalini faced her ailment with her head high. She followed courses in Reiki upon friend’s advice and after completing the third degree, she was certified as master in 2001.

EMPOWERING OTHER WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES should just live and not think if it’s positive or negative but just think that your reactions can affect others around you. If you are positive then everyone will accept you as you are.”

Partially paraplegic, Nalini faced many difficulties especially when walking and had to bear pains in both her legs. However, this frail woman has the soul of a fighter and the bravery of a warrior. She decided to face life’s challenges with patience and with a positive attitude though she had to travel each year to Frankfurt for medical purposes. It is

In 2012, the Women with Disabilities Association was created under the Aegis of the NCRD (Ministry of Social Security). It is an association which regroups women with all types of disabilities and it goes in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) which Mauritius has signed and ratified. “In accordance with article 6 of the convention we aim at making disabled women more visible in society and empower them to live

Now with the help of some dry maida, roll out thin rotis.

Make them round with the help of a round cookie cutter or lid of any container.

While frying, press them in the center allow them to puff up. We want a pocket in each and every puri. Now flip them over and let them cook. Take them out on a kitchen towel when they are light brown and crisp. Don’t let them get dark in color.

Let them cool. Later store in an airtight container. l To Make Pani: Grind in a hand blender coriander, mint leaves and green chillies to make a fine paste.

Mix all the ingredients of the pani along with the green paste. Dissolve the gur properly. Adjust the spices and tanginess according to taste. Strain through a wire strainer to remove any rough bits. Keep in the refrigerator for 2 -3 hrs before serving. l To Make The Stuffing : In a bowl mix yellow peas, roughly mashed potatoes and salt. Keep aside.

To Serve: Make a small hole on a puri by tapping slowly on the crisp side. Fill some stuffing in the centre along with some green chutney, tamarind chutney and some chilled pani prepared earlier. Stir the pani before using to mix all the masalas.

Enjoy homemade pani puri or golgappa or puchkas....

Pani Puri

WOMEN

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 15 a dignified life. We also aim at promoting unity among women with disabilities. We help them be trained and employed,” the President explained.

No doubt that her presidential role touched her life personally. “I became aware of the difficulties women with other types of disabilities than mine have to face. I got the opportunity to meet them, share my experience and also learn from them. They are very strong persons though they are doubly vulnerable as women and more as disabled persons.” It is vital for Nalini to help other women who have disabilities. “It is important for me to enhance their lives and help them lead a dignified life. I aspire to make them independent beings as is the case for people with disabilities in other countries,” she highlighted.

The Chairperson of the Association argues that disabled people still face many difficulties in their social life. “The main obstacle is access to public transport. Access to buildings or even banks is practically impossible for persons in wheelchairs.

The pavement on the roads is not adapted too.”

She urges Mauritians to change their mindsets vis-a-vis disabled citizens. “Mentality of Mauritians should change as they often poke fun or look at disablded people with pity. One never

Dear Shakespeare My dear Billy, Here’s an unabashed definition of democracy: a government of demons, by demons, for demons. No wonder then that the government solution to any problem is at least as bad as the problem itself. Quite often too, they manage to make it worse. It is also said that government is like underwear. That’s why it becomes important to change it from time to time. But you can’t change it for the same soiled underwear.

Some wise wag once observed that politics is too important and too serious a matter to be left in the hands of politicians. You will understand what motivated this observation when you realise that the term ‘politics’ is derived from two words – ‘poly’ which means ‘many’ in Greek and ‘ticks,’ which are small blood-sucking insects. Their human counterparts are full of tricks too.

disgruntled and perpetually unsatisfied.

He has just hit upon an extraordinary idea to catch votes. It has dawned upon him that Mauritius is a society of lawbreakers; in any case there are more lawbreakers in Mauritius than people abiding by the law. So he is seriously thinking of pandering to their caprices and fantasies. He knows that several types of drivers simply abhor the recently introduced penalty point system. So he has made the solemn promise, before men and before God, that he will abolish the highly hated penalty point system in the unlikely event that he is placed on the seat of power. By so doing, he expects to grab the votes of all taxi drivers, bus drivers, van drivers, lorry drivers, screw drivers, and other drivers.

Democracy in fast action

Our own political landscape is heavily punctuated with politicians of all sorts and sizes, who will always be there when they need you and who are ever prepared to lay down your life for their country. From time to time you will encounter a handful of them going around the island stirring apathy, if not downright antipathy, for themselves.

One such politician, who is fully seasoned and experienced, ripe and rotting, has placed himself at the head of a gang of maskers and masqueraders and is patiently waiting at the edge of winter to step into shoes that will no longer fit his feet. His desires and hankerings bring to mind what erstwhile British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said about politics. “Politics,” he declared, “is always as exciting as war and quite as dangerous. In war, however, you can only be killed once, but in politics—many times.

knows when one’s life can change drastically following an illness or an accident.” She has many upcoming plans and projects for the association.

“I look forward to obtaining a space for us where training and advice can be given as we have recently been registered at the Registrar of Associations. I would like also to invite other women with disabilities from foreign countries such as Africa and India to come and share their experience and boost up the morale of our women with disabilities.” Her advice to the young disabled Mauritians: “Do not give up and join an association or an NGO where professionals can guide you. Study hard and have good results at school as this will help you get a good job hence a good life.”

Jameela JADDOO

The politician we are talking about usually goes for a wise man and he has called his party the PPM – “Parti Pli Malin” (Cleverer Party); this in clear contrast to another group which calls itself “Parti Malin” – (Clever Party.) Politics, my dear Billy, is supposed to be the second oldest profession. When we see his ravings and ratings, and stooping to conquer, we come to realise that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

These days, the Leader of the PPM, accompanied by his faithful entourage and suspicious so-called allies, is scheming how to win the forthcoming elections which are officially due in a couple of years. He knows that he can rely on as many as 2% of the electorate to vote for him. He knows too that one tenth of the population are against everything all the time, having taken the oath of allegiance as sworn enemies of progress. He is therefore trying to improve his vote bank by another ½% by fishing in the reservoir of the permanently

Likewise, he is planning a number of other original measures to please the habitual criminals on the roads, and off. After the eradication of the penalty point, he will tackle the parking problem, especially in the towns and important villages. He will simply eliminate the “No Parking” zones as well as the paid parkings. During his reign parking will be free and motorists will be allowed to park their vehicles just anywhere without any let or hindrance.

So too, he is envisaging to revise the unnecessarily hassling speed limits on our roads. Drivers will be allowed a lot more freedom on the accelerator, and in his reign the cemetery will be the limit for those who manage to escape the hospital bed. Moreover, overtaking will be allowed anywhere and everywhere. This will ensure the votes of all drivers who are always in a hurry. Other offences which will not be considered as such include: smoking vehicles, drink driving, use of the telephone while driving and a few others.

The Leader of the PPM is also busy devising ways to facilitate the activities and lives of pickpockets, thieves, housebreakers, those engaged in holdups and other criminals, because they constitute a heavy voting potential. Rape will be decriminalized, drugs will be purely and simply legalized.

Welcome to nirvana, my dear Billy. The entrance is free.

Bhishmadev SEEBALUCK

PEOPLE

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 16

Dominic Lacasse

The Flag man

• Date of birth: January 4, 1975 • Profession: Circus artiste, Acrobatic trainer, Event planner, agent.

• Bragging rights: Holder of Guinness World Record for the longest Human Flag (39 sec); Holder of the Guinness World Record for the most chin-ups in the Human Flag (12 chin-up); Silver medal in Wuqiao (China), Bronze medal and Latina special prize in Izhevsk (Russia); One of the winners at “France’s Got Talent 2008” (Prize from Princess of Monaco); Special prize from the Writers, Composers and Music Editors Society (SACEM) at Monte-Carlo’s Circus Festival; Participated in over 2000 shows all over the world and participated in television shows like Ellen Degeneres, Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde, NBA report (TNT, ESPN), TSN, TVA, TQS and Radio-Canada report, France’s Got Talent, Galileo, The late late show, Paul O’Grady show, Monte-Carlo...

• Favourite quote: Vaut mieux vivre avec des remords qu’avec des regrets.

• Life in one word: Fun • Dream Destination: My circus performances have brought me to travel a lot around the world. But till now, I have never had the chance to go to the Mount Everest-base camp. So we could say that for now, this is my dream destination • Dreams ahead: Discover and travel all over the planet.

• Favourite pole dancer: Oona Kivela. She did one of the best performances that I have ever seen. It was in a competition in Brazil.

• Three favourite moves: The air moonwalk, the chin-ups in human flag, and just to be able to walk! I hope to be able to carry on doing so as long as possible.

• Most memorable pole moment: My first Guinness World Record established in Germany in 2007. It was broadly mediatised in Quebec.

He is a compressed bundle of energy; blue-eyed, brown haired and standing tall at 5 foot 7 inches. Thirty-eight year old Quebec native Dominic Lacasse began his current acrobatic career after seven years of gymnastics and 14 years of circus performance. Chosen to represent the flag of his own country in the official celebrations of 400 years of the city of Quebec, Dominic has developed and perfected the art of the human flag that he brought to a higher level and turned into an artistic discipline. Since then, known as ‘The Flag Man’, Dominic has been in growing demand, travelling around the world to demonstrate this impressive routine. In this exclusive interview with NoS, he discusses his journey and future plans.

Mumtaz SOOGUND

What is the story behind Dominic?

How did the dream start out and turned into a reality?

Since early childhood, my parents introduced me to sports, and I was fascinated by it, especially ice hockey and soccer. At that time, my dream was to be a professional sportsman, just like those hockey players. I wanted to earn as much as them! But soon after, the sport discipline that caught my attention was gymnastics, and I pursued my career in that. Gymnastics brought me to perform on circus scenes around the world. We could say that I am almost living my dream, that is, intense daily training and making a living out of my talent. For me, it is a complete athletic performance.

In your opinion is the strength and athleticism required for pole dance replacing its sexiness of the past?

First of all, I do not think that I fit in the traditional pole dancing category. I consider myself as a circus artist doing what is known as a Chinese pole act. I brought modification to the basic routine and transformed it into a self-standing pole performance.

Let’s come back to your question. The term pole dancing is being more and more

replaced by a new term, which is: pole fitness. Pole fitness is a gymnastic way of using the pole. It requires putting together strength, flexibility, artistic moves and dance skills. From this merging of disciplines sprouts my circus act. It can be compared to artistic sports such as figure skating or synchronise swimming.

How long has it taken you to come up with the Human Flag routine, which you are so famously known for, and how far did this act take you ?

It has taken me seven years of intense gymnastic training to acquire the strength and flexibility needed for the act. Also, the fourteen years during which I have performed on various circus stages have contributed in shaping up this routine. But the Human Flag, as it is today, has been presented in public for the 400th anniversary of the city of Quebec. As from then, many internationally known TV sets, such as Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde and the Ellen DeGeneres Show have invited me to perform. I went as far as being on La France a un Incroyable Talent. Throughout the years, I have worked to polish the act and managed to turn it into an artistic discipline.

Have you encountered any opposition as a male pole dancer?

Just as I stated above, I do not consider myself as a pole dancer. I had never competed in this discipline, but I love bringing what I have learnt and developed in this

field and hence, I often give workshops in this domain. This allowed me, at a later stage, to judge numerous performances.

Will you be competing for anymore World Records?

Maybe, we never know. I just attempted one in China on September 3. As a man who has always challenged myself, I have set a goal to beat my own Guinness World Record.

Tell us why you decided to support the green cause in Mauritius? How is supporting to this cause important to you?

Everything pertaining to the environment is of importance to me. Personally, I would prefer that the government brings rapid but green changes to our lives, even if it means paying more taxes. For example, I would like my next car to be an electric one, just like I would like to build a sustainable house which is self-sufficient in energy production, whether it be photovoltaic (solar panelling) or wind turbines.

A parting message?

I’m glad that my art has reached as far as the Mauritian audience, and that it is serving an environmental cause. I hope that this encourages more artists to get involved into supporting ecology.

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 17

NLM Ltée and NM Ltd same entity, Court rules LA NOUVELLE LINGERIE Mauricienne Ltée (NLM Ltée) and La Nouvelle Lingerie Mauricienne Ltd (NM Ltd) are not two distinct entities. NLM Ltée is the very entity which was sued under the name Nouvelle Lingerie Mauricienne ltd (NLM Ltd) by the applicant (Marie Rosina Lineda Heerah), then plaintiff, before the Industrial Court in case cause number 683/04, has declared Justice David Chan Kan Cheong sitting in Chambers in a ruling delivered last week. The respondent company was ordered to pay to the then plaintiff the sum of Rs 1,840,280 with costs and interest. Accordingly the judge authorised the applicant to execute the said judgment of the Industrial court against the respondent NLM Ltée, with costs against the latter.

“I am satisfied that the applicant has established on a balance of probabilities that the respondent NLM Ltée is the very entity which was sued, albeit under the name of NLM Ltd, by the applicant before the Industrial Court in case CN 683/04,” underlined the Judge in his ruling. “It was only when the applicant tried to execute the judgment delivered

in her favour by the Industrial Court that the respondent raised for the very first time an issue regarding its identity and existence. This smacks of utter bad faith on its part. In fact, the respondent did not raise any serious defense to the present application.”

The chronology of events in the present case is as follows. On 24 December 2004, the applicant sued NLM Ltd before the Industrial Court for unjustified dismissal claiming severance allowance at punitive rate. NLM Ltd was represented by Counsel and Attorney. There was an exchange of particulars between the parties and NLM Ltd filed its plea.

In September 2006, the case was heard on the merits. On 2 May 2007 the Magistrate of the Industrial Court delivered judgment in favour of the applicant ordering NLM Ltd to pay to her the sum of Rs 1,840,280 with costs and interest. On 21 May 2007, one Patrick Jackson gave notice of appeal in the name of NLM Ltée having the same registered office as that of NLM Ltd at No 2 Wilson Avenue, Belle Rose. On 13 September 2007, the appeal was fixed to be heard on 3 November 2008. On 10 October 2008,

the appellant changed legal representatives so that it was from then on represented by Mr Ruchpaul, of counsel, and Mr Attorney Mallam-Hassam.

The appeal was postponed on two occasions at the request of the appellant’s legal representatives and was then fixed for merits to 8 March 2010.

On 1 March 2010, the appellant’s NLM Ltée moved for a stay of hearing of the appeal. The application was refused with costs on the same day. By way of a letter dated 5 March 2010 Mr Attorney Mallam-Hassam informed the Chief Justice that Counsel would be instructed to withdraw the appeal due to the fact that the Industrial Court was hearing an application for new trial entered by “Nouvelle Lingerie Ltée (defendant in case CN 683/04) and being appellant in the appeal case) based on new (mainly written) evidence…”

The application for a new trial before the Industrial Court was entered in the name of NLM Ltée. However, on 6 March 2010 Mr Ruchpaul appearing for the appellant, moved for a postponement on the grounds that a very important document was missing from the

COURT NEWS

appeal record. In the light of the above letter dated 5 March 2010, the Court ordered that the appeal be set aside with costs In September 2010, the applicant caused her attorney to execute the judgment given in her favour by the Industrial Court. The usher, who repaired to 2, Wilson Avenue, Belle rose, could not execute the Warrant to levy. His return was to the effect that he met Mr Boyer Sylvain, a director, who stated that NLM Ltd had nothing to do with NLM Ltée which is the owner of all the company’s assets. It was this incident which has given rise to the present application entered by applicant, Mrs Heerah.

Insufficient law means corrupt Boskalis escapes conviction

Jan Cornelis Hak. BOSKALIS International BV and Baggermaatschapplj Boskalis BV, the two Dutch international companies, both represented by their director Jan Cornelis Hak, have last week been found guilty of conspiracy under two counts in a case of bribery by the Intermediate Criminal Court and convicted to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 under each count.”

