I am told that the CEB commonly broadcasts on radio that all consumers of electricity from their network must have a ?Residual Current Circuit Breaker? (RCCB), also known as a ?disjoncteur?, installed at their premises by July 2005. Failing this, it appears that action may be taken against the ?guilty? party, and - or his supply will be disconnected. This is a most unreal situation, and is hence likely to fail completely as an exercise.

Why? First, Mauritius is famous as a place where over-reaction is common by the authorities. Examples include the quite unnecessary traffic lights at the Flic-en-Flac turn-off, and speed breakers on the road from La Louise through Beau-Songe. The latter ?safety feature? is probably unknown in Europe on major throughfares, and is dangerous as well as unnecessary. I am certain to be able to reach 80 kph, even in my own tiny car, between a pair of these devices, so all they do is ruin shock absorbers and slow traffic down.

Admittedly, these are reactions to unfortunate accidents in which people have been killed, but I doubt these help to improve road safety by any significant amount. Also, no doubt many tourists in hire-cars find themselves travelling vertically, and when least expected.

As for the apparent need for the CEB?s RCCB devices, this seemingly results from the occurrence of fairly frequent electrocutions, which are commonly due to very poor electrical installations, mostly carried out by rank amateurs in the first place, and without properly installed connections to a good solid copper Earth. Let nobody forget the utterly lethal ?Fame? and ?Lorenzetti? water heaters of the past, tolerated with complacence by the CEB for many years, despite the fact that the metal-wire heating elements were naked in the water being heated.

According to the CEB broadcasts (which I have not listened to myself), the RCCB costs between Rs 1800 and perhaps Rs 2500, according to type and source. Does the CEB seriously think that even 30% of households will install these by the July deadline ? Whether or not they have had their old age pensions pinched, quite a large number of people will simply not be able to afford such sums. Even if they could, it is likely that they will be installed by the same amateurs responsible for the deaths in the first place. In addition, is it even conceivable that the CEB will disconnect 70% of consumers in an election year ? ? or would be allowed to do so by politicians !

I am not an expert at all, but I believe there are two distinctly different types of circuit breakers. The first and older type senses any current leaking down to Earth (if there is one installed at all) and cuts off the supply quickly. The second type measures the incoming current in the Live line and that in the outgoing Neutral line.

If these differ by more than a specified amount, the supply is interrupted. This type apparently does not need a connection to Earth at all, which is just as well in these days of ?doubly insulated? devices, such as electric drills, TVs, DVD players, etc., which simply have no provision for earthing them at all, since only two connection wires exist.

What the CEB should do, immediately, and at the very least, is to publish clear articles in a few major newspapers, in Creole, and French (and perhaps even in English for bums like me ?), listing:

? the type of RCCB to be used,

? the probable cost, and preferred source-country for such devices,

? the sensitivity of the RCCB (i.e. Live minus Neutral currents, given in milliamperes) for cut off of the supply to occur, which sensitivity almost certainly must differ according the ?load? installed at the premises concerned,

? recommendations for installation and the technical competence needed for this,

? sources of loans for those people unable to bear the costs involved.

No doubt other useful criteria also exist.

One thing is for sure, as I find from making inquiries at various ?quincailleries?, and that is that enormous confusion exists, and reliable advice is very hard to obtain. Some shops even offer to sell out-of-date devices (of the Earth-current sensing type, I think) for as little as Rs 700. These are clearly no good at all.

In an attempt to obtain quality information on these RCCB devices, I sent a request by email to the CEB on about the 12th of February. It is perhaps needless to say this, but until now (a week later) I have received neither acknowledgement, nor the information sought.

So, Mr. Big Boss of the CEB: Accurate, Fast, Information is Needed, Right NOW.

<B>David WEST</B>