MAURITIUS TIMESll “Impossible only means that you haven't found the solution yet.” -- Anonymous

66th Year -- No. 3691 Friday, July 2, 2021 www.mauritiustimes.com facebook.com/mauritius.times 18 Pages - ePaper

By Dr R Neerunjun Gopee + See Page 3

Commission d'enquête sur l'affaire

Betamax: ‘Ça va êtresaignant !’

‘Je vois au peloton d'exécution:Ramgoolam, Jeetah, SAJ,

Duval, Bhadain…’

Interview: Jean-Claude de l'Estrac

+ Voir Page 7-8

The Coronavirus Delta VariantThreat - More Contagious

and Deadly

The Reopening, again

By Mrinal Roy ++ See Page 4

Opening/reopening by no means signifies thatwe are out of the crisis

Edit Page

Mauritius TimesFriday, July 2, 2021www.mauritiustimes.comfacebook.com/mauritius.times 2

The Leader of the Opposition's publicly expressed objection to thereappointment of Navin Beekharry

as Director General of the ICAC has onceagain focused attention on the anti-corrup-tion agency.

Section 19 (4) the Prevention of Cor-ruption Act 2002 (PoCA), as amended,provides for the appointment of theDirector-General of ICAC by the PrimeMinister after consultation with the Leaderof the Opposition. Given the weight that isgiven to the "after consultation" proviso inthe law, it is the Prime Minister who in finedecides who should head the institution.Successive governments seem to havetaken comfort with this legal provision(rather than a more transparent and inde-pendent mechanism), that is open to thesuspicion or the charge that it allows PrimeMinisters to influence if not 'monitor' theperformance of the institution.

Does this place the Director-General ofICAC in an uncomfortable position vis-à-vis the head of government? In an earliercontribution to our Qs & As column, Lexexpressed the view that 'the POCA 2002guarantees the independence of ICAC.The law is there. Its proper functioningdepends on the holders of power within theICAC.'

Moreover, even if the POCA 2002 doesnot provide for any oversight mechanismthat could have monitored the ICAC at itsoperational level, especially as regards theconduct of investigations, Section 20 (2) &(3) provides that 'the Commission shall actindependently, impartially, fairly and in thepublic interest', and 'subject to this Act, theDirector-General shall not be under thecontrol, direction of any other person orauthority' respectively.

To the question as to whether theselegal provisions help further the publicinterest, Lex opined that 'it is in the publicinterest, and for the sake of the integrity ofinvestigations it is necessary that an insti-tution that is mandated to fight financialcrimes should be independent and not beunder the control or authority of anybody orany other institution. The only monitoringmechanism resides in the people who manICAC. How they do it and how the publicreact to their actions can be said to consti-tute a form of monitoring.' He added how-ever that 'the perception in the public is thatit is not functioning independently. Why, it

may be asked, but this would be a rhetori-cal question.'

In fact, the performance of ICAC hasbeen under the scanner since beforeXavier Duval's objection much earlier -even under the preceding government todate - with its handling of a large number ofhigh-profile cases.

Its inexplicable turnaround in theMedPoint case threw doubt on its will todeal with corruption, as much as the list ofaffairs where it is yet to be known where itsinquiries stand, such as the Dufry scandal(2015); the Alvaro Sobrinho scandal(2018); the Sugar Insurance Fund Board'shighly excessive overpayment of land v/svaluation scandal (2018); the Yerrigadoo/Bet 365 scandal (2018); the Glen Agliottiaffair (2019), the Serenity Gate/FilmRebate Scheme scandal (2019), St LouisPower Station Redevelopment Project.

The actual list is too long to compile.But all these pending inquiries highlight theabsence of a credible and respected inves-tigative agency capable of handling whitecollar crime independently of political pro-ximity.

Moreover, the Opposition's dissatisfac-tion with the workings of the ParliamentaryCommittee, whose functions is to monitorand review the general manner in whichthe Commission fulfils its functions - but itcannot query progress being made, stillless intervene or interfere in any specificcase under investigation by the Commis-sion. This situation as well as the recentcase filed against ICAC by the IntegrityReporting Services Agency (another Stateagency) for allegedly failing to furnish itwith detailed reports on cases of unex-plained wealth do little to help the image ofthe ICAC.