On counts 7 and 8 since the law provides for a maximum fine of Rs 10,000, I accordingly sentence the two accused

companies to pay the maximum fine of Rs 10,000 on each of counts 7 and 8.” It is the ruling delivered by the President of the Intermediate Court, Magistrate Véronique kwok Yin Siong Yen. Even if the two companies have been found guilty on counts 1 to 6 of the information for the offence of bribery of public official in breach of sections 5 (10 (b) (20, 82 A of the Prevention of corruption Act 2002 (POCA) coupled with section 44 (20 (a) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act, no sentence has been passed because of the lacuna in our law. The two accused companies, convicted under section 5 of the POCA cannot be fined on counts 1 to 6. This section provides that any person found guilty shall be liable to penal servitude.

As for an accused company the law has not provided for a pecuniary sentence.

The Magistrate has motivated her decision for the following reason: “Had the accused parties been natural per-

sons and in view of the guilty plea of the accused, their clean record and the seriousness of the offence on counts1 to 6, I would have sentenced he accused to undergo 3 years penal servitude on each of these counts. However, in view of the authorities quoted and the lacuna in our law in Mauritius, no appropriate sentence can be passed in respect of counts 1 to 6. It is not possible to apply custodial sentences to corporate bodies. Section 79 of the District and Intermediate Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act which applies to individual cannot apply to companies.

Companies cannot be deprived of their liberty and be sent to jail. Indeed Section 79 of the District and intermediate Court (Criminal Jurisdiction Act) provides as follows: “Where the penalty awarded against a person convicted is imprisonment with or without hard labour or penal servitude, the Magistrate may issue a warrant of commitment in Form J of the Second Schedule directing the offi-

cer to whom it is addressed to take such person and convey him to the prison therein named, and directing the keeper of such prison to receive such person and to imprison him, with or without hard labour, or to put him in penal servitude, as the case may be, for such time as has been awarded and mentioned in the warrant.” The representative of the two international companies, Mr Haak pleaded guilty to all the 8 counts, 1 to 6 for bribery of public official and 7 and 8 of conspiracy to commit an act of bribery.

The Magistrate furthermore invites the Legislature to envisage the possibility of bringing the necessary legislative in order to rectify this lacuna. Following this ruling, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr Satyajit Boolell, Senior Counsel, has signified his intention to move the Supreme Court for a Judicial Review of the Magistrate’s judgment in the days to come.

Ex-Medical student to serve 8 years for wife’s death AFTER more than two weeks’ hearing before the Assises Court, the Presiding Judge, Mr Benjamin Marie Joseph, has on Monday convicted accused Yesudass Veeranah to 8 years’ penal servitude after the jury by a majority of 7 to 2 has found him guilty on a reduced charge of wounds and blows causing death but without

the intention to kill. The prosecution represented by Mrs Johan Moutou-Leckning during the hearing has tried to convince the jury to come with a verdict of manslaughter. After the sentence was pronounced Mr Ashley Hurangee, counsel appearing for the accused, has informed the Court of his client’s decision to appeal against his

conviction. The accused is now being detained at the Beau-Bassin Central Prison waiting for the procedure of his release on bail to be finalised by his judicial representatives.The former student of the University of Mauritius in medicine has been accused of having caused the death of his wife Nisha on 5 November 2005.

EDUCATION SEM Young Investor Award 2013

The Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM) Young Investor Award 2013 was held in Réduit last week in the presence of the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Xavier Luc Duval. The winner was the team from Loreto College Rose Hill. The five team members (Nusrat Aubdool Khan, Bibi Aadila Elaheebux, Bibi Shadiah Zeenairah Edoo, Shivangee Nawoor and Aarifah Bibi Beharry) were awarded Rs 100,000 by the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) and an internship at the bank. The first runner-up was the team from Dr Regis Chaperon SSS (Nadeem Peerun, Chiranjeevsing Choolun, Tejh Jooty, Dooshant Ortoo and Neeteesh Luchmun) which was awarded Rs 50,000.

The second runner-up was the team from Islamic Cultural College Port-Louis (Rukhshar Bibi Golamallee, Amirah Dabeedin, Badriya Fathamahomed, Fatima Isseljee and Shunista Mohit) and was awarded Rs 25,000. The Challenge Trophy for Best Report Prize went to Vaishna Mélanie Nepaulsing, Richa Jhumun, Hanshika Digpaul, Sheevangee Sabapathee and Sèverine Mee-Lena Charles Moka of Loreto College Mahebourgh. Held for the first time in 1993, SEM Young Investors Award give Lower Six students the opportunity to invest the amount of Rs 100,000. Each team comprises five students of Lower VI who have to choose five companies.

Rs 100,000 (fictitious) are given to each team and their performance is evaluated over a period of three months. For the 21st edition, around 940 students from 104 colleges across the island participated.

Paul Currant joins UoM

British academician Paul Currant has been designated by the University of Mauritius (UoM) Board as the ProVice Chancellor (Planning and Resources). His appointment follows a call for application launched at the start of the year upon its recommendation by UoM’s visitor Dev Manraj.

Paul Currant will be asked to work with the present Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academia) Roumeela Mohee, appointed on September 1st. Already voices are heard against the nomination of Paul Currant. For many, Mauritian academicians should have been given the chance rather than bringing in British. Moreover, the Board approved the setting up of a VC Committee which will have as task to work on the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor after the departure of Professor Ramesh Rughooputh. Romeela Mauhee is the acting Vice Chancellor for the time being.

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 18

Revisiting our primary education system Education is a dynamic and organic process and, the ministry of Education will be organising for the first time l’Assises de l’Education during which, the primary education system will be reviewed so as to fit in today’s needs aiming quality education, 100% access to education and 100% pass at the end of the primary cycle.

ASSISES de l’Education will be held on October 14 and 15. Major local stakeholders of the education sector as well as international bodies like the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme will be participating. The two main themes on the agenda are the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) and Zone d’Education Prioritaire (ZEP) project.

obtain a CPE will be given the chance to resit the examination as from 2013, said the Minister. The CPE Resit examinations will be held on 20 December after expected proclamation of CPE results on 12 December 2013. In this connection, remedial classes will be held from 12 to 19 December 2013 for those eligible opting for a resit.

REVIEW OF CPE Two forums on the subject were already held in the part successfully, according to the Education Minister, whereby the recommendations have already been carried out while some are being implemented for CPE 2013, namely the option for those who fail CPE for the first time to join the prevocational stream. Further discussions and consultations are scheduled during the Assises.

A major change will be brought to the CPE Resit examination whereby pupils requiring a pass in one subject in order to

ZEP SCHOOLS A new project Support to Children with Additional Needs (SCAN) will replace ZEP. Through this programme, aid offered to ZEP pupils will be extended to those in need in other schools as well. It is a new strategy geared towards reinforcing support to children in low performing schools.

Under SCAN, new criteria for selection and enhanced parental support as well as teacher commitment will be proposed.

The promotion of the autonomy of schools will be debated during the Assises. Consequently, proposals will be made

to provide more autonomy to the schools in their governance structure. In a bid to ensure good management of educational institutions, school boards would be set up with the collaboration of the civil society and the school community and will focus on the improvement of educational infrastructures and facilities as well as welfare of the school.

Moreover, a pilot project in six less performing schools or in all ZEP schools, will also be discussed during the Assises. The project will be implemented with the collaboration of the Essa Foundation, UK and the African Development Bank. Essa Foundation is a non-profit making educational charity set up to encourage research, development and introduction of best practice across the schools and curriculum, for use by head teachers, staff, governing bodies and students in schools in the UK and world-wide.

Premita LEELACHAND

Win a year of study in Australia A year of study in Australia awaits the winner of an exciting new online competition asking students to design digital postcards about their future and how an Australian education could take them there. The Australian Government has launched the online competition, Win your Future Unlimited, which will run from 1 October to 18 November 2013. Acting Australian High Commissioner, Maria Poulos and the Business Development Manager of the Australian Trade Commission officially launched the competition at a press conference which was held at the Australian High Commission’s office in Port Louis on Tuesday 1 October 2013. “This Win your Future Unlimited is an opportunity for one lucky student to show how an Australian education can generate real career outcomes,” said Maria Poulos, Acting Australian High Commissioner. “Studying in Australia delivers real life benefits in the shape of future professional and personal success.”

The main prize includes one year of study in Australia in 2014, including flights, tuition, accommodation, a stipend, an internship and more. Before the winner is announced on 17 December 2013, seven finalists will be flown to Australia for a two-week study tour during which they will meet with representatives of tertiary institutions from coast to coast. To enter, visit www.futureunlimited.com.au and complete four steps to create a digital postcard: (1) upload a photo; (2) add illustrations; (3) write 50 words or less describing future aspirations and how an Australian education would help realise them; (4) answer some basic questions, and submit the postcard. Managed by the Australian Trade Commission, the competition is supported by 21 of Australia’s tertiary education and training providers and the following gold sponsors: Educational Testing Services (ETS), National Australia Bank, Qantas, Telstra, the University of New South Wales.

EDUCATION

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 19

School for the deaf

A ray of hope Deaf children require a special education. Their disability not only prevents them from hearing but also becomes a hindrance in their communication. In this regard, they require all support services and rehabilitation programs in their education.

History

The Society for the Welfare of the Deaf (SWD) was incorporated under the Act no 37 on 5 July 1968. Its role was to cater for the well-being of deaf persons. The objectives of the SWD when it was created were: To aid, train and educate all deaf persons in Mauritius.

To assist them in obtaining medical treatment and suitable employment To grant them any material relief of which they may be in need To erect, open and manage such training centres, schools and hostels as may be deemed necessary.

Cato Vert Nite – Celebrating the QEC sisterhood

THE SOCIETY for the Welfare of the Deaf, a non-governmental organisation, provides the necessary infrastructure and caters for the expenses while the Ministry of Education looks after the teaching and learning process of the children. “The school has the same facilities as mainstream primary schools.

We follow the same calendar, same textbooks and our children take the same examinations,” says Navind Chandra Gooly, Head Master of the school for the deaf in Beau Bassin. He also has under his responsibility two integrated units in government schools in Goodlands and Black River.

The only special consideration given to them is during the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) whereby the pupils are given 20 minutes and 30 minutes additional time for 1-hour and 1h45 papers respectively. Also, interpreters explain the last minute instructions to them in the Mauritian Sign Language, the official sign language of the country.

The school has three sections: pre-primary (3 children); primary (45 pupils) and secondary (35 students). “This year, 28 pupils will be taking part in the CPE exams.

The percentage pass is not high because at times pupils pass in three subjects but still

cannot achieve the required percentage.

However, last year, 19 students of Form III participated in the National Form III Assessment and the school registered 100% pass rate,” points out the Head Master.

According to Navind Chandra Gooly, this is because when small, deaf children have more difficulty to understand. “Communication is difficult; therefore the learning process is also slow. Normal children continues the learning process after school hours by watching TV, talking with adults etc whereas our children’s learning process is carried out only in schools. They cannot gather external information,” he remarks.

In this regard, the NGO provides training to parents on Saturdays so that the latter can have a follow-up with their children at home. It is also compulsory for teachers working with deaf children to learn the Mauritian Sign Language.

PRE-VOCATIONAL TRAINING The School for the Deaf focuses a lot on preparing the children to become independent and earn a living. The secondary section offers Form I to Form IV classes. Thanks to La Fondation Nouveau regard- Groupe Ciel, pre-vocational courses are run in parallel for the benefit of the

children. Dance classes, cooking classes, beauty care & hair-dressing, IT, Graphic Designing, Fashion and Textiles, gardening are among the courses offered to the children. “The age limit of 16 years is not applied to our children. In fact, several take part in the CPE exams even at 16 years old.”

The School for the Deaf has its own laboratory for the manufacture of hearing aids, audiogram, and speech therapy among others. Soon it will launch a second dictionary for sign languages in both hard copy and soft copy.

Premita LEELACHAND

On 14 September last, the Elizabethans Association (former girls of Queen Elizabeth College) celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the institution. Generations of Cato Vert joined together to mark the “60 years of unshaken majesty” for the whole night till early morning. Everyone present was dressed in dark green and white to match with the school uniform.

Many bought school uniforms to relive their college days. Majorette’s show, dance item by former teachers of QEC, lyrical performance on the seven years spent at QEC and afterwards, songs interpretation, film projection, dance party… everything made it a night to remember for those who were able to make it. On the same night, former QEC girls in other parts of the world also organised a gathering. Cato Vert Nite was the celebration of sisterhood which transcends generations and geographical boundaries.

Education Statistics For the year 2013, government expenditure on education was estimated at Rs 13,584 million, representing 13% of total expenditure. Pre-primary schools numbered 978 in March 2013 with an enrolment of 31,419 children (51% boys, 49% girls). The Gross Enrolment Ratio (number of students enrolled per 100 population aged 4-5) works out to 98% with an average of 13 pupils per teacher. As at March 2013, there were 320 primary schools with 108,853 pupils (51% boys, 49% girls). Total staff comprised 8,126 persons with 4,146 General Purpose Teachers and 1,366 Oriental Language teachers. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (number of students enrolled per 100 population aged 6-11) is 98% and the pupil/teacher (general purpose) ratio works out to 26. As far as secondary education is concerned, as at March 2013, there were 176 schools providing secondary education in the general stream. The secondary school enrolment was 113,872 (48% boys, 52% girls) and the number of teachers was 8,092. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (number of students enrolled per 100 population aged 1219) works out to 71% and the pupil/teacher ratio 14. Pre-vocational education was dispensed in 116 schools in March 2013 with an enrolment of 10,437 students (66% boys, 34% girls) and 738 teaching staff. The pupil/teacher ratio was 14. Tertiary level enrolment went up by 8.0 %, from 45,969 in 2011 to 49,625 in 2012. With regards to results, pass rate for Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) examination increased from 68.6% in 2011 to 68.8% in 2012. For the Cambridge School Certificate (SC), the pass rate decreased slightly from 76.7% in 2011 to 75.7% in 2012. For the Cambridge Higher School Certificate (HSC), it decreased slightly from 79.3% in 2011 to 79.1% in 2012.

Mauritius Duty Free Paradise hostesses inviting the public to try perfumes.

Visitors enjoying a treat at Vatel stand.

“ r i t r a P à t ê r P u d n o l a s “ Le

People discovering Malaysia through its consulate.

Vice-Prime Minister Xavier-Luc Duval with Bruno La Charmante of Events Plus.

S E G A IN IM

Air Mauritius staff explaining to visitors how an aircraft works.

Derek Shanks, Chief Commercial Officer of Air Mauritius, Raj Mohabeer of the Indian Ocean Commission, Oomar Ramtoola, Manager of Emirates Indian Ocean Islands and Ivan Vosloo, First Secretary, South Africna Embassy.

Visitors enquiring on different packages offered by travel agencies.

A mixture of joy and fear…

Salim Joonas, Consul of Indonesia, Sarah Joonas, Corine Ramsay and Pascale François from the South African Embassy.

Food carving demonstration.

Stand of Reunion Island.

Cyril Wong Sun Thiong, Barclays Vice Chairman, Morna Berthelot of Sun Resorts, Irshad Paurobally and Adarsh Nagdan from Barclays.

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority gets creative by displaying a ‘pirogue’.

Mauritius Museum Council (MMC) on display.

Indian Ocean Commission team with Mija Ramsamizafy (centre) of the Malagasy Embassy and Shamima Peer of Events Plus.

Gwendoline de Spéville of Events Plus, with Umesh Pentiah and Assad Tulloo, both Air Mauritius pilots.

Yasine Mohabut, Eshan Dinally, Imran Bahadoor, Rashid Cassam, Jane Lutchmaya and Foaud Jaddoo of the Défi Media Group.

