Mauritian papers highlight coronavirus this week
Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - As in recent weeks, the news in Mauritius is still dominated by coronavirus, with local newspapers devoting large spaces to this "invisible enemy" that has so far killed ten people in Mauritius and hundreds of thousands elsewhere in the world.
They have kept busy dishing out daily information from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, particularly, the latest figures on the disease on the island.
As of Friday, May 15, no new positive cases of Covid-19 were recorded on the island. This has been the case for the last 19 consecutive days, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Mauritius has a total of 332 cases recorded since the first case was reported on the island. There are also 10 deaths and 322 cured.
But what has received the most attention this week is the introduction in Parliament last Tuesday, followed by three days of debate, two bills on the Covid-19 and the quarantine, voted on Friday evening.
During the parliamentary debates, as reported by the daily Le Défi, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, noted that "what is proposed in this bill is not new".
"In fact, many countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Seychelles, South Africa, among others, have used similar measures to support the recovery of their economies after the Covid-19 crisis," he said.
According to him, "it is in order to support the government in its effort to support the national economy that the Bank of Mauritius and the international reserves under its management (approximately US$7 billion) are at the heart of the Covid-19 bill's measures".
The Prime Minister also said, according to Le Defi: "We have so far managed this first phase of the disease. There have been no new positive cases of Covid-19 in the last 18 days. And, Mauritius has no active cases at the moment. The government is working hard to prevent a second wave of Covid-19 in the country at all costs".
However, he asked the population to be vigilant, because "the Covid-19 changed our lives. We now have to adapt to a new life."
Reacting to the parliamentary debates, Nad Sivaramen, editor-in-chief of L'Express, wrote: "Never-seen-before; Unprecedented; exceptional situation, exceptional measures; economic contraction from 7 to 11pc; more than 100,000 potential unemployed".
He also writes that "the government painted a bleak picture before explaining that the economic and investment recovery strategy will not be unveiled until the next Budget 2020-2021. In the meantime, we must act... Yes, but!".
According to him, amending some 50 laws and many achievements of citizens and workers, in a hurry, in full confinement, at a whirlwind speed restricts the necessary public debate in a self-respecting democracy.
The daily Le Mauricien believes that "the government had to ensure, however, that the law would protect jobs and maintain some economic stability".
The daily also reports on the speech of the Finance Minister, Renganaden Padayachy, who estimated that because of the Covid-19, the number of unemployed is expected to increase by a considerable 150pc, representing an additional 60,000 unemployed, bringing the number of unemployed people on the island to 100,000.
The Minister said he expected a contraction of 80pc in the tourism sector; 15 to 35pc in the manufacturing and textile sectors; 5 to 6pc for businesses; and 3pc in real estate.
Nevertheless, the agribusiness and construction sectors could experience positive growth from 1 to 3pc, according to the Minister.
According to Le Mauricien, Mr. Padayachy said that the government intends to carry out its strategy of rescuing the living forces, "because they are the prerequisite for an economic recovery once the pandemic is brought under control".
The newspaper also brought a stir to producers, including farmers, who have the difficult task of producing food to feed the population to ensure food security on the island.
The secretary of the Association of Small Planters, Kreepaloo Sunghoon, regrets, however, that after six weeks of confinement, the planters have done nothing in the fields, because of the curfew that ends on June 1st".
According to him, the two new bills are "repressive" and do not take into account the current needs of the population. "Planters no longer know if they can go to their plantations or farms during this curfew period, if they can bring in workers, or if they can bring their fruits or vegetables for sale. Everything is confusing.
-0- PANA NA/JSG/BBA/VAO 16May2020