It was always unlikely that Xavier Duvalwould have met with the same success aswhen he blocked the ProsecutionsCommission Bill with his public objection tothe reappointment of the current DG ofICAC, and he has indeed been ignored.But it is to be hoped that the governmentwill do what is required to refurbish thepoor image of the Mauritius jurisdiction,especially after the drubbing by the FATFand the European Commission since 2020and now the irritation of the IMF/WB tan-dem with key aspects of our public financemanagement during the pandemic.

Mauritius TimesFounder/Editor: Beekrumsing Ramlallah - Aug 1954-Sept 2000

Editor-in-chief: M. Ramlallah / Senior Editor: Dr RN GopeeThis epaper has been produced with the assistance of

Doojesh Ramlallah, Sultana Kurmally and Kersley RamsamyPearl House 4th Floor Room 406 - Sir Virgil Naz Street, Port Louis -- Tel: 5-29 29301 Tel/Fax: 212 1313

mtimes@intnet.mu www.mauritiustimes.com facebook.com/mauritius.times

ICAC & The Country's Image

In recent years manyinitiatives have beenput forward in the

name of fighting andreducing various formsof fraud and other crimesin the economy. But havethese measures actuallybeen effective in con-taining fraud? Will thetypical package of anti-fraud measures stop thefraud pandemic?

We did research intomajor characteristics ofanti-fraud measures in several Africancountries. In the south we looked atMalawi, Botswana, South Africa andZambia. In the east we covered Kenya,Rwanda, Tanzania and Madagascar andin the west Ghana, Nigeria and SierraLeone.

We found a diverse set of measureshad been introduced. We were able toidentify 10 particular characteristics.

The landscape

The first notable feature was a remar-kable proliferation of anti-fraud agenciesand cross-agency alliances and coopera-tion. This was between government agen-cies, the government and the private sec-tor, and at times civil society actors suchas consumer protection agencies too.

Agreements, memorandums of unders-tanding and partnerships had been signedto encourage data collection and sharingand knowledge exchange within andacross borders as different actors werebrought together to fight the “commonenemy”.

At the state level, new anti-fraud agen-cies, taskforces, squads and networkswere set up regularly. One example wasthe Kenya Police Insurance FraudInvestigations Unit. We also found that anumber of regulatory agencies had beenestablished. These included competitionand consumer protection authorities atnational and regional level.

Second, outreach, engagement and“empowerment” of consumers played amajor role. Here, education, sensitisationand awareness raising – also amongbusiness actors – emerged strongly as away to popularise the anti-fraud fight. Thiswas promoted by a range of actors.Among them were banks, insurance

providers, private consultancies, interna-tional organisations such as theInternational Monetary Fund and aidagencies, as well as NGOs. Regionalorganisations such as the CommonMarket for Eastern and Southern Africawere also included.

Third, large-scale technology wasused extensively in anti-fraud measures.This was particularly the case in financialservices and banking.

Anti-fraud software in various formsfeatured strongly. One example wasdetecting fraudulent transactions. Addi-tional technological solutions included PINprotection techniques, enhanced chiptechnology for payment cards and authen-tication technology.

Technology was also used to uncovercounterfeit or substandard products.

Fourth, anti-fraud measures regularlycame with rhetoric and language that wasstrong in giving a sense of alarm andurgency. The vices of fraud (and corrup-tion) were presented as “weeds” needingto be “rooted out”. They were also referredto as a virus or a disease that needed“eradication”.

At times, warfare-type language wasused, that is, fraud needed to be “combat-ed” like an enemy.

Fifth, anti-fraud measures were regu-larly political in nature. Pledges to counterfraud featured in election campaigns.

The Conversation

The fight against economic fraud

Nataliya Mykhalchenko, Research Associate & Jörg Wiegratz,

Lecturer in Political Economy of Global Development,

University of Leeds

How African countries are tackling the challenge

Technology has been key in tackling fraud. Mpedigree

ll Cont. on page 11

Yet another reopeningsince yesterday, as

announced earlier. We havegot used to this pattern, isn'tit, like most other countrieswhich have painfully or reluc-tantly gone through thesecycles of lockdown-reopen-ing over the past 18 monthssince the pandemic has hit

us. Every time it has been the same agonizing choice:people's safety versus the economy. It isn't incorrect tosay that the economy has won every time, under pres-sures overt and covert.

But it would be too simplistic to put down the finaldecision to either purely safety or solely economic con-cerns. The issue is too complex and important to resolveit into this simple binary. Realistically, it can only be acombination of several factors that has led to the finaldecision to first lift some restrictions, then proceed to agreater opening up - a multifactorial phenomenon, as aremost matters in life. Not black and white but shades ofgrey.