Staff of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority : Stéphanie Domingue, Sabrina Sobrayen, Zenat Gangee and Jennifer Suntoo Santokhee.

Colourful show by Malaysian artistes.

Octar, the iguana.

Visitors discovering various forms of sugar.

Rodrigues on show.

Ravi Bhootooa of the Mauritius Museum Council (MMC), Vikash Rupear, Acting Director of MMC, Gorah Beebeejaun, MMC Chairman and his wife Nasserah Beebeejaun, Pierre Fournier and Aurélia Roumestand, of the Institut Français de Maurice (IFM).

Laurent Guillot, pilot at Air Mauritius, Rashid Cassam and Guillaume Domingue of Radio Plus, Sheetal Boolkah, pilot Assad Tulloo, air hostess Vandana Singh and Olivier Berc of Air Mauritius.

& OUT ENGEN IN

Motor Show

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 22 Mauritians visiting a foreign country seem to know much more than the locals to whom there exist many places in their own country they are not aware of.

The Moka Trail

Automobile enthusiasts should prepare themselves for a treat from 11 to 13 October when the 2nd edition of Engen Motor Show will unravel from 10 am to 8 pm. 11 car dealers, spare parts and accessories suppliers, as well as various institutions including banks, leasing companies, and insurance companies will await the public at the Swami Vivekananda Centre at Pailles.

For the event, the theme of road safety was chosen.

Several “surprises” are expected during the three days of exhibitions. Over 15 new car models will be on display.

Entrance is Rs 50.

Linzy Bacbotte Silver Jubilee

Linzy Bacbotte will host a musical show on October 5 at the Swami Vivekananda in Pailles. ‘25 Ans Enchantant’ will begin at 8 pm.

Linzy Bacbotte has without a doubt the most beautiful feminine voice in Mauritius. Through her song she expresses true emotions depicting the stark reality of her country. Author of various albums ranging from séga to reggae and many more, her songs possess conscious lyrics and puts her artistic talents at the service of social work, defending the rights of women and children and she is also involved in the fight against AIDS. The tariffs are as follows: Carré D’or: Rs1, 200, Gold: Rs 800, Silver: Rs 600, Bronze: Rs 500 and Standing: Rs 400.

DISCOVER

experience a fullday in a natural setting

SUCH was the reaction of an old English couple who called it a shame when they were told of London Safari park ,the planetarium or the Regent park. The same remark may be addressed to the many Mauritians who have yet to discover many beauty spots and unravel the niceties and delights their country they are endowed with. They maybe not stand to be blamed for they have been busy studying, working with no time left for extras. This very reason embarks us on visiting unknown sites and unfolding the sheer pleasure and thrills they offer.

Discover as usual will take you on a trip across the Moka and Port Louis range. It is not an easy journey though. It need not discourage at all. The journey follows a mountainous trail exciting and risky at the same time in the sense that it exposes to the eyes the many wonders of nature: mountain peaks soft supine and at times steep and dangerous climbing which needs a lot of dexterity and courage, for looking down them sends the head reeling with dizziness. The first that attracts is Le Pouce Mountain. Many aspire to reach the top and enjoy the breathtaking scenery that un-

rolls when looking down on Port Louis and the surroundings. A path running along the flank of the slope lands the trekker on a sort of shoulder. A stop over is quite enjoyable with a bird’s eye view of Port Louis, the harbour in the distance, the skyline gleaming on hot sunny days and watching the movements of boats or relevant activities.

The Champ de Mars lies just down. The beautiful track turfed with green, lusty grass and white painted barriers running round the circular track enhance the environment. There is more to that. The eye cannot but admire the different buildings inside and outside, the lawns, the playgrounds, the water jet, the tents, the crowd rushing to it on a race day. The colours, the riders’ jersey and their caps just thrill the atmosphere.

The bugle, the loud noise rising in the air is just mind blowing. The Citadel just next to the hippodrome is another worth visiting spot. It enshrines a lot of history regarding its construction and the purpose behind it.

It also shrouds many dolorous events. Pic Pac in the early fifties had kidnapped and put to death two innocent children there. It had outraged the whole island.

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 23

IN

& OUT

History

The years 1935 - 50

They saw it happen. A few elderly citizens still remember the trials and tribulations of the common people comprising lower middle class, small planters and labourers. No single day passed by without witnessing the throes and woes and the rampant misery of these people.

Later the government converted it into a theatre for staging shows and important events. The road leading to it has been tarred and driving to it does not pose any risks. There have also been talks of razing it to the ground but considering its historical worth stopped such an action. It does attract tourists most of whom look for such vestiges.

Climbing to the Pouce top involves risk. The climber needs to equip himself with relevant pikes, ropes, hammer and other tools to help him in his climbing.

He needs pause and then move up, stop and even study the difficulty and devise a strategy for surmounting it. From the top the whole of Long Mountain and Moka are laid bare with plantations of all types, vegetables, sugarcane, ginger, pine apples and spices for which the area is famous. Flowers spreading across vast fields sway with the rhythm of the wind or breeze. The sight is stunning with a perfect blend of green, red, yellow and grey. Passersby just stop and gaze at the refreshing and balming bowl rimmed with mountains and forests. Two chimneys stand proudly in the middle of sugarcane fields at Valleton and l’Industrie.

Le Bassin Loup shrouded with palm trees associated with goblins and spirits does in fact scare people. Mothers still force their kids into eating or keeping quiet by branding the bogey that the loup found would come and carry them away.

From the summit a spectacular view up to La Nicolière and Les Mariannes is available. The road from St Pierre running along the mountain flank makes us dream. It zigzags along the mountain side on one side and precipices on the other. Beautiful houses worth millions have been built decking up the village like a bride. The trees, the plantations and a few rivers and canals and the hills and valleys delay the progress of the trail.

Devanand RAMPERSAD

Hard work in the scorching sun, toiling and moiling kept the pot boiling in their kitchen found outside the thatched huts or in a corner in the narrow veranda that always fell a prey to fires. These years narrate tales of stark misery unknown to the generations after the 70s.The sky had started to clear, the mist of domination and other were being lifted gradually.

The years 1935-50 are very crucial in the history of Mauritius as were the years 1780 onwards in British History as the events and happenings contained the germs of the future society of Dickens, Hardy, Palmerston, Gladstone and other celebrities. Working class movements namely Chartism, the Cooperative movement, the anti slavery society, the Evangelicals and so many others bent upon redressing the grievances and remedying the ills of the common people. The whole 19th century history has witnessed efforts and events related to improving working class living standards though sometimes strikes, minor clashes and conflicts were inevitable. Nothing could stop the machinery. It had taken off. Mauritius, too, witnessed such events a century later for the vulnerable group could not sit arms folded and suffer passively the harsh treatment in terms of low pay, high prices, poor housing and a litany of the throes and woes meted out to them.

Nothing is eternal or everlasting. Sky is the limit. Saviours or Messie do tread the earth surface and appear in various forms to help the needy and sufferers. Lord Krishna has said in the Bhagavad Gita that he always incarnates when there is a social dislocation brimming with ills of all sorts with the aim of destroying the perpetrators. Christ, Mohamed and other messiahs came with the same purpose. William Wilberforce , Lord Shaftesbury ,Père Laval ,Charles Telfair, Manilal Doctor and many others like Dr Curé were men born with a mission , that of protecting the needy and the poor. The Mauritian workers could not endure the harsh treatment perpetually. They did get their benefactors. De Plevitz, though a German, championed the cause of the workers. In the early 1970s poverty in all its worst forms affected the Mauritians. Even then the poor had somebody who rightly or wrongly defended them bringing along some measure of relief. Back in the 1930s the Mauritians were lucky to get a bunch of men namely Dr Curé ,SSR, Rozemont , The Bissoondoyal brothers , Atchia and so many who took up the cause of the downtrodden. Jules Koenig, too, an illustrious barrister despite his appurtenance to the aristocrats defended the poor. He still occupies a soft corner in the heart of many Mauritians.

Only the ungrateful who care for themselves and nobody

else. A bust of his in Rose Hill would not be out of place.

The first four took the political landscape by storm. They could hardly resist to the tears and reform cry. They took the plunge and events after events unrolled bringing the formation of the Labour Party and mass movement claiming higher wages and better standard of living. Trade union movement began .The Hooper Commission set up to inquire into the restless and troubled years rightly condemned the government for not encouraging the setting up of Trade Unions, a move that might have averted the 1937 Fuel Strike and mass rally ending in shooting leaving four dead and six wounded. This happened because of widespread sufferings,high prices, many small planters going bankrupt for lack of facilities and low sugar price.

A monster manifestation was staged and shouts of redress and even threats that an angry crowd usually proffers at the incumbents scared the owners out of their wits and overzealous officers fired at the crowd. Since then the owners, the Gujadhurs carry that stigma and they are still perceived as such. Many of their own community tax them as being close to the oligarchy and they have suffered a long political exile.

The Second World War worsened the situation. It added fuel to fire. The war imposed untold miseries on the inhabitants. High prices, scarcity of staple food such as rice and flour forced them to resort to maize, manioc, sweet potatoes, bread fruit and other eatable roots. Necessity is the mother of invention. The Mauritian housewives [hats off to them for their ingenuity, prepared menu that all appreciated. Rice had become a very rare commodity. Ration cards were issued and rice in very paucy quantity was given to every family member twice a month. It was an occasion for the families to enjoy it with a good fish or cauliflower curry in the urban areas they prepared their most relished plate briani. Rice hoarding though illegal was common for they always disobeyed the law. A certain Mr Daruty de Grand Pré was caught having in his store one sack of rice and was translated into justice. Judge Neerunjun then sitting in the relevant tribunal sentenced him to 3 months’ imprisonment according to the decree in force.

Le Cernéen wrote in its issue ‘Le fils d’un coolie a baisé un baron de France’. This is creditable example for justices not to be blinded by emotions or whatever ties and deliver the right verdict. Our history is replete with such instances that no doubt inspire us to follow the path of righteousness and not dazzled by the glamour of gold or silver.

Jwala KALLEE

IN

& OUT

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 24

A booming Tertiary Education sector

THE RELEVANT ministry deserves three cheers for the implantation of five star English universities and our small island is no exception. This can develop into an enormous industry by setting up their campus all over the world. Our tiny island is attracting the best of UK institutions at affordable costs, sparing our students the trouble of leaving their family comfort, huge expenses and migrating to unknown environment where adaptation is not so easy. Gone are also the days of external students who had to face lots of trouble in graduating. Books were unavailable, the external students had to grope in a vast ocean and struggle against mighty odds. A few lucky ones went through in their very first attempt; others had to sit several times. There is somebody, a good politician now who had to sit times before securing a BA general. The fault was not in his star, he had to jog on and study in his spare time hardly available in those days. The exigencies of work, giving private tuition and other family commitments took a heavy toll on their time. Fortunately the British Council and L’alliance Francaise came useful providing relevant help in terms of books and getting overseas lecturers. It is keeping in mind all the trials and tribulations of

external students the ministry need be thanked for putting at the disposal of the students the best educational bodies that was then a dream.

They will also help apart from dishing out top class education to churn money by attracting students

VIEWS

Teen advice Jackie Collins, a 74-year old writer nicknamed the blonk buster queen tenders the following pieces of advice to young girls that will surely spare them of lot of troubles that visit our young friends at a very crucial and critical moment of their lives. Teenage is a very difficult period in the lives of youngsters are very stressing given the transition, the influence of peer groups, the media the net and television and so many facilities that are handy and easily force them down into precipices waiting for them with gaping jaws. The writer hopes not to be borne hard by his young friends.

She may have made millions by writing sexually charged ‘bonk buster ‘novels...

She has told young women not to jump into bed with the first man they come across. According to her saying never give women much more power over their lives. They have to empower themselves and keep their boyfriends wanting more but still have fun. Those who succumb easily to males’ advances lose in the process earning a lot of bad names. She is a strong believer in monogamy.

Her advice extends to dress as well. Young girls should dress more decently and modestly. They have to be strong and confident. Girls can do anything but they have to watch it, to be careful and not regret later on. They must feel proud of themselves, confident of themselves. They have an elegant body exuding charm, fragrance and lust. They can’t walk like a hooker, half naked displaying their sexy physique and expecting to be treated like an intelligent woman. It is only then that respect and adulation follow. Let man feel that things hard to come deserve a lot of care, respect and love. Otherwise they can be treated like toilet paper and flushed down the drain. In the present situation where so many rapes, assaults and divorce are taking place the girls should be on their guard and not taken for a ride by sweet, soft words and tricks used to catch the gullible. Once fallen there is no getting out of it. History repeats itself. Fallen angels are legion.

K.J

Speed limiter: Is there any monitoring?

Government decided that all buses and heavy vehicles should be equipped with a speed limiting device. Such a device is costly and vehicle owners have had to spend a fortune on that. However, one can still see buses and trucks speeding on our roads, and even overtaking at full speed. Are all heavy vehicles really equipped with the device? Is there any monitoring being done? What is the purpose of introducing a new regulation, forcing owners to purchase an expensive device only to ignore the sector afterwards. Meanwhile accidents continue to occur. It is common sight that trucks use fast lane on the motorway when this is prohibited. Let us hope the authorities will react.

from elsewhere as far as costs are concerned. It will cost them much cheaper. However the Ministry concerned should see to it that cases of deceit, fooling and other mischievous activities do not interfere our good image.

Showkutally Soodhun: “Why MSM survived despite mighty odds THE FREE THINKER SAYS: One of the worst mistakes of SAJ has been to bequeath the MSM leadership to his son while still alive. Pravind has thus been portrayed by opponents as a “fils a papa”. We all recall how SAJ was treated by the LP after his resignation from Le Reduit: A king leaving his fortress to come to the rescue of his son. This tag of being a spoilt kid is likely stick to him for many more years. Pravind is a very capable guy but his untimely appointment as leader of the MSM has caused the party and himself untold harm.

HOUSE OF LORD SAYS: SAJ was a great Leader, but one should know when to stop... by jumping into the political arena again after being president he has done such a disservice to his legacy! As for Pravind, unfortunately he is and will be the downfall of this party! Not everyone is meant to be a politician. The latter requires first and foremost vision and charisma, which SAJ had...(no longer anymore, the language he has used in public recently is simply not acceptable) and not his son!

Ragging demotivates young policemen DIMOUNEMORT SAYS: Very good article. Let’s see what the CP has to say about that.

It’s a real shame! The new generation needs to teach the old school manners.

DEVI SAYS: If they can behave like that to their own colleagues, imagine how they would behave towards the public. Shame on them. They should answer for their deeds.

REGGAEMAN007 SAYS: Demeaning and inhumane treatment not conducive of a respectable police force. I cannot believe what I am reading, but I have a hunch that it happened and there must be officers that are witnessing these practices. They choose to remain quiet for fear of not being accepted by their peers. Please PM deal with it and come down hard on the culprits.

NAW KHAN SAYS : PM? Commissioner ?Let’s see if there will be an enquiry…All my friends who joined the police force have related similar things, where they were made to do Mr Bean, Mr Simpson, Mr Break Dance, etc… What is happening in this country? Dear Prime Minister, please take sanctions…

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HEALTH

HIV/AIDS Preventive

Tailor-made toothbrush that cleans teeth in just 6 seconds It’s a job that’s meant to take just four minutes a day, but even that can feel like a drag.

Now, one company has made a 3D printed toothbrush tailored to an individual’s teeth that promises a thorough clean in just six seconds.

The Blizzident doesn’t look like a conventional toothbrush - in fact, it resembles a mouth guard.

