T.Laveri

What the two main blocks must tell the people clearly…

…and spell out in concrete terms, no less, is what they are going to do about the following issues, and the timeframe.

1. The daily traffic from the south into and from the capital: they have encouraged the sale of new and reconditioned cars, and all the major towns and cities are now choking with vehicular congestion. Even the new cybercity at Ebene.

2. Daily sexual aggression against minors in particular. In spite of statistics cited that that the numbers of such crimes are less than last year, the fact remains that they are taking place almost unabated, and each one is worse than the other.
What do they propose for the enhanced safety of children?

3. The practice of appointing advisers in ministries for political reasons rather than for any special competence they possess: we suggest that they undertake an audit of advisers currently in post, and make public the latter’s contributions to the respective sectors.
This audit must be carried out by an independent body consisting of say, ex-PS’s with above board track records – even if they are perceived to be from an adversarial party (but what does this mean in these days of permanent coalition politics!) — and also some cadres from the private sector.

4. The increasing carbon footprint being caused by expanding the area of the island under cement: malls, cybercities, road construction — all of which are replacing greenery, trees, land under agriculture.
Witness the new road from Wooton to Belle Rive – the trees lining the old road have all been destroyed and no new ones planted as replacement and in compensation.
The Chinese village coming up at Riche Terre and the Indian one at Les Salines: have guarantees of environmental protection been obtained or is it going to be développement sauvage?
Why can’t the logic of preservation of the Ferney Valley be applied, adapted as required?

5. Management of solid waste: is there a master plan? What about Mare Chicose, has it been forgotten?

6. Power generation: what are the true figures? And the true costs of electricity production? It is always the consumers to whom these are passed on. What was the deal with the Independent Power Producers that favoured and protected them against fluctuations? Perhaps the MMM could enlighten us, as this deal was done during its mandate?

7. The Nicky Tan Report on the MCB scandal: why has it never been made public? Who will dare inform the people about its contents? And where are the Rs. 800 million savings of the taxpayers gone?

8. Ensuring uninterrupted water-supply to the population: we have had enough of hearing that 50% of the water from Mare-aux-Vacoas reservoir is lost in distribution. What is planned to remedy this situation?
And is there a programme to encourage rain water harvesting at national level?
With all these constructions going on and whole villages being implanted, what thought has been given to cope with the increasing water needs? We need to be reassured that consideration is being given to this aspect of development so that chronic water shortages and cuts become rarer, the exception rather than the rule as is the case these days whether it is summer or winter!

9. The gambling culture: we would like to hear from Vishnu Lutcmeenaraidoo on this matter. Or even from the Alliance de l’Avenir – anything has come from the enquiry that was commissioned on the gambling houses?

10. The 5-star treatment given to hardened criminals and drug traffickers in Beau Bassin prison: no wonder they keep trying to be in rather than out! If, as is being argued, the introduction of capital punishment is not likely to end criminality, then what is the sustainable and credible alternative? Meanwhile, innocent people will keep being killed. Near and dear ones will keep crying the loss of their close ones, children and families will be brutally torn apart emotionally, and fall into difficult times for no fault of their own, making them vulnerable to predators of all sorts.

And this list is not exhaustive…

T. Laveri