John Dryden, an expat hero for a day
John Dryden is an Anglo-Mauritian who has been living in Mauritius for 30 years. He was the witness to a robbery on January 15, while he was waiting for his Mauritian wife in one of the streets of Port Louis. He didn't hesitate for a second to help the victim by tackling the thief. In an interview with the l'express.mu news website, the expat said that all he did was to act as a responsible citizen. He still believes that "Mauritius remains a paradise!" as these are things that happen all around the world.
COVID-19 vaccination in Mauritius
Until now, Mauritius has ordered 260,000 vaccines from a supplier that hasn't been revealed, though. Negotiations with the lab ended last week. In addition to these 260,000 doses, Mauritius will also receive vaccines guaranteed by COVAX, following an agreement with several African countries. India is also willing to offer a significant number of the Covaxin to Mauritius. However, it is not yet clear when and how the vaccination campaign will unfold.
The judicial investigation into the sinking of the Wakashio
The Court of Investigation to shed light on the sinking of the Wakashio began on January 19. The aim of this investigation, chaired by ex-judge Abdurraffeek Hamuth and two assessors, is to determine the cause of the ship's sinking. The hearings are being held at the former Supreme Court in Port Louis.
Unemployment in Mauritius
According to the Bank of Mauritius' monthly statistics bulletin, more than 62,000 people ended the year 2020 without a job. This is a 56% rise compared to last year, due to the economic crisis following the lockdown and border closures. Tourism and catering are the sectors that have been affected the most.
Cannabis cultivation
The cultivation, consumption and sale of cannabis are strictly prohibited in Mauritius. However, the government set up a technical committee on the legalisation of medicinal cannabis at the end of 2020. And according to local newspapers, about forty proposals on the modalities of legalisation have been received from the public. According to the l'Express newspaper, farmers have also expressed their interest in growing cannabis since sugarcane cultivation is declining on the island.
