by Saoud BACCUS [email protected]

This past weekend saw another wave of criminal activities ? and it was not even full moon: Rs 1.3 m stolen during a daring hold-up at a petrol station, another Rs 200,000 from a restaurant owner. These crimes are becoming all too familiar that it is no longer outrageous. Another woman was found in a sugarcane field after her body had been set alight. Just when you think you?ve seen it all, another horrific crime tops the list.

We now learn that two brothers, and three of their friends, had sexually abused their ten-year-old sister. This one must rank among the most despicable crimes this country has witnessed. Why this crime is shocking to even the most seasoned crime watchers is that brothers usually see it as their duty to protect their younger sisters, especially in a conservative society like Mauritius. In this case, not only are the brothers the perpetrators of this reprehensible act but they also invited their friends to rape their sisters. So shocked must have been the Office of the Ombudsperson for Children that not a word has come out of its mouth to protect those for which it exists!

White-colour criminals should not feel outdone though. They too have been very busy rolling up their sleeves lately. Some people associated with the smooth running of the municipality of Quatre-Bornes have allegedly found illicit ways to make ends meet by selling what they should not.

In the scandal section of corporate Mauritius, the Development Bank of Mauritius is doing its darn best not to lose the coveted top stop. It is now mired in yet another disgrace; this time, we are told that it has written off millions in bad debts. Someone should be checking out its books and let us know whose debts have been written off. We may be surprised to learn that well-heeled and influential Mauritians have taken out huge loans knowing in advance that they never intended to repay them back. The general public has the right to know who the beneficiaries of these freebies are because the bank is run with money from the public treasury. With Parliament back for another working session, perhaps someone can be brave enough to pop up the question. Why not the same fearless person who asked about the NHDC sweetheart deals? It will do him a lot of good in his bid to be politically credible. Both types of crimes ? white and blue-coloured ? must make us stop for a minute and reflect on what?s going on in this country. It is very easy to sit back, shake our heads and shrug it off. But when we are constantly told that we live in an Etat de droit, where there are laws to protect the poor, the weak and the destitute, yet crimes are on the rise on the streets and concocted around the mahogany table, we need to start demanding answers. Preferably not from sociologists.