<B>Unesco expert visits Le Morne site again</B>

A Unesco specialist, Dr Abunju, was back in Mauritius last week after a first visit in March. The visit concerned the inclusion of the Morne on the Unesco list of World Heritage sites. According to Bernard Perrine, chairman of the Morne Trust Fund Board, Dr Abunju’s mission had two main targets: the first was to give the trust fund some advice to assess the constraints of preservation of the site against the economic issues. He also helped the Trust Fund to finalise the management plan of the site. For the enrolment, the Trust Fund has to state how the site will be managed with respect to Unesco norms.

<B>Rachelle’s body repatriated</B>

The body of the young Mauritian woman who died in the bomb attacks in London on 7th July is arriving in Mauritius this morning. Rachelle Chung For Yuen, who was 27 years old, had been living in London with her husband for five years. Her body is being repatriated one week after the police force and her husband, Billy, managed to identify the body. Her husband and family are coming back on the same flight and the funeral will take place tomorrow.

<B>Ciel wants to start works on its IRS project</B>

Ciel Properties is waiting for the approval of the authorities to start work on luxury villas and a hotel in Beau-Champ. This project forms part of the Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS), which the present government criticised many times when it was in the opposition. Yet, the deputy prime minister and minister of Tourism, Xavier-Luc Duval, is said to have shown great interest in this project. If the government gives the green light, Ciel Properties intends to deliver the hotel and the first villas by the end of 2007.

<B>Dulloo asks for extension of AGOA derogation</B>

The first trip abroad of the new minister of Foreign Affairs, Madan Dulloo, was aimed at saving the textile industry. He was in Dakar last week and spoke in favour of the extension of the derogation to the regulations of the third country fabric until 2015. This derogation, from which Mauritius is supposed to benefit for one year only, allows the countries concerned by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to import their raw materials from other countries than those of Sub-Saharan Africa.

<B>Air access back on the agenda</B>

Air access policy is a major item for the government. The social alliance had promised to “open the sky” to more airlines but it warned that this would be done gradually. For the French market alone, two companies were in competition : Star Airlines and Corsair. The latter was in Mauritius last week to meet the new government and make sure their demand will not be shelved. The government has not made any promises but it can expect many other airlines to ask for meetings…

<B>Price of chicken on the rise</B>

The kilogram of fresh and frozen chicken has increased by Rs 2 to Rs 4. The main producers, Food and Allied Limited and Happy World Foods have both increased their prices. They say this increase was inevitable since production costs have gone up while prices in supermarkets have remained the same. By-products such as burgers and “catless” could also suffer from the rise. Poulet Arc-en-Ciel, a third chicken producer, also intends to increase its prices soon.

<B>Free transport in the pipeline</B>

The government will keep its promise of giving free transport free to students and old people. This initiative may cost about Rs 800 million to the State. The deputy prime minister, Rashid Beebeejaun, chaired a ministerial committee last week to set up the project.

He has thus committed the government to starting the system in September. But it might take some time to run smoothly.

<B>Environment should be saved</B>

Despite promises made by the government that it would stop the construction of the South Eastern Highway as soon as it got in power, the work is still going on. “Everyone has to realise that this project lies within the framework of a global project for the development of the south eastern region,” declared the acting PM, Rashid Beebeejaun during a site visit at the weekend. However, the government promises to limit all damage to the environment. “I insist on the fact that no endemic plant will disappear,” said the minister of the Environment, Anil Bachoo. A proposal for a change in the path of the highway is under study.