There were so many changes that were instanta-neously imposed when first lockdowns were announcedthat they sent shockwaves in both household and worksettings, impacting well-settled routines and habits, services, education, professions, relationships. In everysphere multiple adjustments had to be made, and over the months new habits and arrangements perforcedeveloped.

It was perhaps easier for the younger crowd and children to get used to, for example, online interactionsand learning, though they posed their own problems.Time slots had to be allocated and each one had to haveaccess via smartphone, tablet or laptop, in line with modern technology. Both adults and children were perhaps excited initially to be at home, the first groupenjoying domestic comfort and the children no longerbeing chided at to be with the smart devices most of thetime. But in both instances imposed schedules of work orlearning soon began to tie them down into yet anotherrushed routine - and that began to tire, to bore even.

As one little fellow told his mum when asked how is itgoing with your classes, 'the teachers think that little children are DUMB'! That, I thought when I was told thestory just a few days ago with the lad snuggling up to hismother, is as fine a piece of wisdom as can be! After all,children in their innocence can be brutally frank isn't it, likethe tiniest of the von Trapp sisters when she looked up tothe face of Maria (their governess sent from the abbey)after she had stopped waltzing with her widower father,Captain von Trapp, 'why are your cheeks so pink?' Thefirst telltale sign of their budding love…and Gretl's futureloving new mother! That was in the film The Sound ofMusic.

As for me and a number of my senior citizen friends,we are still not comfortable with our online classes, andare certainly looking forward to some face-to-face onesas soon as possible.

It goes without saying that everywhere people havebeen reminded over and over again that opening/reopening by no means signifies that we are out of the cri-sis, which translates as: all safety precautions and sani-tary measures are still mandatory for basically two rea-

sons: levels of vaccination sufficient to ensure safetyhave mostly not been achieved, and the appearance andspread of a more transmissible and deadly mutant of thevirus: Delta Variant. In fact, this morning I have receiveda post describing a fifth, even more mortal wave that islikely to hit us in the near future. They call it the fifth wave,and it is estimated to be even more dangerous becausethe variant responsible causes profound lung damagewithout any of the usual upper respiratory symptomsappearing first as a prodrome, so that people keep goingabout and infecting others unknowingly. That is the danger.

Be that as it may, we ought to take it seriously and protect ourselves as advised.

On the other hand, these have been other, harsherrealities that have been thrust upon us within months ofthe onset of the pandemic. Neither they nor their impactsare yet over; if anything, these are set to prolong - like thelong Covid syndrome that scientists and doctors havebeen investigating, the sequelae of which they fear arelikely to be severe.

Further, tens of thousands of people locally and millions across the world have lost their jobs, and perhaps

many more have drained their savings and are no betteroff than their jobless peers. Governments will have tomanage national finances and budgets more effectivelyand efficiently - this is certainly the case here! - to cometo the rescue of those at the lower end of the social scalewho are facing very difficult times and bleak futures, butmore in terms of incentives to make them self-supportingand self-sufficient rather than become permanentlydependent on state largesse, which inevitably means cut-ting down for others, something that never goes downwell in any society.

In truth, with the partial lifting of restrictions a fewweeks ago, most activities of a trade or commercialnature had begun in earnest, and so too several services,but within strict parameters. To this has been added theburden of the spiralling prices of consumer goods, whatwith the phenomenal increase in cost of freight and the noless consequential depreiciaton of the rupee. There is noend in sight.

One rather unpleasant reality is the further increase inthe volume of traffic, and that frankly frightens me. A fewtimes during the past weeks I have had to travel towardsPort Louis, starting off at what I thought was earlyenough: 7 a.m. Only to snake up against long lines ofvehicles that had already been on the roads much earlier.I wonder whether one will have to leave Curepipe at 5o'clock henceforth to reach Port Louis in time for officebefore 9! I do not envy those poor souls stuck behind their steering wheels. And there's also the question ofmanaging the children if any for working couples in thisour nuclear age (family, not weapons!).

Like many of our citizens, I am impatient to see themetro works being completed. Whether that will result inchanging the current enfer routier (driving hell) into asmoother transit or into un hyperenfer routier ( a biggerdriving hell) - the jury is still out, and may well be so for along time. 'cos everything is in prolongation mode now …

Op-Ed Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 3

The Reopening, again

Dr R Neerunjun Gopee

Opening/reopening by no means signifies that we are out of the crisis

Social distancing. Pic - Hospitality Net

“There were so many changes that wereinstantaneously imposed when first lockdowns

were announced that they sent shockwaves inboth household and work settings, impactingwell-settled routines and habits, services, education, professions, relationships. In everysphere multiple adjustments had to be made, and over the months new habits and arrangements perforce developed...”