Instead of brushing, the device is placed on the surface of the teeth and the user bites on the device. They then grind their teeth to clean them, instead of using a motion associated with conventional brushes. The company uses a 3D model of an individual’s teeth created using an impression or scan made by a dentist to print the device. The device itself is made of plastic and contains 400 soft bristles as well as slits for dental floss. The bristles are soft and tapered as well as being tailored to teeth to brush along the gumline at a 45 degree angle so that users brush their teeth by biting and grinding for around six seconds.

By biting the brush using what dentists call the ‘modified bass’ technique, users clean the gingival sulcus - the space underneath the gum line - particularly well as well as ‘cleaning all other surfaces perfectly,’ according to the company. o clean teeth throughly, a user must bite and release the device quickly 10 to 15 times, which creates a ‘vibrating, jiggling upwards, downwards and slightly circling movements’, according to the firm.

Jameela Jaddoo

bear fruits IN MAURITIUS, the first case of AIDS was identified in October 1987. As at end of August 2013, a total of 5,682 cases of HIV/AIDS were detected, of which 1,203 were females. From January to August 2013, a total of 174 cases have been detected including 70 females. The estimated number of persons living with HIV and AIDS aged 15+ is around 10,600.

Prior to the year 2000, an average of 25 new cases was being detected.

Since then rapid increases have been registered from 55 cases in 2001 to reach 921 in 2005 that is an average of 77 cases monthly. Between 2006 and 2010, an average of 548 cases yearly or 46 cases monthly have been registered. In 2011, the number of new cases detected dropped to 401 with an average of 33 cases monthly, and to 320 cases in 2012 with an average of 27 cases monthly. The average monthly case up to August 2013 is 22.

This downward trend in the detection rate of HIV cases is a result of the successful implementation of preventive measures to contain the disease and to prevent bridging of the disease

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measures

to the general population i.e from a concentrated epidemic to a generalised one.

The 12th Annual Colloque on HIV and AIDS is being hosted by the Government of Mauritius under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life.

It will be held from 13 November to 15 November 2013. The main objectives of the Colloque are to update the knowledge and management of HIV

infection amongst scientists, the medical and paramedical personnel, and service providers; share best practices and experiences between health personnel and the civil society of the region and reinforce cooperation amongst Member States of the Indian Ocean Region with regard to HIV and AIDS and Harm Reduction Strategies. The theme of the Colloque this year is “Redynamisons la Riposte”.

Heart diseases on the rise THE WORLD HEART Day was celebrated on 29 September in Mauritius and countries around the globe. World Heart Day was founded to inform people that heart disease and stroke are the world’s leading cause of death. Together with organisations such as WHO, the World Heart Federation inform the world that at least 80 percent of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided if the main risk factors – which are tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity – are controlled.

Indeed the main risk factors of coronary artery disease is smoking, hypertension, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, obesity, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets.

In Mauritius, the situation regarding heart diseases is alarming. The percentage of adults who are affected with various morbidities related to heart diseases is on the rise. In 2012, it was found that amongst the adult population (18-70 years old), the incidence of diabetes is more than 20% and the incidence of hypertension is above 30%. In a study carried out in 2009, it was found that 37.9% of the Mauritian adult population aged 25-74 years old suffered from hypertension and 50.9% were overweight. Moreover in a research study carried out by the Mauritius Salt Intake Study 2012, it was found that the salt consumption of 20% of Mauritian adults was ten times higher. The rate of mortality due to heart diseases, thrombosis and

hypertension was 31.1%. Studies carried on in 1987, 1992 and 1998 indicated that hypertension was the cause of 49.7% of mortality cases.

News on Sunday spoke to cardiologist with 30 year experience in the field. He chose to remain anonymous as his objective is not to seek publicity. He started by citing a famous quote from Shakespeare. “Men at some time are masters of their fates.

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves,” Julius Caesar – Act 1 Sc 2. “Diabetes alone is responsible for macro vascular complications (includes coronary events, myocardial infarction and sudden death as well as cerebrovascular incidents causing lifelong physical and mental handicap) and micro vascular complications (nephropathy-disease of the kidney and retinopathy-eye disease leading to blindness). Diabetic individuals without a history of cardiac disease have the same risk of cardiac event as patients without diabetes who already had a cardiac event,” he said. Moreover, as stated by the Cardiologist, it was found that hypertension is a consequence of an accelerated aging of our arteries.

In fact, during the past decades there has been an increase in the incidence of the major risk factors contributing to cardiac diseases in Mauritius. “It is high time that the population at large as well as those responsible for the delivery of health care joined hands together in order to find a solution because for the

past 30-40 year, our intervention did not have a positive outcome. Everybody concerned is responsible - the patient, the health care personnel, the decision makers and the pharmaceutical industry,” argued the cardiologist. However we question ourselves about a few facts.

Does the patient comply with the rules and regulations to control the disease? Do the decision makers take the necessary actions to implement health sanitary and food control on the streets? Is the pharmaceutical industry limited in the availability of drugs, specific to the diseases involved in the risk factors? Is the quality of the drugs available for the population adapted? Are all the drugs genuine?

We have often seen that the health care providers to the public and private sector institution are overloaded with work concerned with the above non communicable diseases. Should there not be an increase in our men power? Is there not a need to improve the existing men power with further education?

“The medical advice and general steps for disease prevention for the general population is diet and exercise at an early age,” advised the Cardiologist. But what we can say about the alarming situation of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in Mauritius is that everybody on board is responsible. All stakeholders should join hands in order to lower the rate of cardio vascular diseases in Mauritius.

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A Sari state of affairs

LIFESTYLE

The sari. The sari and I go way back even if I have never ever worn one. Such is the beauty and charm of the sari- you are somehow linked with it, have memories of it in spite of never getting onto one.

This piece of cloth is very much part of many childhood memories and mine is no exception. As a little girl, I would take my granny’s huge ‘horni’ and wrapped myself in it, as if was a sari.

LEGEND HAS it that when the beauteous Draupadi - wife of the Pandavas, was lost to the Kauravas in a gambling duel, the lecherous victors, intent on humiliating and harassing Draupadi, caught one end of the diaphanous material that draped her demurely, yet seductively. They continued to pull and strip her, but could not reach the end, and thus undrape her.

Virtue triumphed yet again in this 5,000year old Indian epic, the Mahabharata.

Legend, fantasy, history or fact, it is the first recorded reference to the enduringly attractive Sari - the longest running ‘in fashion’ item of feminine apparel in the world.

When it comes to being sensuous on the big screen, despite all the revealing bikinis and dresses, it is the classic sari that really does it. I feel Sushmita Sen revolutionised the sari. I remember the first time I saw that iconic scene of Main Houn Na and what a sight that was: She elegantly walked in, raven-black hair flowing, in flats, rocking that gorgeous red sari with her sleeveless blouse and her ‘pallu’ flowing back. I was left agape; the sight still leaves me agape. For me, it established her as THE sari-lady and it’s impossible for me to think of the sari without having that scene in mind (with the accompanying musical effects)!

Past the film, a real sari craze was observed. One of my secondary school teachers, bitten by the Sushmita-saribug, suddenly had only saris in her wardrobe- and mind you, those were saris with sleeveless and very skimpy blouses. With the bitchiness that you automatically inherit with being a girl, we snickered and claimed outrage at her boldness. But silently we quite admired the bold version of her saris.

The present-day sari dates from the fourteenth century, making it possibly the world’s longest-lasting fashion statement. In India, people of every income level can spend as little as a few rupees to hundreds of dollars for this roughly six-yard piece of fabric. Even if it is not as popular in Mauritius, it is very much present: From the glittering ones that the young ladies choose to drape themselves during weddings to the everyday (and navel peeking) saris of the grannies.

The sari is versatile, particularly in its ability to both reveal and conceal. Its elegance and practicality and its suitability for women and girls of all ages and sizes have enabled it to endure through centuries of change. The versatility of this quintessential garment has a great deal to do with its popularity, and the blank canvas provided by nine yards of unstitched cloth acts as a potential arena for art and creativity. The sari’s potential to be draped in nearly a hundred ways means the wearer can use it for many occasions; styling it to appear formal and elegant before its transformation into a relaxed and informal outfit. There was

a time when draping a sari used to be an exhausting work, requiring skill and patience. But the sari has now evolved to pre-stitched ones, an answer to all the woes.

The sari is emblematic of the Indian continent. It is nonetheless now considered a global attire due to its popularity with celebrities, both Indian and international. And to end this sari state of affairs on a sari note, here is something to contemplate - a charming folktale explaining the origin of the Sari: “The Sari, it is said, was born on the loom of a fanciful weaver. He dreamt of Woman. The shimmer of her tears. The drape of her tumbling hair. The colors of her many moods. The softness of her touch. All these he wove together. He couldn’t stop. He wove for many yards.

And when he was done, the story goes, he sat back and smiled and smiled and smiled”.

Mumtaz Soogund

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Nissan to Offer Self-Driven Cars by 2020

TECHNO

Motorists could go hands-free, leaving their cars’ computer brains fully in charge, as early as 2020, when Nissan says it plans to have a self-driving vehicle ready for the market. The Japanese automaker said on Tuesday that its “revolutionary” self-drive technology could be ready by then, and that it is already building a synthetic cityscape of real roads and buildings for testing the vehicles. Nissan, which broke ground in 2010 with the introduction of its Leaf fully electric small car, said it is aiming to build a self-driving car that can be sold at “realistic prices.” Nissan said it is already testing how to extend its Safety Shield technology, which uses a 360 degree system of cameras and sensors to help drivers park and avoid collisions.

Autonomous Drive would enhance safety and accident avoidance, and allow drivers who spend hundreds of hours commuting every year to make more productive use of their time. It will also give the elderly and disabled much more freedom and mobility, the company said. Nissan next year will complete the construction of a proving ground for self-driving cars in Japan.

Nokia Defends Former Chief’s Golden Handshake

Nokia chairman Risto Siilasmaa recently defended a $25.4 million payoff to former chief executive Stephen Elop as part of Microsoft takeover of Nokia’s mobile phone unit. Siilasmaa told Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat he was “proud” of having changed Elop’s contract the day before the Microsoft deal was announced, so that the U.S. Company bore 70% of the cost.

Without the change, the ailing Finnish company would have had to pay the entire cost for its outgoing chief’s golden parachute, he said. “In both cases, he would have received the same compensation, but if the contract hadn’t been changed, the shareholders of Nokia would have paid in full,” Siilasmaa said. “The change was made to defend the interests of Nokia, and I’m proud of that.

Australia Researchers Unveil ‘Attention-powered’ Car AUSTRALIAN ROAD safety researchers on Wednesday unveiled a pioneering “attentionpowered car” which uses a headset to monitor brain activity and slow acceleration during periods of distraction. Lead researcher Geoffrey Mackellar, from neuroengineering company Emotiv, said the car’s accelerator could be overridden by a headset with 14 sensors measuring the type and amount of brain activity which determined whether a driver was distracted. In the testing phase, drivers were set specific challenges such as using their mobile phone, switching channels on the radio, drinking water or reading a map so that researchers could record their brain activity while doing so.

They were also sent on a 15 kilometres per hour “boredom lap” to see what happened when their brains “zoned out” -- “pretty nasty but we enjoyed it,” Mackellar said. Emad Tahtouh, from production company FINCH, said the car used an array of neural inputs and specially-designed software to “go when you’re paying attention and slow when you’re not”.

“We’re looking at things like blink rate, blink duration, gaze rate -- how long they look at a point -- eyes moving, head tilts, and also frequency of task-switching and the level of brain activity

when they flick over to those tasks, so it’s a huge pool of data,” he said.

“If someone lost attention and they switched tasks to, say, reading their mobile phone, or even if they just zoned out, it would usually be represented by a very sharp dip and sometimes very erratic behavior.” The car worked by reducing acceleration when it detected a loss of attention, and speeding back up once full focus was back on driving.

The pilot vehicle, a customized Hyundai i40, was built for the RAC as part of a research and publicity campaign to reduce the number of road deaths in the state, which currently run above the national average and are the worst in Australia.

Although the system could have potential commercial applications, the RAC said their current focus was on research and public awareness. “The impact of inattention is now comparable to the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by speed and drink driving,” said RAC chief Pat Walker. “Nationally, it is estimated inattention was a factor in 46% of fatal crashes.”

The Australian government estimates that road accidents cost the economy Aus$27 billion (US$25 billion) every year.

Princeton researchers build bionic ear with integrated electronics LAB-MADE ORGANS could do more than just serve as ready options for patients in need: with the right blend of biology and materials science, they might even be able to endow people with superhuman abilities. That is what researchers at Princeton University see as the future of tissue engineering, and they believe 3-D printing is the way there. Michael McAlpine and members of his lab recently reported that a 3-D printer could build a bionic ear capable of detecting frequencies a million times higher than the normal range of hearing.

The ear demonstrates how 3-D printing can seamlessly bring together electronics and biological tissues. Normally, these materials don’t play well together—one is rigid and fractures easily, while the other is soft and flexible. But with 3-D printing, the two can be fabricated together, says McAlpine. “It’s a way you can naturally intertwine everything together

into a three-dimensional format,” he says. This could help researchers make body tissues with integrated devices that can monitor health, or even build cyborg organs that augment conventional senses.

To build the bionic organ, the printer is guided by a computer model of an ear to which the team added the model of an internal antenna coil connected to an external electrode. Printing takes about four hours.

Then the ear is bathed in a nutrient-rich broth so that the cells can grow, produce collagen and other molecules, and replace their original surroundings with cartilage. With its fully embedded coil, the bionic ear can detect and transmit radio signals— but not sound waves. One day these devices could help people hear through the same mechanism used to connect cochlear implants, or perhaps provide a sixth sense of electromagnetic reception.

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Saturday 5 October 21:05 MBC 2

Jannat 2 Thursday 10 October 20:00 Directed by William Friedkin With Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church

Killer Joe Drama directed by Kunal Deshmukh Starring Emraan Hashmi,Esha Gupta,Randeep Hooda The story follows Sonu Dilli (Emraan Hashmi), a street-smart, small time arms dealer in Delhi who has the gift of gab.

When he is interrogated by a tough cop, ACP Pratap Raghuvanshi (Randeep Hooda), he turns informer for the latter.

Although helping Pratap puts Sonu in jail for a little time, he continues to purvey the ACP with information about illegal arms racket as he has no other choice. But when Sonu falls in love with Dr Jhanvi (Esha Gupta), and manages to woo her, he wants to leave the life of crime and settle down.

However, Pratap, who is hell bent upon finding who the leader of the arms racket is, persuades Sonu to continue being his informer by promising him protection and a good life afterwards.

IN WEST DALLAS, Texas, finding himself in considerable debt, with loan sharks threatening to kill him, 22-year-old drug dealer Chris Smith decides the only solution is to murder his mother, Adele, to collect the $50,000 of insurance money. He has been told by his mother’s boyfriend Rex that the sole beneficiary will be Chris’ younger sister Dottie.

Assuming Dottie would share any money she gets with them, Chris tries to rope his father, Ansel, into a conspiracy to kill Adele – who is Ansel’s exwife – to get the money. Chris tells his dad that he has heard of a guy who can help them – Joe Cooper, a police detective who has a side career as a contract killer. Ansel eventually agrees, planning to split the money four ways between themselves, Dottie, and Ansel’s new wife Sharla. Dottie hears the plan as they are talking, and agrees that it’s a good idea.

The plan almost fails when Chris is unable to

Sunday 6 October 12:10 MBC2

Tees Maar Khan

Director: Farah Khan With Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Akshaye Khanna, Arya Babbar

Tees Maar Khan revolves around a conman named Tabrez Mirza Khan (Akshay Kumar) who has been a criminal since youth. Two police officers Chatterjee (Aman Verma) and Mukherjee (Murali Sharma) are after him. He is in love with the struggling actress Anya (Katrina Kaif). He takes a job to rob a non-stop train loaded with precious antiques. He cons the people of Dhulia village into helping him by saying that he will make a historical film about their village. He fools the greedy actor Aatish Kapoor (Akshay Khanna), who was eager to get the Oscar award and fakes him to work in his film. However, the robbery goes well but all the villagers and Tabrez Mirza Khan get arrested. He claims they are innocent but he gets arrested anyway.

