● COMPROMISE OVER POSTPONEMENT ? The sugar industry must be relieved. The State and the private sector have agreed to postpone the closure of three factories ? Mon-Trésor-Mon-Désert, Riche-en-Eau and Mon-Loisir. The meeting, chaired by the Prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, between the government and representatives of the sugar industry, has allowed both sides to speak their minds. While the initial date for centralisation had been fixed for yesterday, the postponement gives more time to both sides to discuss issues related to the closing down of factories that had led to dissent between the two parties. A joint committee chaired by the PM will tackle the issues identified at Wednesday?s meeting and a second meeting is due today for more in-depth discussions.

● CONFLICT DETRIMENTAL TO ENTERPRISE MAURITIUS ? Tension prevails at the head of Enterprise Mauritius (EM). To such an extent that Prakash Beeharry, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the institution, has told his employees not to speak to the chairman, Amédée Darga. The conflict is said to come from the fact that their respective roles do not seem to have been understood. None of them has confirmed that there is a problem. However, the CEO confirms that he has prevented his employees from communicating with the chairman because there is a ?communication reporting practice at EM (?). Following this practice, all communication must go through the CEO?. As for the chairman, he insists on the necessity that both make sure the institution continues to work without letting personal conflicts interfere. But it seems EM has already started to suffer?

● A PERFUME OF SCANDAL ? The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) is suspecting a fraud of up to Rs 25 million in the import of horses. MRA officers were only controlling the import of horses for the past five years when they realised that there was some questionable business in these imports. Some hundreds of horses are said to be involved in the alleged fraud and most are reported to come from South Africa. Some horses are suspected to have been under-estimated to reduce the customs taxes. It is also suspected that false names have been used to import horses on behalf of gamblers. Two horse owners and a few businessmen involved in horseracing are said to be in the MRA?s sight.