This week, Mauritius made headlines with several noteworthy events. New data regarding inflation and tourism were published, World Environment Day was celebrated, and updates were made to the Safe City surveillance cameras.
Inflation rate experiences a decline
The latest bulletin from Statistics Mauritius revealed a significant decrease in the inflation rate. It dropped from 11.8% in January to 8.3% in April, and further down to 7.9% in May. This positive trend is an improvement compared to the 10.7% recorded the previous year. However, the consumer price index (CPI) remains high at 131.2, compared to 121.6 a year ago. Consumers continue to suffer from the rising prices, particularly in supermarkets where various products, including food, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages, have seen price increases.
World Environment Day festivities in Mauritius
Mauritius joined the global celebration of World Environment Day. The Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management, and Climate Change organized the Environmental Awards 2023 to encourage eco-friendly lifestyles, sustainable resource management, recycling, reuse, and waste reduction. The event was attended by the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr. Prithvirajsing Roopun, and the Minister of Environment, Kavydass Ramano. The Environmental Awards recognized outstanding initiatives in eleven thematic sectors, such as the textile industry, food industry, supermarkets, media, NGOs, waste and resource management, finance, tourism, local authorities, public sector, and educational institutions.
Over 500,000 tourists since January
Regarding tourism, Statistics Mauritius reported that 514,258 tourists visited Mauritius in the first five months of the year. January welcomed 107,684 visitors, followed by 91,850 in February, 105,663 in March, 109,031 in April, and 100,030 in May. The majority of tourists, totaling 507,575, arrived by air, while 6,683 arrived by sea. European visitors accounted for the largest share with 344,608, followed by 111,436 from Africa. France remained the primary market with 134,202 visitors in the first five months. In May alone, 22,664 French tourists chose to stay in Mauritius.
Safe City network receives an upgrade
The Safe City network in Mauritius has undergone a comprehensive update. Selected ITS and IVS smart surveillance cameras have been configured, calibrated, and replaced in various locations throughout the country. Back in 2019, Mauritius Telecom partnered with Huawei to launch the Safe City project. Since then, nearly 2,000 intelligent cameras have been strategically installed across the island to tackle crime and enforce traffic regulations.
These cameras employ advanced artificial intelligence technology to remotely identify faces using facial recognition. They also capture high-quality images of vehicle license plates, enabling effective law enforcement. Moreover, the cameras can provide approximate information about the gender and age of individuals captured on footage. Additionally, they have the capability to track movements and monitor the routes taken by suspicious vehicles, aiding police investigations.
Mauritius Telecom has plans to expand the Safe City network even further. Approximately 4,000 additional cameras of similar capabilities are slated for installation at nearly 2,000 sites nationwide. Recently, the company has been upgrading faulty cameras and replacing them in specific locations. This practice will become a regular part of their maintenance efforts going forward.