Sunday 6 October - 21:30 MBC 1

Plain Truth Film directed by Paul Shapiro Starring Mariska Hargitay, Alison Pill, Jan Niklas Katie (Alison Pill) is an 18-year-old girl who lives in a small Amish community in the Pennsylvania farm country. When a newborn baby is found dead, police suspect foul play, and Katie is accused of having given birth to the child, then taking its life. Katie protests her innocence on both charges, and Ellie Harrison (Mariska Hargitay), a tough and well-respected attorney, is brought in to defend her in court.

front Joe’s fee. However, Joe met the odd, childlike Dottie when he came to their mobile home to discuss the details, and offers to take her as a “retainer” until the insurance comes through.

Through Dottie’s interaction with Joe, it is revealed that Adele (her mother) tried to kill her once when she was an infant. Joe “dates” Dottie and then appears to be staying over at their home and having sex with her regularly. Chris has a change of heart and asks him to call it off, unaware that the killing has already happened. But, he finds out quickly enough when Joe calmly enlists his help to move the body and torch the car they put it in.

After Adele’s death is discovered, the family learns that the insurance claim actually pays to Adele’s boyfriend Rex, not to Dottie. Ansel and Sharla confront Chris about this and he admits he originally heard the details about the policy from Rex, who also originally told him about Joe.

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‘Villages en fête’ The Minister of Tourism and Leisure is currently organising an event titled ‘Villages en fête’ to promote different regions of the Island. The public will discover cultural sites, tourist spots, and also the history regarding specific locations. Every weekend a village will be explored with numerous activities throughout the day from 11 am to 4 pm. Artistes from these villages will also get a chance to show their talents. Schedule: October 6, Dubreuil; October 13, Le Morne; October 20, Midlands; October 27, Rivière-du-Rempart; November 10, Goodlands; November 17, Triolet and November 24, Grand-Gaube.

Malaysia’s Cultural and Culinary heritage at its best!

DJ Assad The world famous Dj Assad will be setting the floor on fire at the Big Willy’s Club in Tamarin this Friday. His duet with Alain Ramanisum, Li Tourne is currently a hit in France. Entrance is Rs 200. Those who have VIP passes and excess cards will get free entrance.

Prom Night 2

The Buddha Club in Grand-Baie is bringing back prom night to the public.

So get ready for Prom Night 2 on October 4 at 10 pm. The best Djs will be on the decks for this fun-filled night.

Entrance fee is Rs 200 and a free drink will be offered. Dress code is classic. For more information please call 5722 2223.

‘Maurice hors du temps’

François Louis Anthenas, the photographer form Reunion, is exhibiting to the Mauritian public ‘Maurice hors du temps’. The exhibition will be held from October 18 to November 30 at the Institut Français de Maurice in Rose Hill.

Entrance is free. The Institut Français de Maurice will also be hosting a conference by Francis Rocard on October 10 at 6pm. The theme for the conference is entitled ‘Un Rover au coeur de l’exploration de Mars’.

What’s

Be prepared to experience a delectable culinary adventure as the Labourdonnais is hosting its yearly Malaysian Food & Cultural Festival on October 5. Enjoy delightful dishes prepared by three renowned chefs specially flown in from Malaysia and discover a unique aspect of Malaysian culture with captivating traditional music, dance and show.

ON? Salon de l’Habitat et Décoration The public has the whole weekend to explore the exhibition ‘Salon de l’Habitat et Décoration’ at MerRouge. The latest trends and developments from the world of gardening and decoration will be on show.

Organised by Run Éditions and Communications, the event will also feature exhibitors from Reunion Island and France. Several themes based on house and decoration, including renewable energy, air conditioning, security, flooring, construction (materials and services), real estate, kitchens and bathrooms will be offered. This exhibition is perfect for a family day out. A kid zone and a restaurant will also be available. The exhibition will be open from 10 am to 7 pm. However, the salon will be open until 8 pm on Friday and the weekend. Entrance is Rs 25 for adults and Rs 10 for children. A prize draw will take place on the closing day. Free transport will be available from Gare du Nord.

Tel: 292 4497 - Fax: 213 1096 E-mail: newsonsunday@defimedia.info Website: www.defimedia.info Director of publication : Ehshan Kodarbux ehshank@defimedia.info Sub-Editors : Sunil Gopal, Shaffick Hamuth Senior News Editor : Indradev Curpen Editorial Team : Premita Leelachand, Jwala Kallee, Jameela Jaddoo, Mumtaz Soogund, Yousouf Buglow Chief Designer : Krsna Coopoosamy Designer Team : Frédéric Li Ching Yan, Kersley Aristhene Sales Executive : Khoshla 7884990, Uma 7807375, Joceline 7790663 Printed by : FEMI Publishing Co. Ltd

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4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 30

Crossword

Find and circle all of the hidden words listed. Words may be horizontal or vertical.

1. The largest sand island in the world is in Australia, what is its name?

2. Where would you find the city of Kremlin?

3. What was the former name of Thailand?

4. What is the second largest country in the world?

5. What is the capital of Morocco?

6. Which US state is Madison the capital of?

7. Does the Earth revolve around the Sun, or does the Sun revolve around the Earth?

8. Which country is Kingston the capital of?

9. What is the largest railway station in the world?

10. What is the capital of Japan?

5 x 5 Symmetrical Word Boxes

Sudoku

HOW TO SOLVE “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. “ That’s all there is to it. There’s no math involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. It’s fun. It’s challenging. It’s addictive! Solving time is typically from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.

Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across and down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these 1. ways out 2. effect of pollen 3. incompetent 4. unstable 5. half goat

Down 2 Put into operation (7) 3 Midday (4) 4 Commanded (6) 5 Sees dirt (anag) (8) 6 Detachments (5) 7 (Of selling) aggress ively persistent (4-8) 8 Lavatory (euphemism) (8,4) 13 Delectation (8) 16 Military squad (7) 17 Person habitually pretending to be something he is not (6) 19 Goes up (5) 21 Biblical book (4)

Riddles 1. Who spends the day at the window, goes to the table for meals and hides at night?

2. There are a pound of feathers, and a pound of seashells. What weighs more?

3. There is a man standing over a dead body in a coffin, and another man walks in and asks, who’s in the coffin. The first man replies, brothers and sisters, I have none, but this man’s father is my fathers son. Who’s in the coffin?

4. This thing was here since the world began yet it is never more than one month old. What is It? 5. How can you physically stand behind your friend as he physically stands behind you?

1. A fly.

2. They’re the same weight! Both weight 1 pound.

3. His son.

4. Moon.

5. By standing back to back.

Free Entertainment Quiz

Across 1 English portrait and landscape painter, d. 1788 (12) 9 Saying (5) 10 Spirited — stylish (7) 11 Without fat (4) 12 Mishandles a situation (6,2) 14 In equal proportion (6) 15 Highly emotional film (6) 18 Aromatic herb used in cooking (8) 20 Painter of The Laughing Cavalier, d.

1666 (4) 22 Not clear (7) 23 Singing group (5) 24 Give a false account of (12)

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Useful tips

Tips for buying a great sofa

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Aries

A business or romantic partner could be gloomy today. Don’t ask. Your friend might lash out at you. Your concern isn’t unappreciated, but sometimes people prefer to work things out on their own. Be a good listener, but back away if necessary. Do something by yourself. Your partner will speak when he or she is ready.

Taurus

Have you been putting off some work? It may be weighing on your mind. You could work extra hard today to get it out of the way. Afterward you’ll feel relieved, but don’t push yourself too hard or you won’t have any energy left for tomorrow. If some of the tasks don’t get done, that’s OK. They’ve waited this long, so another day won’t hurt.

Gemini n The frame should not wobble or creak, it should be sturdy and sit squarely on the floor. Wobbly or creaky frames mean less sturdy joints, while a strong frame means your sofa will last you longer.

A powerful creative urge may come upon you today. Your intuition should play a strong role in whatever you produce. You may feel driven to finish your project. The only downside might be that your partner may not understand why you want to work instead of go out. Follow your heart and keep working. Your friend will see it differently when you show the results.

Cancer

n The frame and all the corners should be well padded. Run your hand over them firmly to see. A padded frame will not stick out through the upholstery, it also means less friction for the fabric that is covering the frame.

A couple, perhaps friends, could visit today. Perhaps you’ve moved into a new home or redecorated and want to show them around. They’ll be impressed and you’ll enjoy the company. Do they share an interest in dreams with you? The subject of dreams may come up in the conversation. You could be surprised at the insights your friends have.

n Check the sofa from behind, and pat the centre to make sure it isn’t hollow.

Leo

n If you are buying a reclining sofa or a sofa bed, all mechanisms should work smoothly. Reclining, or motion furniture is generally more expensive, and you are paying for a functioning, smoothly running mechanism. It makes sense to check those features out at the store. n If the sofa has any metal parts, inspect to see that they are smooth and free of sharp edges. All moving parts on a sofa bed or reclining sofa should clear the fabric completely to avoid tearing. You don’t want any injuries to yourself or damage to your upholstery from a faulty mechanism. n When you check out the back of your sofa , there should be no bumps or hard spots. Run the palm of your hand over it. This is especially important in a tight back sofa. Not only will bumps and hard spots mar the look of your sofa over a short period of time, they will also feel uncomfortable. n Seat cushions should be firm and resilient and fit snugly within the sofa frame. Additionally, the cushions should regain their shape after you press down and let go. A cushion that stays put when you press down will be flattened in no time, end up looking unsightly and feel uncomfortable when you sit on it.

Cushions that do not fit snugly in place will also lose their shape quickly and the edges will start looking unsightly. n Seats should be comfortable, and for reclining furniture, be comfortable in all different positions. Select deep or shallow seats depending on your height. A taller person will need deeper seats. n The arms should not jiggle or move, and if upholstered, they should be be well padded. n If there are any buttons, check that they are sewn on securely.

Loose buttons will come off and up getting lost in no time. n Just as in well tailored clothing, patterns and stripes should match at the seams. Although it might not catch your eye right away, mismatched patterns or stripes will give you the sense that something is”off”. Stripes that match at seams make a sofa look well finished. n Patterns should be centered, and all seams and welts should run straight. Uneven welting and seams that are pulled to one side or another mean that the cover was badly tailored.

Last week’s solution Free Entertainment Quiz

1. Sylvester Stallone.

2. Richard Burton.

3. Limbo.

4. Kidney.

5. Stomach.

6. Liver.

7. Diaphragm.

8. California.

9. Nevada.

10. Fox

Romance blossoms for you today. If you’re single, a walk around the neighborhood could put you in touch with someone new and exciting. If you’re involved, you and your significant other could plan a trip out of town, perhaps a weekend getaway. The trip may be partly related to business. This is a great time to write, even if it’s only a letter to a relative.

Virgo

Are you attracted to someone connected with your work? If so, romance with this person could be in your immediate future. Don’t be surprised if your colleague suddenly seems to express an interest in you. What you do about it depends on your situation, but at least you’ll be flattered. You could make a new friend.

Libra

You could be feeling energetic and driven. There’s something you feel you absolutely must work on today. Chances are you won’t be able to shake this conviction, so it’s best if you just roll up your sleeves and get going on it. You’ll undoubtedly get more accomplished than usual and be proud of the results.

Scorpio

Do you have the uncomfortable feeling that there’s something you ought to be doing but can’t think what it is? This feeling could bother you all day. It’s best to try to remember. Try sitting in a hot tub. Lean back, close your eyes and let the water flow around you. You may not recall it right now, but it will probably come to you later.

Sagittarius

Are you involved in an important group activity, possibly with close friends? If so, you might be working on a vital task, probably involving communication. A love partner might also be involved. You can be rather intense at times like this, so don’t come on too strong with those around you. Use all your people skills, be a good listener, and you should accomplish what you want.

Capricorn

Career matters may force you into the public eye just when you’d prefer to sequester yourself and work alone. This could be frustrating, but significant financial benefits could depend on it. So come out of your shell and meet your public! In the end, you’ll be glad you did. You could make some great contacts and even some new friends.

Aquarius

Romance with someone from far away who shares your spiritual inclinations could arise today. This could be a very intense, loving, and supportive relationship. Don’t be shy, and don’t let your insecurities get the better of you.

There’s never any guarantee that a love relationship will last, but don’t hold off because of that. Get to know this person.

Pisces

You may have a very busy day ahead, but you might not be able to concentrate.

Too many issues could churn up from the past. Old emotional traumas, money problems from years ago that still haunt you, even past dreams could be on your mind. Don’t fight it. This is a healing process. Clear the psychic space to make way for more positive input.s

CINEMA Bigg Boss 7: Kamya offends Gauhar

Dhoom 3

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 32

It’s the first day for newbie Asif Azim in the ‘Bigg Boss’ house and he already seems to be mingling with the other inmates. While he knew a few people in the house, the rest are strangers to him.

To make Asif familiar with other members of the house, Bigg Boss gave a task to the housemates. According to the task, every member in the house has to tag other housemate basis characteristics written on a card. Later, the person who has been tagged needs to guess the name of the housemate who gave him/ her that tag. Bigg Boss gave the responsibility to Tanisha to lead this session and ensure that everybody read their name tags. While the session was in full swing, it got more interesting when Kamya tagged Gauahar as ‘jhoothi’. When asked why she tagged Gauahar with this characteristic, Kamya went back to their argument over the swap nominations and said that she has been a big liar.

Bigg Boss Saath 7: Hazel takes a dig at trouble maker

REVELATION

second motion poster out

Yet another sizzling motion poster of the forthcoming movie “Dhoom 3” is out online and looks like a reminder to fans about what they are about to experience with the release of the movie. While the first motion poster didn’t reveal much except Aamir Khan’s chiselled body, this one has more thrills and chills attached to it.

Aamir plays a negative role in the movie and the smirk on

his face gets your attention. The movie, which has always given bikes and villains a lot of limelight, has bikes jumping over cars and bridges in the second motion poster.

The focus then shifts to the four main protagonists- Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra and Katrina Kaif. The leads pose in a heroic manner as a fire rages around them.

The graphics are well done. The

sound of a bike racing adds to the thrilling feeling. The signature tune of the “Dhoom” franchise takes the musical lead soon followed by the sound of the bike.

Aamir will be seen in a negative role in the third installment of the franchise while Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra reprise their role as ACP Jai Dixit and Ali respectively. Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, the movie is set to release Dec 20.

Did Ranbir share his birthday with Katrina Kaif?

British-Indian actress Hazel Keech, the first to be voted out of “Bigg Boss Saath - 7”, describes co-contestant Pratyusha Banerjee as troublemaker. The show went on air Sep 15 and Hazel, seen in “Bodyguard” in a sizeable role, was evicted on the seventh day, Saturday.

She said that just after spending about six days in the house, “I can’t exactly say who is what.” “I like Kamya (Punjabi)... she is forward and can say what she feels. Pratyusha likes to create problems.

She is a negative character, but has a big fan following,” Hazel told IANS. The “Bigg Boss” house is divided into two parts - hell and heaven. Hazel was sent to hell, but she said it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. “It was a nice experience.

Jahannam (hell) wasn’t as bad as it seems. We were grateful to have water and a bed. The first few days were good, everyone got on well. I am so happy to have experienced this,” she said.

With his parents away, Ranbir Kapoor apparently had none other than Katrina Kaif to share his birthday cake with.

