● ELECTORAL REFORM BEFORE NEXT ELECTION ? The prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, is adamant that the electoral reform will take place ?well before 2010?. He made a first statement in Parliament to this effect but said he was waiting for the ?dust to settle in the opposition?. But he made it clear one day later that this did not mean that he needed full consensus on the issue. ?The electoral reform is such a serious issue that it needs a degree of consensus as the Sachs report states it. I did not say that I was waiting for total consensus; this would be impossible to achieve,? he said in response to an editorial in ?l?express? on Wednesday.

● NPC FINALLY ESTABLISHED ? The National Pay Council (NPC) finally met yesterday. The representatives of employers, unionists and government will have to submit the amount of wage compensation for this year before 31st May. The NPC is replacing the concept of tripartite negotiations and wants to have more leeway with an ?independent personality? as the chairman, Sen Ramsamy. Unions have, however, decided to boycott the new institution, as they contest the fact that inflation should be only one of the criteria to define the compensation. Moreover, the Mauritius Trade Union Congress has suspended three of its members ? Yusuf Sooklall, Ramesh Maudhoo and Dewan Quedou ? who have accepted to sit on the NPC. The two other unionists on the NPC are Fritz Thomas and Radhakrishna Somanah.

● MORE REGULAR TESTS ON MEDICINES ? In the light of the recent conclusions of a South-African laboratory about substandard medicines in Mauritian hospitals, the ministry of Health is taking steps. Minister Faugoo made it clear that, as soon as he was informed of these conclusions, he asked that such tests be made on a more regular basis for common diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma. He, however, added that three of the four manufacturers involved in the case were disputing the tests and their clarifications were sent to the laboratory. ?There might be a margin of error,? said the minister. Both the ministry and the Institute for Consumer Protection are waiting for the laboratory?s conclusions before taking any action.