The challenges of disaster preparedness

On Wednesday, the country almost came to a standstill as we were hit by torrential rains which caused floods in some parts of the island, mainly in the North, in Port Louis and in the South. In general, the government managed the situation satisfactorily but some flaws were noted. The Ministry of Education took the wise decision, as early as on Monday afternoon, to close preprimary, primary and secondary schools, as well as MITD training centres on Tuesday. The next day, the Ministry was again well-inspired to close the same educational institutions on Wednesday. We wonder how difficult it would have been to send back home the pupils and the students once the torrential rains alert was issued by the Mauritius Meteorological Services on Wednesday morning. Again, it was good that the Ministry of Education waited for Thursday early morning to decide that schools could resume. Indeed, a very confusing situation was created once the Mauritius Meteorological Services issued the bulletin announcing torrential rains. Couldn’t that information be communicated earlier? This could have prompted employees of the public and private sectors to stay at home instead of travelling all the way to their place of work and then rush back home. Needless to say that these situations caused traffic jams which were further exacerbated when these same roads were flooded. Some operators in the private sector, although not providing essential services, resisted the appeal made by the government to release workers earlier, arguing that no such legal provisions exist in the case of torrential rains. The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training Mr. Soodesh Callichurn confirmed that it is indeed the case. Our colleague Mr. Jugdish Joypaul underlined in one of his radio comments that paragraph 4 of section 24 of the Employees Rights Act 2008 clearly stipulates that “ where a cyclone warning class III or IV is in force,. A worker may absent himself from work and the employer shall pay remuneration to the worker at the normal rate in respect of the period of absence”. Trade unionist Mr. Ashok Subron insisted, in a statement to Radio Plus, that the Minister of Labour can make regulations to bring changes to the existing legislation so that employers will be under legal obligation to release workers earlier whenever there is a torrential rains announcement. The Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, Disaster and Beach Management Mr. Raj Dayal did a remarkable job in mobilizing the various departments. He was right to express his satisfaction that there was no casualty but again he should not have appraised of the work of the National Disaster Committee which he happens to chair. The Minister of Public Infrastructure Mr. Nando Bodha, also reacted promptly and communicated decisions taken by his Ministry regarding the state of roads and special provisions as far as public transport is concerned. This situation has once more depicted the same causes for the occurrence of floods: authorized constructions in flood-prone areas, obstructed drains, need to construct drains, poor urban planning and amateurish road constructions in many cases. It is hoped that government for once and all takes the required decisions so that the country does not become a regular hostage of the caprices of Nature. We are all fully aware of the consequences of climate changes and it is the duty of government, the private sector and citizens to work hand-in-hand to prepare for the future. Logically, it should have been the Minister of Public Infrastructure Mr. Bodha who should have presided over the committee on the follow-up of torrential rains but the Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth preferred the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Lands Mr. Showkutally Soodhun. By the way, Mr Soodhun has once more hit the headlines, not in the local press but in no less than the Saudi media. Can you imagine that besides wearing the Arab attire and posing with the Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and Minister of Defense, Mr. Soodhun is presented in the Saudi media as being the Minister of Housing and ….Islamic Affairs. Has the Prime Minister decided to create a new portfolio and appoint Mr. Soodhun to handle it or is the latter bestowing titles upon himself without the assent of the Government, or is it simply a misunderstanding?In any case, the population has the right to know. But Mr.Soodhun went a step further. In a statement to Okaz/ Saudi Gazette, he is quoted as having stated that: “The Kingdom’s decision to sever ties with Iran following attacks on its diplomatic missions in Tehran and other cities is a sovereign act aimed at preserving its security and stability”. Mr. Soodhun is reported to have said that “his country strongly denounces attacks on the Kingdom’s diplomatic and consular missions in Iran and will always back the Kingdom which is loved and respected by the people of Mauritius”. Mr. Soodhun even “urged all the Arab and the GCC countries to stand firmly behind the Kingdom in all measures it has taken to silence Iran”. The fundamental question that arises is that whether this is the official position of Mauritius on that thorny issue of the conflict between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran? At a time when French President Mr. François Hollande is welcoming Iranian President Mr. Hassan Rohani with wide arms at the Elysée, it is wondered whether this is the right strategy in terms of foreign policy. This is not the first time since the Lepep Alliance government is in power that every Tom, Dick and Harry is speaking in the name of Mauritius on relations that we share with other countries. Isn’t it high time that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Mr. Etienne Sinatambou puts his foot down and make it known that he is the one who has been given the ministerial responsibility to define our foreign policy? The statement of Minister Soodhun will raise a few eyebrows on other issues as well. According to Okaz/ Saudi Gazette, Soodhun said his country is extending lucrative investment facilities to Saudi businessmen and is giving them feasible incentives. “We are giving Saudi investors free land plots along the sea shores to establish their businesses. We are also intent on removing any obstacles from their ways. There is a promising economic and tourist basic infrastructure awaiting the Saudi investors,” said Mr. Soodhun. Meanwhile, the conflict between the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Me. Satyajit Boolell and some members of the government has taken a new turn this week, with the Sun Tan issue in the backdrop. In an affidavit sworn at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the DPP avers that the Minister of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms, Mr. Roshi Bhadain and the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr.Ivan Collendavelloo are trying to push him towards the exit. Minister Bhadain had in an interview with L’Express termed the DPP as being a “constitutional monster”. In an interview with Mr. Nawaz Noorbux on Radio Plus, Mr. Collendavelloo said his colleague Mr. Bhadain was right and he even asked himself why Me. Boolell is refusing the post of Judge. The same Mr. Collendavelloo, who happens to be an ace lawyer, seems to belittle the issue of recruitment of cleaners, helpers and other manual workers by the hospital services. This situation was revealed by the leader of the Labour MPs at the National Assembly, Mr. Shakeel Mohamed while he was interviewed by our collegue Mr Jean Luc Emileon Radio Plus.Mr. Mohamed stated that in the first group, out of 47 recruits, 15 lived in constituencies number 19 and 20. In the second group, out of the 59 recruits, 30 hailed from these two constituencies which have elected Mr. Collendavelloo and Mr Gayan, the Minister of Health and Quality of Life respectively. Have you noticed that the Mouvement Patriotique is hitting hard at the Muvman Liberater? And is it normal that the politburo of the MSM will examine the fact that its partner the PMSD is trying to penetrate rural areas?