Ranbir Kapoor had initially gone to town claiming his birthday was just another day of the year. However, looks like the actor had planned up something special for his girlfriend to bring in the day. The two spent the night and the following day in a south Bombay hotel.

All this while Ranbir’s parents, Rishi and Neetu are abroad.

RK returned home to Krishna Raj in the evening, only to leave for a promotional event for Besharam along with Abhinav Kashyap. Later at the event, when someone asked him what Katrina had gifted to the birthday boy, RK shot back, `None of your business.` Post the event, when Ranbir returned home, Katrina was once again waiting for the birthday boy. The couple was also joined by Rohit Dhawan, who dropped by to wish him. An insider says, `The couple stayed the night at Kishna Raj. His parents are not in the country.`

CINEMA

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 33

‘I have become Besharam now’ Manjari Phadnis has been a little slow in her journey in Bollywood. The 29-year-old actress has appeared in Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada and Tamil language films.

In an interview with CS, she talks about changing herself as an actor, being shameless and more.

I think every actor goes through that phase. For my next release, there is no time to actually feel the fear because we have been busy with promoting the film. There has been no time to sit and breathe since my last release. Initially, when I came in the industry I was naive. Now I have learnt the ropes and also understood that if I have done my best, there is no need to fear.

I have become a tad besharam after acting in Grand Masti and my next release. The characters in both the films required me to be comfortable in my skin. I have realised, inhibitions are a luxury which we can’t afford.

Shedding away the real you to make way for your reel character is a tough task. Once the character is chalked out, as an actor we have to think like her and even behave like what the scriptwriter has imagined the character to be. This is one of the pre-requisites. I have trained myself to be able to handle glamour with elegance.

I have been very lucky to perform

Get ready for Saif-Kareena’s ‘Happy Ending’

with the best names in the industry.

Every Hindi film that I have worked in has been different from one another.

I want to do different work and try every possible genre and stretch my abilities as an actor. I have worked in films down South too and it is a different experience altogether.

However it is a myth that Bollywood is not as professional as the industry down South. Finding feet I started working after 12th standard. I

didn’t know anyone in the industry at that time. However, some of my closest friends have been the ones I have worked with.

Madhurima Tuli, Varun Sharma are some of my 4am friends. When you’re working round the clock with each other, you tend to become close.

However, the challenge of maintaining the friendship is when the film gets over and everyone gets busy with other work.

Salman Khan Takes Another Dig at Shah Rukh Khan

Could we hope for a Happy Ending to this story at least? So far Saif and Kareena together on screen before or after marriage have spelt no magic at the boxoffice. They are coming together again now in Raj Nidimoru & Krishna DK’s Happy Ending, though Kareena will feature only in a cameo. Confirming this co-director Raj Nidimoru says Kareena won’t appear for a song only. `Saif and Kareena have scenes together. And we’re planning to shoot a song as well. ` While Raj is unwilling to reveal any more details we understand from sources that Kareena’s role has been written into Happy Ending as an afterthought. Says the source, `Saif who is the film’s producer wanted Kareena to be part of the film when she visited Saif on location in Detroit. As luck would have it the co-director Raj and Krishna knew exactly where to fit Kareena into the plot.

Aish & Abhi’s kitchen secret

Celebrity couple Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan were Monday announced as brand ambassadors for TTK Prestige range of kitchen appliances. Aishwarya said the campaign truly reflects both of them. “Endorsing India’s No 1 kitchen appliances brand is a great opportunity and I am privileged to be associated with Prestige. The essence of the campaign truly reflects Abhishek and me, as we are contemproary in our outlook yet rooted in tradition,” she told reporters at

Superficial attempts at a reconciliation between Salman and Shah Rukh have not really eradicated the bitterness between the two Khan superstars. On Saturday onlookers witnessed yet another example of the ongoing battle of supremacy between the two when Salman was shooting the introductory episode of Bigg Boss at Lonavla.

According to an eyewitness on the location , `Salman had fever . But he insisted on shooting.He kept making

light of his fever loudly mumbling, ‘Fever ki maa ki.’ He was at his warmest with all the contestants,and even with the audience , he was at his most gracious. But when it came to making a dig at Shah Rukh, Salman’s mischievous streak simply surfaced without trying.` Hua yun ki, one of the contestants Elie Evram who is of German-Swedish heritage, and who is to soon make her debut opposite anchor turned actor Manish Paul in Yashraj Film’s Mickey

Virus was struggling to understand the meaning of the word ‘jannat’ .Salman quickly came to her rescue.

He quipped, `Main Jannat hoon.

Mannat nahin.` Mannat,of course being Shah Rukh’s bungalow in Mumbai. The entire gathering cracked up with laughter. Says the eyewitness,`We thought the Khans were patching up. But watching the wicked glint in Salman’s eyes we can tell you with certainty he has no such plans.`

the event. The celebrity couple has also shot for an ad campaign for the brand. “The idea was to keep it real and nothing should look fake. We have tried to keep it very regular and normal,” said Aishwarya.

WORLD NEWS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 34

Gambling websites receive 700,000 hits from U.K parliament computers

India’s Lalu Prasad jailed for five years

BETTING WEBSITES are accessed hundreds of thousands of times a year from UK parliamentary computers used

by MPs, peers and their staff. In just one month bet365.com was clicked on 16,986 from computers used by members of the Houses of Parliament and their employees. Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed gambling sites were opened almost 700,000 times - or 1.3 times a minute. The number of hits gambling websites receive drops during recess at the Houses of Parliament.

Robert Oxley of the TaxPayers’ Alliance criticised the amount of time staff spend on gambling websites. He told the Daily Telegraph: ‘Those in Parliament should spend their time working, not trawling the net for a chance to bet the house.’ Mr Oxley added although some ‘legitimate’ use of gambling websites should be expected, these figures were too high. He said internet misuse by Parliamentary staff should be taken seriously as it is funded by the taxpayer.

It comes after it was revealed by the Mail On Sunday this year that a website used by married people to have adulterous affairs was accessed up to 289 times a day by Westminster staff. Out Of Town Affairs, which brings

Former Bihar chief minister and RJD president Lalu Prasad was finally sentenced for five years with fine of Rs 25 lakh in a Rs 950 crore fodder scam by CBI special Judge PK Singh on Thursday. He is one among the 37 people accused in the same case.

Another former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra has been sentenced for four years with fine of Rs 2 lakh whereas JD (U) sitting MP Jagdish Prasad has been sentenced for four years with fine of Rs 5 lakh.

Former MLA, RK Rana, has been slapped with the maximum fine of Rs 30 lakh and imprisonment of five years. Four IAS officers and 25 suppliers who were accused by the CBI in the same case have been awarded imprisonment of four years each.

Hearing arguments of counsel of the accused and CBI in the first half, court of special CBI judge pronounced the final verdict at 2.30pm which sent shock waves across the political fraternity.

Lalu, who was convicted in the case on Monday along with 44 others, including former chief minister Jagannath Mishra is currently lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail here.

together married men and women seeking sex, was clicked on 52,375 times in seven months but has since been banned.

A House of Commons spokeswoman said the gambling figures were not an accurate reflection of the time spent on betting websites as an unknown number

may have come from spam. She told the newspaper: ‘These figures are not a reliable guide to the level of usage within the house.’ Previous figures showed Facebook receives 28million hits a year and online games such as FarmVille are clicked on thousands of times a month

NATIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

WORLD NEWS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 35

Madagascar mob kills Europeans over ‘organ trafficking’ TOURISM MINISTER Walter Mzembi confirmed the toll on Tuesday after touring Hwange National Park.

Two European men have been burnt to death in Madagascar by protesters who suspected they were trafficking human organs after a child went missing.

A local man had been arrested in connection with the disappearance on Wednesday on Nosy Be, a tourist island resort in Madagascar’s northwest.

A crowd then rioted outside the police station believing him to have been paid to remove the child’s organs.

The mob proceeded on “a manhunt” for the foreigners, police said.

“It resulted in the death of two

White House talks fail to end deadlock US PRESIDENT Obama and Congressional leaders have failed to break a budget deadlock that has led to a partial government shutdown. Mr Obama held White House talks with Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Senate leader Mitch McConnell as well as their Democratic counterparts.

Mr Boehner left the talks complaining the Democrats “will not negotiate”. Mr Obama said he would not set a precedent where “an extremist wing” of a party holds a government to ransom. He told CNBC ahead of the meeting that he was

“prepared to negotiate on anything” over the budget once Congress passes “a clean piece of legislation that reopens the government”.

John Boehner (Republican) and Nancy Pelosi (Democrat) both spoke after the talks. The US government closed nonessential operations on Tuesday after Congress failed to strike a deal on a new budget. The shutdown has left more than 700,000 employees on unpaid leave and closed national parks, tourist sites, government websites, office buildings, and more.

Indonesia arrests top judge on corruption charges THE CHIEF justice of Indonesia’s Constitutional Court has been arrested for alleged bribery, officials say.

Akil Mochtar was arrested by anti-corruption officials late on Wednesday for allegedly accepting at least $250,000 (£154,000) in bribes.

Officials say the arrest, the latest in a series of high-profile cases, was linked to a regional election.

The Constitutional Court, established in 2001, holds the same legal standing as the country’s Supreme Court.

Its responsibilities include hearing cases concerning the constitution and making decisions on election-related cases.

The court has developed a reputation as a respected judicial institution over the years, observers say.

Mr Mochtar, 62, was elected for a five-year term to the constitutional court this year.

He was previously a member of the Golkar party before joining the Constitutional Court.

He was arrested at his home in Jakarta after a businessman and a lawmaker allegedly handed him money, a spokesman for the Corruption Eradication Commission said on Thursday.

The case was linked to a disputed election on Borneo island, the Agence FrancePresse news agency says.

foreigners,” the deputy commander of the paramilitary police, Gen Guy Randriamaro Bobin, told the AFP news agency.

Officials initially said they were French nationals, but residents on Nosy Be say one of the men may have been Italian.

“Two foreigners died, we have confirmed that one of them was French,” AFP quotes France’s foreign affairs spokesman Philippe Lalliot as saying.

Gen Randriamaro Bobin said an eight-year-old boy’s lifeless body was found on Thursday morning, without genitals and without a tongue, the agency reports.

Local media reported that the protesters had found human organs in a fridge in the building where the Europeans were staying.

SPORTS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 36

Race card for Saturday 5 October - 31st meeting 1. THE LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL CUP.– 1400 M – RATING 22-0 – 12H30 OWNERS

HORSES

AGE GEARS C

M. & Mme Hervé Bellefroid, MM. Anwar Rassool & Maurice Allet C.S.K

1 JACK FLASH

5

M. & Mme Ramapatee, M. Tikanand & Dr. Hemant K. Gujadhur

3 POLE OF COLD

6

MM. Dinesh & Iyameesh Jaunky

2 BAYNESFIELD

M. & Mme Vikram, Mlles Alisha & Ayushi Hurdoyal

4 HIGHLAND JET

MM. Hermant Kevin Beegoo, Maxime Henri Maingard & V.C Veeramootoo

5 THE SNEAKER 6 ADDITION

MM. G. Hardy, S. Leclézio, G. Clarenc, J.F Chasteau & D. Hardy M. & Mme Paul, MM. Bryan & Joey Foo Kune

MM. Devdutt & Gauravsingh Bagwan, Jean S. Sophie, Bahim K. & Feroz K. Taher MM. Denis Le Breton, M. Ghumundee, S. Ah Hang & B. Sawmynaden

7 ABSALOM

8 HOPES AND DESIRES 9 ARC ROYAL 10 SHERWANI

MM. Raj Ramdin, Vishal & Viggianand Bassant

11 MC NAUGHT (E.A.)

MM. Vimal Raggoo & Mohunparsad Woozageer

OP N N

X

7

N

XX

6

D

8

6 6

N

4

TN

6 8 7

XX

T

X

N

STABLES V. Allet

59.5

R.Boutanive

M. Ramdin

59

R. Maingard

59

H. Maigrot

58.5

P. Foo Kune

P.C.Orffer

53

H. Maigrot

59.5

10

1200

4

1300

3

1100 500

N.Juglall

11

R.Joorawon

8

1600

9

1200

A.Fortune

58 R.Burke 57.5 (-1.5) B.Bhaugeerothee 57 C.Segeon

S. Henry

C. Ramdin

D

D.David

59.5

Gujadhur

JOCKEYS DRAW ODDS

60

R. Gujadhur

P. Merven

B+

WEIGHT

V.Naiko -----

7 6 2 1 5

600

1200 1400 1300 –

PERF.

COMMENTS

( 3- 6- 4- 5- 6 ) Achance this class.

( 4- 4- 6- 6-10 ) Good draw, slim chance ( 4/10- 8- 3- 5 ) Afast pace will suit him

( 6/ 8- 6- 4- 3 ) Unless he overcome poor barrier ( 5- 7- 6- 1- 4 ) Fortune's first ( 8/ 5- 5- 9- 3 ) Good last outing ( 10- 7- 5- 8- 7 ) Good track work ( 4- 9- 5- 8- 5 ) ( 8- 4- 3- 8- 7 ) Needs a strong handling ( 5- 3- 6- 7- 6 ) Can follow and fire ( 6- 5- 9- 9- 9 ) Agood bet

2. THE FEBER ASSOCIATES CUP.– 1000 M – RATING 36-20 – 13H05 OWNERS

HORSES

Mme P. Ramlugon, Dr. V. & Mme M. Dhooboreea & M. D. Malabar

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

MM. Denis Le Breton, M. Ghumundee, S. Ah Hang & B. Sawmynaden MM. & Mmes Teenarain Mareachealee & Oodith Heerasing M. & Mme Rishi Ramjus

MM. & Mmes Bernard Lincoln & Denis Hardy

MM. & Mmes Ashwin Koonja, Anwar Rassool & M. Hans Ramlochun M. & Mme Ramapatee, M. Tikanand & Dr. Hemant K. Gujadhur M. V.C Veeramootoo

MM. J.E Nairac, Carrol Duchenne & Mme D. Maigrot

ARGUTO EVEN CHANCE VARIANT WESTHAMPTON STEEL OF APPROVAL (T) UMHLANGA (T) LORD AL SALUTE THE SAINT (T) SINGLE TEMPO (E.A.)

AGE GEARS 5 5 6 4

10 11

STABLES

X

C. Ramdin

PN

X

S. Henry

N

X

BN

X

B

N

4

TN

6

D

6

C

BN

XX

B+

X

WEIGHT 60.5

P. Merven

60.5

JOCKEYS DRAW ODDS

M.Neisius C.Segeon

60 J.Victoire 59.5 (-1.5) B.Bhaugeerothee 59 P.C.Orffer

M. Ramdin

R. Gujadhur V. Allet

Gujadhur

58.5

D.David

57

A.Fortune

57.5

R. Maingard H. Maigrot

59

N.Juglall -----

PERF.

COMMENTS

5

1000

( 0- 0- 0- 0- 4 ) Can handle field.

