Alain JEANNOT

On 12th October 1492, Christopher Columbus disembarked on a Bahamas island and forever changed the course of history. The route to America discovered on that day fostered the seed of globalisation. While potato and maize have contributed in preventing famine in the world, indigenous tobacco has ruined millions of lives on planet Earth.

On the other hand, Europeans shared new diseases such as influenza with the natives whose body defence mechanisms were unprepared to fight these germs. They thus died in large numbers. It is believed influenza and the likes were more efficient in conquering the New World than weapons. Influenza, a highly contagious disease, actually means malign influence from the stars. This name was given, in absence of scientific explanation, for such an infection, blaming it on heavenly bodies.

We now not only know that influenza is caused by a virus but we can also protect ourselves through vaccine, proper diet and good hygiene. Having gone global, the disease is recognised by our body defence mechanism and is in general curable, unless some strains such as bird flu are transmitted to men on a large scale. Like other diseases, influenza obeys the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment trilogy while prevention remains an essential aspect in fighting the disease.

We can similarly ask ourselves whether the increasing daily reports of criminal acts echoed by the media are only symptoms of an epidemic to come or else indicative of the presence of an incurable crime plague in our beloved country. I refuse to believe in the second scenario, although reports of more and more organized groups of criminals impel a rapidly dismissed second thought.

Some wrongdoers are in fact specialising and upgrading their activities, like those who circulate in cars rather than motorbikes to target vulnerable road users as reported in l?express of 4th October. In any case, there is a need to take stock of the situation at all levels, bring the necessary treatments, create more awareness to preventive measures and monitor the disease, which mutates rapidly to fool the antibodies and vaccines.

Why not, for instance, have more police presence on the road? An increase in bike patrols and proximity police might help disinfect the environment and prevent the growth of crime germs. Mauritius is the second country in the world with the highest police to inhabitant ratio; is this expressed in terms of visibility on the roads and public places?

Making the modus operandi of criminals known to people helps them in taking necessary precautions against an attack. Therefore outside the press, TV and radio programmes dedicated to fighting crime might help in reducing the drift. Is there a need to control and educate about the globalised glorification of violence and crime, which is infecting our society through movies, video games, clips and other medias? If so, why not create more awareness in schools, social centres and media?

Respecting the rights of criminals should not be pushed to the point of compromising victims? right for justice. This imbalance, even if it is a perception, might send a wrong signal of impunity. Like any disease, crime should be kept under check constantly, failing which it pervades society and keeps the country in a permanently sick state.

Sailing westward in the unknown waters was a risky adventure but it did pay for those who believed in Columbus? vision. It might take much less to fight crime in Mauritius, all depends how far we are ready to believe the vision of a crime-free country and work to reinforce measures to attain that objective. No need to have discovered America to do so; it only requires goodwill and resources, we can start today.