<B>Apravasi Ghat: restoration in third stage</B>

Prime minister Bérenger, vice-president Raouf Bundhun and other personalities laid the foundation stones that represent the start of the third phase of the restoration of Apravasi Ghat. The renovation project will cost approximately Rs 6 million and the work is expected to end by November. This project should increase the chances of Apravasi Ghat being included on UNESCO?s Cultural Heritage List.

<B>Cultural Centre to show ?the true face of Islam?</B>

At a meeting to discuss the objectives of the new Islamic Centre, the prime minister Paul Bérenger stressed that its main aim will be to show the ?true face of Islam?. He hopes that the centre will become a regional cultural landmark and a source of inspiration to those who visit it. Set in Plaine-Verte, the Centre is now in its final phase of construction. The whole project has cost Rs 74 million and was funded by the governments of Mauritius, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman and the Islamic Development Bank. The centre will also provide Arabic, Urdu, henna, cooking and calligraphy classes.

<B>DPP withdraws appeal against Philippe A. Forget </B>

The Director of public prosecutions (DPP) has backed down in his appeal against the judgment of magistrate Anil Kumar Ujodha, to be heard by Chief Justice Araringa Pillay and Judge Asraf Caunhye. The magistrate had dropped charges against the assistant manager of the MCB and stated that not divulging a ?suspicious transaction? to the Financial Intelligence Unit was not a crime under Mauritian legislation. But the DPP sustained his appeal case on the Financial Intelligence and Anti Money Laundering Act 2002 to conclude that it was a crime. However, the DPP is now faced with another case from the Independent Commission against Corruption, which asserts that it has prima facie evidence against Philippe A. Forget. The DPP has thus decided to wait and eventually bring up new charges. ?In these circumstances, the DPP considers that it is not practical to press the appeal,? said Parliamentary State Counsel Iqbal Maghooa, on behalf of the DPP.

<B>Sandra O?Reilly?s wants no excuses from her rapists</B>

Sandra O?Reilly will not accept any excuses from her four rapists, though one of them, Louis France Joson, was hoping that she would testify in his favour. ?You say that if I am alive, it is thanks to you. I tell you that I have been raped because of you. Twice.? Joson, defendant number 2, wanted the young woman to confirm that he had prevented his accomplice from shutting her in the boot of the car. The defendants all apologized and expressed regrets. But Sandra refused to excuse them. The four men were found guilty on Friday. The sentences will be pronounced on July 23rd. According to the criminal code, the sentence for rape is from five to eight years in jail.