<B>Cehl Meeah is back and denies. </B>After one year abroad, Cehl Meeah has finally decided to come back to the country. The superintendent of police (SP) Prem Raddhoa was at the airport and he was arrested as soon as he landed. He is suspected of having given instructions to Hussein Boolakee in the hold-up of Bijoulux jewellery shop. This was the first version of Hussein Boolakee when he was arrested in Pétrin with suspicious material in his car before going back on this statement soon after. In his statement to the police, Cehl Meeah denied any involvement in this hold-up – highlighting how SP Raddhoa appeared as a “perfect gentleman”. The police also searched his house but nothing suspicious was found.

<B>Optimistic Sithanen. </B>The budget debates are over and the Finance Bill should be voted today in Parliament. On Wednesday, the minister of Finance, Rama Sithanen, was very optimistic when he summed up the debate. He did not hesitate to reply indirectly to the opposition stating, “Growth is back.” For him, growth indicators have been reviewed upward and this is a sign that the economy is doing better. The number of jobs created – 8,800 within one year – is also the sign of a recovery. Hence, he is convinced to have good reasons for speaking of “early harvest”. As for the Prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, he emphasised on the democratisation of the economy – which is not a way of dispossessing a few but of giving more opportunities to a greater number of people.

<B>Disappointment for sugar producers.</B> The meetings between the government and the sugar sector do not seem to be making much headway. Many sugar producers do not understand the attitude of the government. After two meetings with the prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, all the other ones were held with the deputy prime minister, Rashid Beebeejaun, and another with the minister of Agro-Industry, Arvin Boolell. Sugar producers say the recent meetings looked like commissions of enquiry where they were asked to give more details about their factories and technical aspects of their jobs and decisions. They do not understand the presence of Cader Sayed-Hossen and Nita Deerpalsing - both from the commission for democratisation - and would like to start meetings under the chairmanship of the PM again.