6

1200

( 1- 4- N- 2- 6 ) Tough task ahead

1500

( 9- 2/ 3- 7- 9 ) Not on last run

8 1 3 4 7 9 2

1400 1200 900 250

1250 –

( 2- 1- 7- 3- 3 ) On the up. ( nouveau )

Trained impressively

( 7- 1- 6-10- 3 ) Still competitive at 11! ( 0- 0- 0- 6- 1 ) Tougher this time

( 1- 5- 7/ 8- 8 ) Not this class

( 5- 3/ 4- 9- 7 ) Must further improve

3. THE NATIONAL MUTUAL FUND CUP.– 1600 M – RATING 31-15 – 13H40 OWNERS

MM. N. Sobnack, M. Madoo, R. Ramburn & M. Allet C.S.K MM. & Mmes Bernard Lincoln & Denis Hardy MM. J.M Caboche Adam, Mmes M. Desjardins, G. Harel, J. Rousset & M. O. Ulcoq MM. Denis & Olivier Le Breton, D. Govindasami, V. Bundhoo & Mme Vee Holden M. Raj Ramdin MM. Bernard, Daniel, Edouard Nairac, Mme D. Maigrot & M. J.L Wilain Mmes J.S & Nathalie Henry, MM. J. Pierre Montocchio & G.de Rosnay & Dr. J.F Madeleine M. & Mme Paul, MM. Bryan & Joey Foo Kune MM. A. Ramlugon, S. Domun, D. Latour & S. Semjeevee M. Maxime Henri Maingard M. Ashley Bundhun

HORSES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

SHERIFF MARSHALL PLEASE TO PROGRESS KITE SURFER LION'S PRINT TOBEASTAR OVER THE OCEAN PICK SIX SPACEBEAM SURPRISING DREAM GEORGE NOBLE BEAUTIFUL BHUTAN (E.A.)

AGE GEARS C 4 7 4 4 5 5 10 5 4 4 5

B T1 N PE B T1 TN S BN BN T ND N BT

STABLES

V. Allet G. Rousset XXX G. Rousset P. Merven C. Ramdin H. Maigrot X S. Henry X P. Foo Kune M. Ramdin X R. Maingard S. Henry

WEIGHT 60 59.5 59 59 59 58 58 57.5 57.5 (-1.5) 57 57.5

JOCKEYS DRAW ODDS

D.David N.Teeha J.Geroudis C.Segeon V.Naiko N.Juglall J.Victoire R.Burke K.Gundowry A.Fortune -----

8 4 1 5 9 7 3 10 6 2 11

1200 1500 250 1400 1700 1200 1300 500 2000 800 –

PERF. ( 0- 8- 6- 8- 7 ) ( 4- 3- 2- 1- 7 ) ( 2- 3- 3- 2- 2 ) ( 8- 5- 7- 7- 8 ) ( 8- 7- 3- 2- 9 ) ( 2- 2- 1- 9- 9 ) ( 5- 5- 5- 6- 4 ) ( 2- 3- 8- 5- 1 ) ( 0- 0- 0- 6- R ) ( 0- 0- 0- 5- 5 ) ( 0- 0- R- 7- 1 )

COMMENTS

Must improve Ignore last outing The one to beat Not this time Good track wirk Two poor last outings Can be placed Tougher this Saturday Fractious last outing Agood outsider Has improved further

4. LA PRUDENCE LIFE INSURANCE CUP.– 1850 M – RATING 46-30 – 14H15 OWNERS

HORSES

AGE GEARS C

STABLES

WEIGHT

JOCKEYS DRAW ODDS

PERF.

COMMENTS

Mlle Shirley Louis & M. Giuseppe Parisi

1 FIFUN

4

BT

XX

S. Henry

60.5

J.Victoire

5

500

( 0- 0- 6- 7- 1 ) Impressive at training

Mme A Howlakhan, MM. D. Peten, V. Rousset, J. Clarenc & Mme K. Bodenon

2 FOREST SHELTER

5

BN

X

G. Rousset

60

J.Geroudis

4

1200

( 6- 1- 1- 6- 6 ) Ignore two last outings

MM. & Mmes A. Pillay, V. Museliah & Mlle S. Amourdon Pillay

3 LIVIDUS

6

X

H. Maigrot

60

N.Juglall

2

900

( 7- 4- 3- 2- 6 ) Unless he attacks earlier

MM & Mmes Paul Foo Kune, Stephen Tin & M. Mohanlall Bridgenun

4 MOON RAIDER

7

N

X

P. Foo Kune

60

R.Burke

3

300

( 1- 3- 1- 3- 3 ) Has a nice chance

M. & Mme Hervé Bellefroid, Mme Michèle Bloch, MM. France Law & Maurice Allet C.S.

5 BLUE LORD

4

N

59

D.David

1

250

( 0- 6- 3- 5- 1 ) Can make it two

MM. Denis & Olivier Le Breton, V. Tennant, G. de Rosnay & G. de Rauville

6 IPSE DIXIT

7

BN

P. Merven

59

C.Segeon

7

1200

( 6- 6- 6- 8- 7 ) Finds competition tough

MM. Chris J.H Van Niekerk & Markus J. Jooste

7 ALBERT DOCK

5

B

R. Gujadhur

57

P.C.Orffer

6

1400

( 0- 8- 7- 6- 7 ) Must improve initial speed

News On Sunday cannot be held responsible for any mistake on the racecard.

XXX V. Allet

False rails’ : 4 m – Track : 2.8

Football Betting Odds MATCHES BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE MANCHESTER CITY - EVERTON CARDIFF - NEWCASTLE UTD FULHAM - STOKE CITY HULL CITY - ASTON VILLA LIVERPOOL - CRYSTAL PALACE SUNDERLAND – MAN. UNITED NORWICH - CHELSEA SOUTHAMPTON - SWANSEA TOTTENHAM - WEST HAM WEST BROM - ARSENAL GERMAN BUNDESLIGA HANNOVER - HERTHA BERLIN M’BACH - DORTMUND

H D A 165 235 235 235 120 570 590 205 140 450

395 335 325 325 640 385 395 340 450 375

535 305 310 310 1375 165 160 360 780 180

235 450

325 375

310 180

MAINZ - HOFFENHEIM SCHALKE - AUGSBURG VFB STUTTGART – W.BREMEN WOLFSBURG - BRAUNSCHWEIG B.LEVERKUSEN – B.MUNICH NURNBERG - HAMBURGER FREIBURG – E. FRANKFURT SCOTTISH PREMIER CELTIC - MOTHERWELL DUNDEE UTD - KILMARNOCK HEARTS - ST. MIRREN ROSS COUNTY - ABERDEEN ST JOHNSTONE - INVERNESS PARTICK - HIBERNIAN

(4-6 Oct.)

235 175 165 140 450 235 235

325 375 395 450 375 325 325

310 455 535 755 180 310 310

140 165 205 235 235 235

450 395 330 325 325 325

755 535 355 310 310 310

DENMARK SUPERLIGA RANDERS FC - AARHUS ESBJERG - ODENSE AALBORG - VIBORG FC COPENHAGEN – S’RJYSKE NORDSJAELLAND - BRONDBY MIDTJYLLAND - VESTSJAELLAND IRELAND LEAGUE BALLINAMALLARD - BALLYMENA CLIFTONVILLE - CRUSADERS COLERAINE - ARDS GLENAVON - LINFIELD GLENTORAN - DUNGANNON WARRENPOINT - PORTADOWN

235 165 165 150 235 205

325 395 395 415 325 330

310 535 535 685 310 355

210 210 155 450 210 450

320 320 350 375 320 375

310 310 550 180 310 180

SPORTS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 37 5. THE MAURITIUS UNION GENERAL INSURANCE CUP. - 1400 M - RATING 66-50 - 14H50

OWNERS

HORSES

AGE GEARS

M. & Mme Ramapatee, MM.Tikanand, Uday K. & Mlle Shikha Gujadhur

1. SNAPPY

6

MM. M.H Maingard, V.C Veeramootoo, D. Peten & D. Merven

C

SN

STABLES

WEIGHT

JOCKEYS

DRAW ODDS

PERF.

COMMENTS

Gujadhur

61

N.Juglall

1

1500

( 7- 1- 2- 9- 7 ) Amistake to write him off

R. Maingard

60

A.Fortune

6

900

( 2- 3- 4- 8- 9 ) Stable not in form

59.5

J.Victoire

7

1200

( 7- 5- 5- 1- 6 ) Good track work besides Alvaro

59

J.Geroudis

2

200

( 0- 0- 0- 1- 1 ) The horse to beat

P. Foo Kune

56.5

M.Neisius

5

1400

( 3- 5- 7- 6- 5 ) Follow with Neisius

2. MASTER MASCUS

5

MM. Bahim Khan, Feroz Khan Taher & J. Serge Henry

3. ROYAL CHALON

8

TN

MM. J.M C- Adam, G. Hart de K., Mme D. Dyall, MM. J.P de Fondaumière & G. Lincoln

4. ALBERT MOONEY

4

N

M. & Mme Paul Foo Kune & M. A. Mc Donald

5. MR BLACK TOM

7

BN

MM. Denis Le Breton, M. Ghumundee, S. Ah Hang & B. Sawmynaden

6. AMBER PALACE

5

N

P. Merven

56

C.Segeon

4

1000

M. & Mme Paul, MM. Bryan & Joey Foo Kune & M. Stephen Tin

( 4- 4- 5- 3- 4 ) Tough this lot

7. VALERE

5

N

P. Foo Kune

54

R.Burke

3

600

( 0- 7- 7- 1- 2 ) Two promising outings

S. Henry XXXX G. Rousset

6. THE MAURITIUS UNION GROUP COLONEL DRAPER CUP. - 1500 M - RATING 60+ - 15H20

OWNERS

MM. D. Le Breton, R. Ramkaloan, J. Jodahsing, V. Bhundoo & Mme Diya Gooljar

MM. Denis Le Breton, M. Ghumundee, S. Ah Hang & B. Sawmynaden M. & Mme Ramapatee, M. Tikanand & Dr. Hemant K. Gujadhur

M. & Mme Ramapatee, MM. Tikanand, Uday K. & Dr.Prashant Gujadhur M. & Mme Ramapatee, MM. Tikanand, Uday K. & Dr.Prashant Gujadhur

M. & Mme Christian Lafraisière

M. & Mme Paul, MM. Bryan & Joey Foo Kune Mme Hans Ballah, M. & Mme A. Lim Shung, MM. D. Lamusse & K.F Lau Kang Wah

M. & Mme Paul, MM. Bryan & Joey Foo Kune & M. Avishan Askurn

2. MEADOW MAGIC

3. SOWETO SLEW

4. ACCELERO

5. AZAPEL

6. MINING PROSPECT

7. ELUSIVE RIVER

8. SEEKING ANGELO

9. BOTTOM DOLLAR

HORSES

M. & Mme Paul, MM. Bryan & Joey Foo Kune

1. GLITTER STAR

MM. V.C Veeramootoo & Sudesh Sawon MM. Denis, Olivier & J. Claude Le Breton, M. & Mme Andy Ah Youne M. Raj Ramdin M. & Mme Paul, MM. Bryan & Joey Foo Kune MM. V.K Bhoojedhun, S.K Bissendary, H. Seebundhun, R. Gajeelee & M. Chackhoor M. & Mme François de C. Du Mée MM. Denis, L. Jean, Dimitri & Guillaume Hardy

MM. Denis & Olivier Le Breton, H. Muller, A. Desvaux & Mme D. Murden Mme B. Sussens, MM. G. Hart de K., J.M Caboche-Adam & Mme L.J Hardy

MM. Ramasamy Ramoorty & Ashley Bundhun MM. Tanvir Khodabocus, Ramdeen Goorah, Lionel Merven & France Law

MM. & Mmes François & Jacques de C. Du Mée & M. Renaud Lagesse

MM. Vikram Kumar Ragoonath & Kong Foong Lau Kang Wah MM. Chandramohun Rajaram, V.C Veeramootoo & Sudesh Sawon

M. & Mme Paul Foo Kune & M. Nitin Goburdhun

TN

5

N

6

N

5

EN

5

D

6

6

5

6

C X

XX X

N

N

N

N

STABLES P. Merven

P. Merven

Gujadhur

Gujadhur

Gujadhur

H. Maigrot

X

XX

WEIGHT 61

61

60.5

59.5

59.5

59.5

P. Foo Kune

58.5

P. Foo Kune

55.5

G. Rousset

58

JOCKEYS P.C.Orffer

C.Segeon

N.Juglall

B.Bhaugeerothee

R.Boutanive

M.Neisius

D.David

J.Geroudis

R.Burke

DRAW ODDS 7

2

3

6

1

8

550

400

1200

PERF.

COMMENTS

( 1- 2- 2- 2- 1 ) Big mass, poor draw!

( 0- 0- 0- 2- 1 ) Ségeon's choice

( 0- 0- 4- 5- 4 ) Nice track work on Tuesday

1500

( 1/ 1- 1- 1- 9 ) Will miss stamina

1000

( 1- 3- 5- 1- 7 ) Nice coating at training

1900

( 1- 6- 1- 6- 8 ) Average last outings

5

1700

( 7- 4- 7/ 4- 4 ) The dark horse?

4

600

( 2- 4- 1- 3- 4 ) Aplace at best

9

500

( 1- 1- 3- 1- 5 ) Competitive sort!

AGE GEARS 5

N

C X

STABLES

WEIGHT

JOCKEYS

P. Foo Kune

60.5

R. Maingard

60.5

A.Fortune

P. Merven

60

C.Segeon

N.Juglall

DRAW ODDS 6

PERF.

COMMENTS

1000

( 3- 4- 5- 6- 4 ) Chance on last run

8

1400

( 4/ 3- 6- 6- 5 ) Will appreciate a fast going

4

1000

( 3- 8- 4- 5- 6 ) Blinkers again. Watch!

2. RIDGE TOO FAR

6

3. CONSTELLATION

9

B+

4. LANCEWOOD

6

5. THE LAST SAMURAI

STN

C. Ramdin

60

V.Naiko

5

7

XX

1400

P. Foo Kune

58.5

( 5- 4- 8- 2- 7 ) Agood bet.

6. TRAIANIUS

N

R.Burke

7

N

3

X

300

S. Henry

58.5

J.Victoire

( 1- 6- 2- 2- 1 ) Can make it two in a row

5

650

( 2- 5- 7- 1- 2 ) Follow him as from the turn!

7. DIVINE CRUSADER

8

8. BRONCO BUSTER

N

A. Perdrau

57

R.Joorawon

5

ON

2

1500

G. Rousset

55

N.Teeha

( 2- 8/ 6- 7- 5 ) Achance with Joorawon

1

900

( 0- 0- 0- 6- 8 ) Draws 1 and blinkers off.

HORSES 1. CAPTAIN FIRTH

2. PRINCE OF WINGS

3. AMAZING BOLT

4. BECAUSE U SAID SO

5. RASHEED

6. THE COLONELS SON

7. UP COMPANY

8. HUNTING TIME

9. KISHIMOTO

The bay gelding is heading towards a second successive win.

(in numerical order)

5

8. THE WING PASSAGE PLATE. - 1400 M - RATING 51-35 - 16H30

M. & Mme Paul, MM. Bryan & Joey Foo Kune

Betting Guides

AGE GEARS

7. THE TRIPLE COVER CUP. - 1500 M - RATING 56-40 - 15H55

OWNERS

OWNERS

HORSES

1. LIQUID MOTION

1) Pole of Cold-Baynesfield-Sherwani 2) Arguto-Westhampton-Lord Al 3) Kite Surfer-Spacebeam-Pick Six 4) Fifun-Moon Raider-Blue Lord 5) Snappy-Albert Mooney-Amber Palace 6) Meadow Magic-Soweto Slew-Seeking Angelo 7) Trainius-The Last Samurai-Glitter Star 8) Prince of Wings-The Colonels Son-Captain Firth

AGE GEARS 4

BN

5

B

5

6

4

5

6

5

4

T

N

BN

ND

C X

XX X

XX

STABLES P. Foo Kune

P. Merven

G. Rousset

S. Henry

V. Allet

A. Perdrau

G. Rousset

R. Maingard

P. Foo Kune

WEIGHT 61

60

59

59

58.5

58.5

58.5

56.5 54

JOCKEYS R.Burke

C.Segeon

J.Geroudis

J.Victoire

D.David

R.Joorawon

N.Teeha

J.Bardottier

V.A.Bundhoo

DRAW ODDS 8

1000

2

500

3

350

PERF. ( nouveau )

COMMENTS Impressive track work

( 5- 5- 3- 1- 1 ) Great chance to win ( 2- 1- 1- 4- 5 ) Trained very well

7

1600

( 7- 8/ 5- 8- 7 ) Poor performer

4

600

( 0- 0- 0- 0- 3 ) Agood challenger

9

5

1

6

800

1500

1300

2000

( 0- 0- 0- 0- 9 ) Better this time

( 3- 5- 9- 5- 7 ) Average sort

( 0- 7- 6- 8- 8 ) Can improve rank

( 0- 0- 6-10-10 ) Must improve.

