In the news this week, a festival to celebrate African arts and culture launched, municipal elections postponed and a mega-beach clean up organized.
Launch of a platform to promote African arts and culture
On Thursday, May 25, the Africa 2023 Consortium unveiled a platform in Mauritius dedicated to promoting African arts and culture. Over the course of May 25 to 27, various activities will take place at the Caudan Waterfront, including exhibitions showcasing fashion, jewelry, sculpture, modern painting, and photography. Additionally, there will be an international design conference, a fashion network exhibition, an African creative village, and the Fim Afrikin festival.
Municipal elections postponed for the third time
Once again, municipal elections in Mauritius have been delayed, sparking discussions about democracy and the challenges faced by local authorities. During a government press conference on Saturday, May 20, Minister Avinash Teeluck explained that the postponement aimed to address structural issues within local authorities before proceeding with elections in the five municipalities. This marks the third postponement of the municipal elections, with the previous one occurring eight years ago.
Mauritius participates in the G20 Mega Beach Clean Up
This Sunday, the Ministry of the Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, along with the Beach Authority and the High Commission of the Republic of India, organized a beach and lagoon clean-up event on Flic-en-Flac beach. The initiative was part of India's G20 presidency, aiming to raise awareness about coastal and marine pollution while encouraging community participation. Simultaneously, a significant beach clean-up took place in Mumbai. This campaign spanned over 30 beaches in India, G20 member countries, and countries invited to the 2023 G20 Summit by India. The primary objective was to promote waste recycling in accordance with the G20 action plan on marine litter, rather than disposing of it in the ocean.
Soon, 200 new social housing units in Souillac
On Wednesday, Pravind Jugnauth presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of 200 housing units in Souillac, located on Terracine Road. The National Social Living Development Ltd (NSLD) will oversee this project. In his speech, the Prime Minister mentioned that the government's original plan was to build 12,000 affordable housing units for the most vulnerable, but the project had faced delays due to the pandemic, inflation, and the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Now, the project will be carried out in two phases.
The first phase will focus on constructing approximately 8,000 housing units, with various sites identified across the island by relevant ministries and departments. Additionally, the project will prioritize ecological measures such as rainwater harvesting, the use of solar panels, and appropriate waste management systems.
