The document has been prepared on the premise that the Chagos Islands are part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT); so no mention is made of the contention between the Mauritian Government and the British Government regarding the thorny issue of sovereignty. If the Mauritian government is not mentioned at all, the country is. ?Although harshly exposed to conditions of urban poverty in Mauritius, the Chagossians are used to modern amenities.?

But criticisms are far and few between because the help of Mauritius would be required to make the ?returning home? of some 150 Chagossians ? because it seems that out of the 800 Chagossian families, only 150 people want to return immediately ?and begin the process of re-building their community? ? successful.

It should be noted that, besides some ?private sector representatives in Port Louis?, there was no official consultation with the authorities in Mauritius. The document doesn?t explain why that is. But to be fair, there was also no consultation with the British Government either even though ?Returning home? is a comprehensive document on how the British Government should spend some £18 million on rehabilitating two islands ? Peros Banhos and Solomon island ? so that 150 Chagossian people can ?return home?.

As such, when the Chagossians return to the islands ? if they ever do ? it will be to work as lowly workers. The administration of the island is to be carried out by the British, for whom ?a residential site is proposed (?) to assist in the administration of resettlement and management of amenities and utilities?. For Chagossians, ?two-storey, three bedroom houses are recommended?.

No consultation with British authorities

Provision is also made to have a school built because the ?Chagossians would like to keep their children on the islands at least until they are 14 years old?. The document doesn?t specify where the children would go to after they have reached age 14; to continue their studies. It will presumably be England but there end the plans because there haven?t been any consultations with the British authorities.

Since the re-settlers will need electricity, it is proposed that four generators are installed, at the cost of £900,000. For water, desalination of sea water is proposed at the cost of £250,000. For waste treatment, another £250,000 will be needed. But says the document, ?As with desalination, it is the operational costs that are the most challenging issue, indicating the importance of income flows to the settlers to ensure charges can be met?.

The problem is, how do the settlers generate income?

?Air transport,? we are told, ?is critical to economic prospects of resettlement based principally on tourism and export fisheries?. So, the Chagossians would depend on an ATR42 ? they don?t mention whose ATR42 ? to land on non-existent runway (international safety regulations would require a runway of 1.1 km but the Ile Pierre identified as a suitable runway has only the possibility of an 800-m runway).

Notwithstanding this slight technical difficulty, ?at least twice-weekly flights are envisaged with either Seychelles or Mauritius serving as the link to European tourism?. ?Mauritius could become the hub of development in the Chagos Islands (?) air transport for tourism is complicated by factors of distance and landing sites, but first priority in investigating transport alternatives for tourism would be a Mauritius link because of the wide range of other services that the Mauritian private sector could provide to resort operators?.

So on the premise that tourists would be able to get to the islands, it is proposed that a lease be given to a promoter ? whoever he may be ? so that he builds a resort on one of the islands. The promoter would be allowed ? and encouraged ? to do this so that Chagossians get jobs and the islands generate income. The plans for this are based on the advice of ?two property development companies in Mauritius with experience in hotel development. Both confirm the very strong likelihood that major international tourist operators being prepared to invest?.

The plan is that ?70% of the jobs created could be undertaken by the permanent residents. A survey of the current work experience among Chagossian exiles shows that large numbers have been in domestic service, catering work, laundering and gardening?.

«Go back home as colonized people»

Everything else is built around the ?proposed hotel?. Obviously there are also plans to have police stations and jails ? presumably from the UK.

The administration of the islands will be done by the ?BIOT commissioner who would be responsible to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)?. The ?area of responsibility that could be delegated? to Chagossians consists of? ?housing allocation, housing and building repairs, management of health and education facilities, refuse disposal??

Herve Lassémillante, legal counsel of the Social Committee of Chagossians, a group of Chagossians who will ?under no circumstances? go back to the Chagos while they are under British rule ? and who has managed to obtain a copy of the controversial document ?Returning home?, has this to say on the document: ?It is a plan whereby Chagossians agree to go back home as colonized people. It is completely undignified. As far as we are concerned, the Chagos belong to Mauritius.? He adds that he will send a copy of the document to Prime minister Navin Ramgoolam, urging him ?to insist on a meeting with Gordon Brown?.