R1 l Jack Flash is going down in class and will run without blinkers. l Sherwani has drawn barrier one. Will carry only 53 kg and will be blinkered. Watch!

R2 l Arguto has made promising debut. Ha can handle this field. l Westhampton was outstanding at training. He can fire well at his debut.

R3 l Kite Surfer will be a hard nut to crack. He will run tongue tied for the 1st time l George Noble trained impressively on Tuesday with a nice sprint at 23.31s for 400m.

R4 l Fifun is on the up. The black gelding has a chance in this lot. l If he starts his move at the 600m, grey gelding Lividus will be hard to match.

R5 l On current form, Albert Mooney is heading towards a third successive win l In this class, Snappy is not to be underestimated. He will break from the fence with a competitive Nooresh Juglall on board.

R6 l Meadow Magic can match this field. He impressed during his track work. l Soweto Slew is a much improved gelding. If he relaxes well in early stages, he can taste at his 1st win.

R7 l A fast pace ahead will favour Traianius, reputed for his nice turn of foot approaching the straight. l Constellation will follow near leader/s before sprinting home.

R8 l Prince of Wings may be too good this class. l The Colonels Son impressed at his debut. He has improved since and will like run a cracker.

Naushad KORIMDUN

SPORTS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 38

Champions League

Man Utd frustrated at Shakhtar Donetsk Brazilian striker Taison denied Manchester United their second Champions League win with a second-half equaliser for Shakhtar Donetsk.

SCOTLAND

Jordan Rhodes given hope of start against Croatia Striker Jordan Rhodes could be handed a starting role by Scotland manager Gordon Strachan in the final World Cup qualifier against Croatia at Hampden.

Strachan had previously suggested that the 23-year-old Blackburn forward was unsuited to a lone striker role. “He’s got a better chance than most people because he is in the squad and he is scoring goals,” said Strachan when asked about the 15 October game. “He has a right good chance of playing next time we play.” Rhodes has scored nine goals in seven matches for his Championship club this season, but Strachan still admits to having reservations about how the player can perform in Scotland’s system. When asked whether it would be difficult for Rhodes to start international games, the manager said: “It depends what team you are playing for in international football. “If you are a team that’s getting 20 or 30 crosses a game then it’s not difficult.

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE RK. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

TEAM ARSENAL LIVERPOOL TOTTENHAM EVERTON CHELSEA SOUTHAMPTON MANCHESTER CITY HULL CITY ASTON VILLA WEST BROM CARDIFF MAN. UNITED SWANSEA NORWICH STOKE CITY NEWCASTLE UTD WEST HAM FULHAM CRYSTAL PALACE SUNDERLAND

P 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

W 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 0

D 0 1 1 3 2 2 1 1 0 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 0 1

L 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 5 5

GOALS 13:7 8:4 6:2 9:6 7:3 5:2 14:7 6:7 9:8 6:5 6:7 8:8 8:9 4:6 4:6 7:11 4:5 4:9 4:10 4:14

PTS 15 13 13 12 11 11 10 10 9 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 5 4 3 1

UNITED took the lead early in the first half when Danny Welbeck poked in from Marouane Fellaini’s low ball.

The equaliser came 14 minutes from time when Nemanja Vidic failed to clear Yaroslav Rakitskiy’s cross, allowing Taison to pounce and fire home.

David De Gea produced a great save late on to stop Taison scoring the winner.

The result means United, on four points, still lead Group A on goal difference ahead of Shakhtar. Bayer Leverkusen are a point behind following their 2-1 win over Real Sociedad.

David Moyes’s men had offered little threat during the opening 15 minutes of the first half, with Robin van Persie going closest to troubling the Shakhtar goal with a curling shot that comfortably cleared the crossbar.

United’s early strike came as a surprise and there was a large element of luck about it.

After Antonio Valencia won a throw-in that should have been awarded to Shakhtar, Fellaini turned his marker and delivered low into the area.

Ukraine defender Rakitskiy slipped as he attempted to clear, allowing England international Welbeck to poke in for his sixth goal of the season in all competitions.

Welbeck impressed defensively as well, keeping tight to Shakhtar captain Darijo Srna on the right, although when the Croat and his team-mates found space they were guilty of poor deliveries in the opening 45 minutes.

The Ukrainian side’s best chance of the half fell to Alex Teixeira, who scored twice in their opening 2-0 win against Real Sociedad, when he twisted and turned to

make himself some space before firing a tame shot from 20 yards that De Gea easily collected.

United looked comfortable for much of the second half too, with Shakhtar’s final ball letting them down on countless occasions as they pressed forwards.

Prior to the equaliser, the only time coach Mircea Lucescu’s side caused panic in the United defence was when Vyacheslav Shevchuk’s dangerous low pass was brilliantly and bravely cut out by De Gea. United only carved one decent opening after the break when Rafael surged down the right and pulled the ball back to Van Persie in the area. The Dutchman turned before firing in a low shot that came off the boot of Rakitskiy.

And perhaps they paid the price for their lack of adventure when Rakitskiy made amends for his earlier error by firing in a low ball that Vidic could only clear to Brazilian forward Taison, who smashed his shot into the roof of the net.

The 25-year-old came close to scoring the winner with a few minutes remaining when his deflected angled shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by De Gea. In what was a largely unremarkable match, there was a remarkable moment in the 66th minute when 39-year-old Ryan Giggs came on for United.

The veteran’s 145th game in the Champions League saw him surpass Raul’s record number of appearances in the competition.

United face back-to-back matches against Real Sociedad in their next two Champions League ties and return to Premier League action at Sunderland on Saturday.

Dominant Bayern defeat Manchester City JOE HART’S poor form continued as Manchester City’s England goalkeeper suffered a nightmare performance in this comprehensive Champions League defeat by champions Bayern Munich at Etihad Stadium.

First he fumbled Franck Ribery’s long-range effort into the net as the holders took an early lead, then he was too easily beaten at his near post after the break as Arjen Robben wrapped up a thoroughly deserved win for Pep Guardiola’s side. Thomas Muller scored Bayern’s second in between Hart’s errors and a fine late strike from City substitute Alvaro Negredo could not put any gloss on a wretched night for Manuel Pellegrini and his team. Former City defender Jerome Boateng was sent off for hauling down Yaya Toure as the hosts mounted a late rally of sorts, but there was little by way of consolation to be salvaged from this experience.

And after a display that only underlined the decline in his performances, much of

the spotlight will be on Hart, who is simply making too many mistakes for the comfort of club and country.

Pellegrini’s predecessor Roberto Mancini was running short of patience with Hart, 26, before his sacking and the Italian’s departure has not inspired any visible upturn in form. The goalkeeper was slow to react for Andreas Weimann’s winner for Aston Villa last weekend, was beaten at a corner by Cardiff striker Fraizer Campbell in August and allowed a shot from James Morrison to go straight through him during England’s victory against Scotland at Wembley.

City’s manager must now decide whether to keep faith with Hart or replace him with Costel Pantilimon when Everton visit on Saturday. England boss Hodgson faces a similar dilemma over whether to drop Hart - who has won 35 caps for his country - for the decisive World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland at Wembley later this month.

SPORTS

15 October August 2013 49 - 10 2013l lN° N°893 901 l l PAGE PAGE39 39

HORSE-RACING

Saziwayogate :

Will the saga never end?

A TWIST in the case of Saziwayo.

By mutual consent the legal counsels of jockey Gregorio Arena, namely barristers Yahia Nazroo and Mikash Hassamal, and the legal representative of MTC, barrister Sanjay Bhuckory, the board has been requested to start an investigation ‘de novo’. The request was accepted by the board, chaired by barrister Robin Ramburn. Hence the penalties of six months of suspension, fine of Rs 100,000 and even the revocation of the license of the Italian jockey are suspended.

The appeal of rider Arena was heard on Thursday afternoon. Both parties agreed for a new investigation by a new team of stewards. The appellant does not doubt the integrity of the Stewards or impute any perception of ‘bias ‘, but wants to increase transparency.

At this point, Mr. Ramburn explained that the board is not a ‘rubber stamp’.

However, it has approved the request for a fresh inquiry into the handling of gelding Saziwayo on his race at the 24th meeting. He asked them to submit a memo jointly signed by counsels Bhuckory and Nazroo.

In a statement to News on Sunday Gregorio Arena said: “I am very happy

Communiqué Arena

Following queries from members of the press in respect of Grounds 1 and 2 of the Grounds of Appeal of Jockey Arena, please find below these two grounds: 1. In view of his very close relationship with the Buttié family and his presence at their fully paid weekend away (to celebrate the birthday party of Béatrice Buttié) where a serious incident occurred involving the said Buttié family and a group of Italians (which included the Appellant), the Chairman of the Board of Racing Stewards (RS), Mr. Paterson, was biased (and/or left a real likelihood of a perception of bias) against the Appellant such that it rendered the latter’s conviction unsafe.

2. The whole proceedings is tainted with irregularity since the Chairman of the Board of RS had prior knowledge of a serious incident involving his close friends on their fully paid weekend away and a group of persons including the Appellant, did not disclose same to his Board during the course of the inquiry and continued to act as a ‘prosecutor’ and ‘judge’ to establish the charge against the Appellant. Such a situation inevitably gives rise to a perception of a real likelihood of bias on the part of Mr. Paterson and creates a real possibility of a miscarriage of justice in the present case.

The gelding has outclassed Intercontinental as far as media coverage is concerned. with the turn of events. I look forward to be back on the track”. Yahia Nazroo told us “once a trainer wants to employ him, he can apply for his work permit.”

We learned that the MTC will initiate a fresh inquiry with Alain Rousset as

Communiqué Arena Following the Communiqué issued by the Mauritius Turf Club, we are instructed by Jockey Arena to set the record straight.

It is unacceptable that within an hour of an agreement proposed by the Mauritius Turf Club which was accepted and recorded by mutual agreement between the parties, in the presence of members of the Press, the Mauritius Turf Club has unilaterally changed the wording of the said agreement via the Communiqué it has published on its own website.

The first sentence in the Communiqué of the Mauritius Turf Club on its website regarding the appeal of Jockey Arena is grossly erroneous, inaccurate and misleading. The first sentence of the official statement read as follows: “The Appellant is not pressing with grounds 1 and 2 of the grounds of appeal and adds that he is not questioning the integrity of the inquiry process at the Mauritius Turf Club and that there is no imputation of “actual bias” against the Chairman of the Board of Racing Stewards, Mr. Paterson.”

What was written on the website reads as follows: The Appellant (Jockey G. Arena) did not press with his grounds of appeal questioning the integrity of the Chairman of the Board of Racing Stewards, Mr Ian Paterson. The Appellant further stated that he was not making any allegation of actual bias against the Chairman of Racing Stewards.

It is stressed that Jockey Arena never questioned the integrity of the inquiry process at the Mauritius Turf Club and that there is a major discrepancy between the Official Statement and the one published on the website of the Mauritius Turf Club.

The Mauritius Turf Club is invited to rectify this Communique immediately and accordingly.

Yahia Nazroo and Mikash Hassamal Counsel for Gregorio Arena

‘chairman’, probably by mid-October.

Meanwhile, the battle of communiqués goes on and the Saziwayogate have nice days ahead. Unfortunately!

Naushad KORIMDUN (naushadally@defimedia.info)

COMMUNIQUÉ MTC

Appeal of Jockey G. Arena – 02 october 2013

The Appellant (Jockey G. Arena) did not press with his grounds of appeal questioning the integrity of the Chairman of the Board of Racing Stewards, Mr Ian Paterson. The Appellant further stated that he was not making any allegation of actual bias against the Chairman of Racing Stewards. In the light of the stand taken by the Appellant and in order to render full transparency, the Mauritius Turf Club considered that there would be no impediment to a “de Novo” inquiry being held into the matter before a differently constituted board of Racing Stewards. Thereupon the Appellant stated that he would not press with his appeal. Whereupon the Board of Appeal invited the Appellant to withdraw his appeal with costs not to be refunded and to make a fresh application for an inquiry, to which the Mauritius Turf Club has no objection.

Benoit Halbwachs Yahia Nazroo and Mikash Hassamal General Manager Counsel for Gregorio Arena

Young counsel Mikash Hassamal is on his 1st case at the MTC.

EVENTS

4 - 10 October 2013 l N° 901 l PAGE 40

AMEENAH GURIB-FAKIM

launches Trees of the World

Trees and mankind share a symbiotic relationship. And Mrs Ameenah Gurib-Fakim chose to frame that relationship in her new book “Trees of the World’, a real Tree Manual for the common reader.

ABOUT 296 striking trees from around the globe are brought to life through 737 colour photographs and simple description. The book is subdivided into five parts, each part dealing with one continent, and highlights their respective contribution to the world’s tree lore. Trees and plants have always fascinated man from the dawn of time. Trees provide us with a variety of ecosystem services in terms of fruit, shades, shelter, firewood, raw materials such as timber, fodder for cattle and medicinal benefits.

Trees are highly valuable in many cultures and religions. There are more than 80,000 varieties of trees on earth. The book also showcases those plants which are endemic to Mauritius.

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has authored and co-authored several books, including the ‘Guide des

Plantes Tropicales de l’Ile Maurice et de La Réunion’ (2011), ‘African Herbal Pharmacopoeia (2010)’, ‘Towards a better understanding of Trees and Shrubs of Mauritius and the Indian Ocean Islands’ (2009), ‘Plantes Médicinales de Maurice et d’ailleurs (2007, 2011)’ and ‘Ressources végétales méconnues et sous-utilisées (2005)’.

The author has been conferred the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of Pierre and Marie Curie University (Sorbonnes). The ceremony for the award will be held in November 2013 at La Sorbonne in Paris. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is currently the Managing Director of the Centre for Phytotherapy Research. ‘Trees of the

World’ is currently on sale at Bookcourt.

Mumtaz SOOGUND

Rose Hill Transport innovates with low-floor buses

THE ROSE HILL Transport (RHT) bus company reaches a new milestone after nearly 60 years in operation. On Wednesday, the company officially launched two new ‘semi -low floor’ buses. The low chassis (only 69 cm from the ground, or 50 cm lower than traditional buses on our roads) and double side doors provide passengers with remarkable accessibility. The cabin is roomy for easy internal circulation while the facades have large windows, all contributing to passenger comfort as well as for the personnel. These

two brand new vehicles have a capacity of 43 seats, 5 standees; engines of latest technology, low CO2 emissions and are equipped with modern facilities such as ergonomic seats with armrests, a magazine holder and a can holder, air conditioning, free WIFI (also available throughout the fleet of RHT), universal charging points for mobile telephones and ergonomic handles for easy standing.

“These two air-conditioned Yutong buses from China mark an important milestone in the public transport history in Mauritius, with their worldwide reference security system and ensuring unparalleled comfort for passengers”, Sidharth Sharma , Managing Director

of RHT Bus Services Ltd said on the occasion. Sharma emphasized that safety remains a key element in RHT, which prompted the company to invest in these buses. “In addition to being equipped with GPS as all other RHT buses, they are equipped with surveillance cameras and a braking system with electric timer for added safety of our passengers.” RHT also offers the public a free hotline, 8001900, operating 7 days a week. The company currently has a fleet of 90 buses and employs 340 people.

Indradev CURPEN