Month: August 2020

MV Wakashio: “Commission D’enquête”

Posted by APEC on in Press

Open Letter to Hon  Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime ministre, Minister of Defence, Home Affairs and External Communications, Minister for Rodrigues, Outer Islands and Territorial Integrity

MV Wakashio: “Commission D’enquête”

Following the ecological disaster, which the stranding of the MV Wakashio represents, there are numerous questions being raised and even lesser answers being obtained. In the face of such obscure times, it is imperative for an Inquiry Commission “commission d’enquête” to be instituted to sift through the oil and bring the truth to light.

Admits the several questions being raised, the most pertinent one is why did the MV Wakashio hit our reefs? The shipping lane passing close to the Mauritian coast is in fact one of the most concentrated shipping lanes in the world connecting Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Satellite data has revealed that the MV Wakashio had been on a collision course with Mauritius for several days and was much further North than other vessels using this shipping lane. Furthermore, the MV Wakashio, was travelling at 11 knots, which whilst being standard for bulk carrier ships at sea, did not show any slow down prior to impact. 

Vessel transponders tracked from space show the MV Wakashio crossed the Indian Ocean and entered the national waters (Exclusive Economic Zone) of Mauritius on 23rd July 2020, two days prior to it’s grounding on Sunday 25th July 2020. This raises questions about why the vessel’s GPS tracking did not indicate that it was heading toward an impact with land, or why the National Coast Guard did not intervene with sufficient warning, given the clear trajectory toward the island. The possibility of insurance fraud cannot be discarded.

The fact that the MV Wakashio was so far off course on a direct hit to Mauritius raises alarming questions regarding national security, coastal protection and border control. The National Coast Guard has failed to do its only job, which is to guard our coasts. Early detection of the ship’s course and an early intervention by the National Coast Guard would have certainly prevented a disaster of this scale. This is violation of section 3 of the Maritime Zones Act.

Once the ship hit our reefs on the 25th July 2020, the Government did not give it the priority it deserved and judged the risk of oil spillage as “average” when the MV Wakashio was carrying 4,000 tons of heavy bunker fuel. Had the Government declared a state of emergency then and there, deployed booms and conveyed vessels to pump the fuel out of the MV Wakashio, our clear pristine waters would still be as blue.

There are concerns that the Director of Environment has mismanaged the crisis leading to NGO’s and Mauritian citizens having to get involved to protect our coasts, despite the clear order from the Government to leave the clean-up to local authorities. The Director of Environment must be held accountable and brought before the Inquiry Commission to provide explanations on the management of this ecological crisis and answer why despite being mandated to act and having resources at his disposal, Mauritian citizens had to take matters in their own hands.   There is violation of the Merchant Shipping Act.

Suttyhudeo Tengur

President

13 August 2020

MV Wakashio: Local Laws have priority over International Conventions.

Posted by APEC on in Newsletter

Open Letter to members of Parliament

The MV Wakashio, believed to have been carrying 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil, ran aground on a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius on 25th July 2020. The MV Wakashio has started leaking the fuel about twelve days after it hit the coral reef, endangering the marine ecosystem, more specifically the Blue Bay Marine Park and the Ramsar site of Pointe D’Esny.

The Environment Act gives the power to the Director of environment “to direct the owner of the pollutant which is spilled, or any other person, to take such action within such period of time as he may specify in order to- (a) prevent, eliminate, or reduce the adverse environmental effects of the spill; (b) restore as far as is practicable the environment to its previous state; (c) dispose of, or in any way deal with, the pollutant or any object reasonably suspected to be affected by the pollutant.” 

The Director of environment has indicated that he is unable to take quick actions to counter the spillage because of international conventions and protocols. However, the MV Wakashio is not currently in international waters but is lodged into the coral reef on the coast of Mauritius which entails that the local laws take priority. The Director must do more than be overly administrative and await for international help in the face of this national crisis of unprecedented magnitude.

According to Article 5 of the International Convention on Salvage, nothing in the Convention itself shall affect any provisions of national law or any international convention relating to salvage operations by or under the control of public authorities. The extent to which a public authority under a duty to perform salvage operations may avail itself of the rights and remedies provided for in this Convention shall be determined by the law of the State where such authority is situated.

Furthermore, Article 9 of the International Convention on Salvage, the Coastal State concerned, i.e Mauritius, can take measures in accordance with generally recognized principles of international law to protect its coastline or related interests from pollution or the threat of pollution following upon a maritime casualty or acts relating to such a casualty which may reasonably be expected to result in major harmful consequences, including the right of a coastal State to give directions in relation to salvage operations.

The Prime Minister has declared a state of emergency on Friday but so far the measures being taken to respond to the threat that the oil spillage represents are flimsy.

