Two days ago, petrol reached the record price of US$ 90 a barrel on the N-Y market. When I wrote the following warning a few months ago (in l?express and Business Magazine), crude was hovering between $54 and $ 65, already a huge increase on the price of below $ 6 just a few decades ago. ?With petroleum in a few years at 200 dollars a barrel and then (with or without STC) unavailable at any price, Mauritius, which has no known oil reserves, is taking a very short-term view by closing sugar factories and removing sugarcane plantations when this resource could in fact ensure it energy independence in the future.?

We are still failing to plan (long-term) the key sector of energy independence. The incomprehensible delay in finali-sing the EU/Mauritius Sugar-sector Support Programme could be some sort of blessing in disguise IF we take this opportunity to discuss, develop, decide upon and implement that crucial energy policy for the next ten, 20, or 40 years. Based of course on sugar and other bio-fuels, on wind and solar, all at industrial levels, not just at a piecemeal level of a few solar water-heaters and a few solar lampposts. Or the continued indecision concerning development of a rapid transit systems running on renewable energy or our appetite for an enlarged fleet of public buses running today on cheap diesel, unavailable tomorrow and luxury cars running on petrol unavailable tomorrow.

Modern development is based on strong understanding of three pillars: economy, ecology and energy. A personal assessment is that, today, at Government level, we are fairly strong on the former (i.e. economy), poor on ecology and so far close to nil on ensuring our future long-term energy viability. That energy element is so crucial to our common future that it?s one more case of a matter being totally beyond partisan party politics. All national competencies in this area are not being utilised here! It?s not too late to start now!

Dr Michael ATCHIA