A computer is simply a device that transforms input into output. In the case of Mauritius, viewed as a computer, the input is the number of ships calling into Port-Louis harbour and the resulting output is the traffic flowing towards that city. Just do a thought experiment and you will see that this is in fact the case. Make Port-Louis a harbour without ships and the traffic flowing into that city would decrease considerably; double the number of the ships and the traffic volume would shoot up drastically. Concerning the computer programme (a set of logical statements) that processes the input into output, it is all inside our heads.

Since Port-Louis is the main commercial hub, our common sense dictates that our main towns should lie in its vicinity. Thus, they are concentrated along the Port-Louis-Curepipe corridor, and like ants, day after day, we trudge along those ant trails that are Royal Road and M1.

The output (the traffic activity, that is) can be altered by changing the nature of the input. But we are reticent to do so. So to improve our traffic situation, what do we propose instead? We are suggesting that the internal circuitry of the computer be changed (by introducing a ring road, bus lane, light railway, bridge over Port-Louis, etc) ? and by so doing we are making Mauritius function like one of those archaic computers that existed before the days of Von Neumann. At that time, to solve a different problem (that would give a different output) you had to rewire the machine ? which was sheer hard work. But then, the great Von Neumann came and proposed that you need not rewire the machine, after all. Just change the program and you will get a different output.

In our case, we can even do better than Von Neumann. We need only modify the nature of the input by having a second harbour at Mahebourg, (instead of only one at Port-Louis) and the logic inside our heads will take care of the rest. It will see to it that organizations spring up in that town to deal with the fresh spate of commercial activities generated, and a sizeable portion of the Port-Louis bound traffic will henceforth be shifted towards the new harbour town - thereby greatly alleviating the traffic flow from Curepipe to Port-Louis. There will be no messing about with the country?s landscape, no forceful acquisition of land, and no lengthy legal/administrative issues to contend with ? among others! Furthermore, traffic will be equilibrated along the Port-Louis-Mahebourg corridor. (Right now, the Curepipe-Port-Louis corridor is over utilised whilst the one from Curepipe to Mahebourg is under utilized.) But better still, new towns will pop up of their own accord between Curepipe and Mahebourg, and the average distance that an exported commodity has to travel from its lieu of disembarkation to your home will diminish considerably.

Just to take an example, if you live in Souillac, what distance does a fridge unloaded at Port-Louis harbour have to travel before it comes to your home? I reckon about 50 km. Now, suppose it is unloaded at Mahebourg, what would be the new distance travelled? I don?t have to give the exact answer but it cannot be more than 15 km. And, needless to say, for a host of other commodities, as well, the distance between harbour and the place for which they are destined will be drastically reduced ? like for aviation fuel, being now transported all the way from Port-Louis to Plaisance!

But our problem, you see, is that we are bent on working hard when we could have been working smart. We want to wreak great havoc to the landscape by constructing a ring road, bus lane, tunnel, light railway ? you name it ? when a second harbour would have done the trick. And at a great cost, too! Frankly it makes little sense to spend Rs 5 billion just to find a solution to our traffic problem. For, apart from alleviating traffic flow, these amenities (if I may dare use the word!) will have no other raison-d?être. Whereas a second harbour capable of handling about 50% of the island?s shipping tonnage will cost around Rs 2 billion) and will not only take the strain off Port-Louis harbour (where congestion exists as well!), but also take care of our existing traffic problem in a more elegant and comprehensive way than ring road, bus lane, tunnel, light railway put together!