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.
Author: APEC
Single-use plastic products banned, Jan. 15, 2021
The “Environment Protection (Control of Single Use Plastic Products) Regulations 2020” that will ban ten plastic products in the island as from January 15, 2021 has been issued on Wednesday 22 July, 2020.
The plastic products that will be banned are as follows: plastic cutlery (forks, spoons, knives, chop sticks), disposable plates, straws, drink stirrers (stirrer), containers with hinged lids, lids of plastic containers and single-use plastic, disposable (take-away) containers.
Three months after, i.e on April 15, 2021, straws attached to the drink cartons, disposable trays and containers with hinged lids used only for drinking, packaging of raw (fresh) and refrigerated products such as fruit, meat, seafood and chicken will also be banned in Mauritius. No individual will have the right to own, use, sell, distribute, import and manufacture the above-mentioned plastic products. Offenders will be liable to a fine as follows: fine not exceeding Rs 2,000 for possession and use of plastic products, fine not exceeding Rs 20,000 for sale and distribution, fine not exceeding Rs 50,000 for import and fine not exceeding Rs 100,000 for manufacturing.
Smart Agriculture Project launched
Various agro-ecological farming equipment were remitted to four farmers of the region of La Laura under the ‘Smart Agriculture Project’. The aim of the project which is to reduce the use of pesticides and insecticides to ensure better quality and safer production of fruits and vegetables, as well as to protect the environment. The adverse impacts of the exposure of pesticides on both the environment and our health, while underlining the alarming spike in cases of cancers.
Pesticides and insecticides have been used by farmers to deal with the challenges that tropical countries face in terms of weather conditions, as well as prevalence of pests and diseases. The shift to agro-ecological production systems will necessitate a gradual transition.
The Covid-19 pandemic has underlined the crucial need to boost local food production systems and strengthen food security so as to decrease reliance on imports. The country is bestowed with fertile soil and favourable climate conditions for agriculture and planters should avail themselves of governmental facilities and consider the cultivation of tropical plants such as avocado and breadfruit.
Road safety: Increase in speeding contraventions
Police booked 137 drivers in the last two days – the figures have increased steadily in recent weeks with an average of 140 tickets per day.
A total of 26,504 drivers were booked during the last six months of the year. This is due to an increase in the number of police operations. The objective is to strengthen controls in order to reduce the number of road accidents.
Government Wage Assistance Scheme and Self-Employed Assistance Scheme extended for the month of June
The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) informs the public that the Government Wage Assistance Scheme (GWAS) and the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme (SEAS) have been extended for the month of June 2020 to operators having the necessary licence/permit from the relevant authorities to operate the following activities:
(a) Tourism sector
1. Hotels, guest houses, tourist residences and domains;
2. Tourist enterprises, except restaurants, pubs and tables d’hôte;
3. Pleasure crafts engaged in commercial nautical activities;
4. Travel agencies, tour operators, tourist guides or canvassers;
5. National airline including Air Mauritius Ltd and Airmate Ltd;
6. Businesses deriving at least 50% of their income from goods sold or services provided to persons engaged in tourism activities as listed at (a)(1) to (5) above*.
7. Restaurants, pubs, tables d’hôte holding a tourist enterprise licence**;
8. Contract car businesses, event management companies**; and
9. Attractions, amusement parks, natural sites and museums**.
However a self-employed engaged in activities falling under item (6) above is entitled to GWAS only.
**Items (7) to (9) are applicable to businesses whose turnover has fallen by more than 50% in June 2020 as compared to the corresponding turnover in June 2019. However, this condition does not apply to an enterprise which has been set up after June 2019.
(b) Premises that remained closed or activities that were not allowed to be carried out under Covid-19 Regulations 2020
1. Fitness centres (gymnasium/sports complex);
2. Horse racing, bookmakers, casinos and gaming houses;
3. Leisure parks, amusement centres, including aquariums;
4. Multi-purpose halls, including wedding halls;
5. Nightclubs and private clubs licensed by the Tourism Authority;
6. Professional sports, and
7. Theatres and cinema halls.
(c) Self-employed
1. Artists;
2. Haberdashers operating in a market fair;
3. Holders of a license, certificate or permit issued by the Tourism Authority or Beach Authority other than for skippers and non-commercial pleasure crafts;
4. Persons making handicrafts;
5. Persons working in school canteen, and
6. Taxi drivers operating at the airport, or based at a hotel.
COVID-19 : plus de risques pour les asthmatiques ?
Selon une nouvelle étude, les patients asthmatiques ne semblent pas être exposés à un risque accru de contracter la COVID-19, ou de maladie plus grave que ceux qui ne souffrent pas d’asthme. L’étude, menée par des chercheurs de l’Université Rutgers dans le New Jersey aux Etats-Unis a été publiée dans le Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Par ailleurs, si l’asthme n’augmente pas le risque de contracter la COVID-19, les infections respiratoires chroniques sont liées à un risque de décès plus élevé chez les patients dans un état grave et hospitalisés. C’est ce qui ressort d’une étude britannique réalisée à la demande du NHS England. Elle est basée sur les dossiers médiaux de 17 millions de personnes, dont 5 683 sont décédées de la COVID-19.
No visa for foreign students in case of online courses
The US government will “not give visas to students enrolled in fully online programs in the fall and border guards will not let them enter the country,” Immigration and Customs Police (ICE) said in a press release.
As for students already present in the United States, “they must leave the country or take other measures, such as enrolling in a school with courses in person to maintain their legal status.” Otherwise, they may be “facing eviction,” it added.
The measure concerns F1 (for academic studies) or M1 (for professional training) visas. About 1.2 million people had them in March, the vast majority of them Asian (Chinese, Indian, South Korean), according to official data.
Like the rest of the country, American universities, which account for 5.5% of international students on average and depend heavily on their tuition fees, closed their doors in March and switched to online education in an attempt to stem the pandemic. In the absence of vaccines, some, including the State University of California or the prestigious Harvard University, have announced that they will continue with courses 100% online at the start of the school year, even for students authorized to live on the campus.
Mauritius: GNI reaches 12,740 US $
In 2019, Mauritius’ GNI amounted to $ 12,740, an increase of 3.5% compared to 2018. Thus, Mauritius reaches the status of high income country, the second in Africa after the Seychelles, and it has become a high income country.
The classification established by the World Bank of more than 190 countries, is based on Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.
According to the World Bank, this performance reflects the efforts and dedication of Mauritians to offer a better future for their children. It is a great success for Mauritius in the long term, according to this international organization.
Plastic bags / pollution control
On the World Day without plastic bags celebrated on this Friday, July 3, 2020, the Environmental Police appealed to all Mauritians not to pollute the beaches that are accessible again after a period of three months but they are more polluted. Police controls have been stepped up and police says it will act severely against the offenders. It also recalls that the law provides for a fine of Rs 10,000 rupees and imprisonment for the offenders.
Mauritius joins the group of high-income countries
Mauritius joins the very limited club of high income countries established by the World Bank. The Gross Domestic Product per capita of Mauritius reached US $ 12,740, an increase of 3.5% compared to 2018. This propelled the Mauritian economy in this first category of the World Bank which includes several advanced countries. Mauritius is the second African country to be part of this prestigious list after the Seychelles.