If it would be hard to conceive that Lee Hsien Loong, prime minister of Singapore and son of former prime minister Lee Kwan Yew, could one day fall victim to a vicious housebreaking and burglary in his country; would it not be equally foolhardy to dismiss the audacious robbery at Pravind Jugnauth?s residence as just another news item? This regrettable incident should, on the contrary, be given due consideration. It is sending an alarming indication about the level of unscrupulousness reached by some wrongdoers on Paradise Island.

We can easily ask ourselves to what extent we can be safe if high profile personalities are themselves victims of criminals.

The parallel drawn between Pravind Jugnauth and Lee Hsien Loong is, you would agree, not so far fetched. Hence, every Mauritian citizen should feel even more concerned about the issue of law and order and should work with the authorities to help improve the situation. It would be interesting to find out why a country like Singapore, with four times more citizens than Mauritius and seven times more tourists despite its smaller size, regrets less criminal cases than us.

It is not, among other reasons, because of the sense of discipline and accountability, which reigns in Merlion land? How disciplined are we in Mauritius? How far are people brought to be accountable for their actions? Is there not a feeling of impunity reigning among wrongdoers especially with an armada of defenders eager to publicly ensure that their rights be respected if they are brought to justice?

Additionally, are we really watching the sign of the times and paying attention to what those who dig the fields of social service are saying? Let?s take this recent reflection of Ali Lazer who asked himself how far we could move in improving the law and order situation when so many unemployed drug addicts have to find other ways, mostly dubious, to satisfy their craving at the monthly rate of Rs 30,000! Is this not ringing a bell for even more awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and the need for more prevention at all levels?

While measures like frequent police arrests and introduction of methadone therapy for both male and female addicts count among the laudable anti-drug actions led by the authorities, would it not be appropriate to develop an even more aggressive prevention strategy using the powerful media and other outlets so we all could be informed and feel concerned about that scourge?

Has Malaysia not set a target in time to free the country from the grip of narcotics by earmarking year 2015 as the ultimate deadline for a drug free country? Yet this South Asian state, which counts 25 million citizens is 150 times larger than Mauritius and enjoys a drug addiction rate well below that our little island.

Setting a deadline to make of our island a drug-free country might look like an unreachable goal, yet it might send a strong signal of how committed we are in fighting this evil. Additionally, by so doing, we will surely be contributing to reduce crime rate.

Now that their aim of a low crime country has been fulfilled, Singaporeans seek the unreachable ?No crime land?, through the motto ?Low crime does not mean no crime?.

Are they to blame for aiming high? I do not think so because it is only at that price that from top to bottom they all can be safe!