Mauritius is home to world renowned coral reefs and endemic species and the Government is relying on promised international help to control and eliminate the oil spillage. It is my view that given the provisions of the International Convention on Salvage and the priority that local laws have over international protocol, more so in situations of national emergency, it is imperative for the Salvage Manager and the Government to mobilise local resources to coordinate efforts and take urgent measures to protect our reefs and marine ecosystem.

Suttyhudeo Tengur

President

11 August 2020

MV Wakashio cloué en mer depuis deux semaines, près de Pointe d’Esny

Posted by APEC on in Environment, Press

MV Wakashio cloué en mer depuis deux semaines, près de Pointe d’Esny

Maintenant, son huile qui fuit et affecte notre environnement marin

Que font les autorités, dont le PM, qui a pleins pouvoirs pour agir ?

Le vraquier battant pavillon panaméen MV Wakashio, échoué à 11,5 milles marins sur la voie maritime commune près de Pointe D’Esny, à Mahébourg, depuis bientôt quinze jours, fuit désormais du pétrole.

Le ministère de l’Environnement dit avoirété informé qu’il y a une brèche dans le navire et qu’il y a une fuite d’huile. D’où, précise-t-il, que le public en général, y compris les plaisanciers et les pêcheurs sont priés de ne pas s’aventurer sur la plage et dans le lagon de la région. Les pêcheurs et les exploitants de bateaux sont également priés de retirer immédiatement leurs bateaux de la plage et du lagon.

Selon le ministère, «toutes les zones hautement sensibles, y compris le site Ramsar de Pointe d’Esny et le parc marin de Blue Bay sont protégés par des barrages et toutes les autorités compétentes sont mobilisées sur place pour toute action nécessaire ».

Est-ce tout ce qui peut être fait pour cet incident catastrophique qui s’est produit dans nos mers et nos plages fragiles ? Que disent nos lois sur les fuites et les déversements qui se produisent dans nos mers et nos lagons? Première question? Existe-t-il une loi qui régit notre environnement? Oui, il y en a, et que dit-elle?

Il est clair d’après l’Environment Act, en date de 2002, “that where a major threat to the environment is posed as a result of a spill or otherwise, the Prime Minister may in consultation with the Minister, declare an environmental emergency.” L’incident du MV Wakashio s’est produit, il y a 15 jours, nous n’avons encore rien entendu à ce sujet.

Plus loin, la loi dit ceci : « The Prime Minister may give such direction as he thinks fit to any public department for the purpose of the protection of the environment.”

Elle s’interroge même: “What are the circumstances of the spill; and (ii) any action taken or proposed to be taken in relation to the spill; (c) do everything practicable to- (i) prevent, eliminate or reduce the adverse effects of the spill; (ii) restore the environment to the state it was prior to the spill.”

L’Environment Act donne aussi le pouvoir au directeur de l’Environnement, “to direct the owner of the pollutant which is spilled, or any other person, to take such action within such period of time as he may specify in order to- (a) prevent, eliminate, or reduce the adverse environmental effects of the spill; (b) restore as far as is practicable the environment to its previous state; (c) dispose of, or in any way deal with, the pollutant or any object reasonably suspected to be affected by the pollutant.”

L’Attorney-General est aussi interpellé: “Where damage is caused by a spill to the environment, or to any property, object or thing which is not the subject of private ownership, the Attorney-General may claim damages against the owner of the pollutant….all costs and expenses incurred as a result of – any Clean-up or removal operation; any measure taken to prevent, eliminate or reduce the adverse effects of a spill on the environment.”

Qu’attendons-nous pour agir ? Désormais, la balle est entre les mains du Premier ministre et celles de son ministre de l’Environnement. Ils devraient se hâter maintenant… sinon, cette partie de notre environnement marin est condamnée. Les dégâts peuvent être irréversibles.

Suttyhudeo Tengur

Président

7 août 2020

Sinusitis on the rise in Mauritius

Posted by APEC on in Uncategorised


Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinuses where these air-filled cavities located in the bones of the skull communicate with the nose. Sinusitis is most often a complication of the common cold. Acute sinusitis lasts a few weeks.

In Mauritius, cases related to sinusitis are on the rise in this winter season. Hospital figures released show the number of identified cases increased by about 60% between June and July 2020. It is also said that of the 300 patients who attend daily the hospitals of the country, 90% are linked to sinus inflammation or allergies.

Renewable sources of energy

Posted by APEC on in Environment

Statistics Mauritius has indicated that electricity generated from renewable sources increased from 649 GWh to 702 GWh, up by 8.2%. Landfill gas decreased by 13.0% from 23 GWh to 20 GWh, hydro decreased by 20.8% from 125 GWh to 99 GWh and photovoltaic increased by 163.3% from 49 GWh to 129 GWh. Electricity generated from bagasse increased by 0.7% from 437 GWh to 440 GWh and wind remained almost same at around 15 GWh.