Covid-19 and climatechange are existen-tial threats to the

world and humanity. Theyare severely testing the cri-sis management acumen of

governments across the world. It is far from being a glo-rious story. It is sorting the men from the boys.

After more than 18 months of battling against Covid-19, a death toll of more than 3.9 million and wide dispari-ties in access to vaccines and vaccination programmesamong countries across the world, normality still seemsvery elusive. Second and third waves of infection, muta-tions and more infectious variants of coronavirus haverepeatedly hobbled and disrupted plans to open up theeconomy and forced countries across the world to reim-pose lockdowns, curfews and restrictions to robustly con-tain the deadly spread of the virus.

The world is therefore still groping its way in its pro-tracted battle against Covid-19. There are new develop-ments about the virus almost every week. Countries haveto keep diligent watch on these developments in order tofactor in and fine tune their strategies to fight the battleagainst a formidable virus. All relevant developments musttherefore be carefully weighed and assessed.

Highly contagious

The biggest threat currently faced by the world is thespread of the extremely contagious Delta Plus variant ofCovid-19 -- a new and slightly changed version of theDelta variant. The World Health Organization warned lastweek that ‘the Delta variant of coronavirus has been iden-tified in at least 92 countries, including the US and Europeand is widely considered the most transmissible Covid-19strain observed so far and is spreading rapidly amongunvaccinated populations.’ He added: ‘As some countriesease public health and social measures, we are starting tosee increases in transmission around the world.’

Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Healthsaid last week that 20.6% of new cases in the US are dueto the Delta variant. He added that it is the ‘greatest threat’to the nation’s efforts to eliminate Covid-19. Other scien-tists tracking the variant say it is on track to become thedominant virus variant in the US and globally. It is also dri-ving spikes of infections in Europe, despite vaccinationrates in some countries being on the rise.

Health experts warn that the rapid spread of the highlyinfectious Delta variant is a sign that the global racebetween vaccination and the coronavirus could tilt infavour of the virus, unless countries ramp up their immu-nization campaigns and practise caution instead of hastilyand rashly opening borders or economic activities.

Preying ability

The Delta Plus variant has an enhanced ability to preyon the vulnerable especially in places with low vaccinationrates. Research conducted in the U.K., where the strainalready accounts for 99% of new Covid-19 cases, sug-gests it is about 60% more transmissible than the Alpha

variant, which previously dominated. It also increases therisk of hospitalization and is more resistant to vaccineswhen only one dose has been taken in two-jab vaccines.

The Delta variant is dominant in the UK, according tothe latest data from Public Health England, with youngerpeople, the unvaccinated and the partially vaccinatedmore at risk from infection while older people are still mostat risk of dying from an infection. The warning is clear. Theyoung, unvaccinated, over 50 or those having receivedonly one vaccine dose are most at risk from the Delta va-riant.

The Delta variant has thus fuelled a third wave of infec-tion in the UK which is currently registering about 20,000new cases daily, about 10-times the average in early May.This surge has triggered travel restrictions from othercountries and caused the government to push its cam-paign to vaccinate all adults as quickly as possible. It hasalso forced the government to delay the lifting of remainingrestrictions it had planned for 21 June till 19 July.

Protective measures

Drawing lessons from the UK Delta variant experience,the US, Europe and other countries with ample access tovaccines are boosting their vaccination campaigns in a bidto cushion the impact of the Delta variant. However, inAfrica and other developing countries with limited accessto vaccines and low rate of vaccination of the population,the impact of the Delta variant could be devastating.

Its rapid spread has forced a growing number of coun-tries to reimpose lockdowns and other restrictions, amidfears that this more contagious virus strain would hobbleglobal efforts to contain the pandemic. The new curbs ontravel and daily life stretch from Australia and Bangladesh

to South Africa and Germany, where the authoritiesimposed new restrictions on travellers from Covid-19 va-riant affected countries such as Portugal and Russia.

Thai authorities declared a month-long limited lock-down in the capital, Bangkok, and neighbouring provincesowing to a surge in new cases of Covid-19 infection attri-buted to the Delta variant. Malaysia extended a nationwideshutdown that was scheduled to be relaxed next week.Taiwan, which reported its first Delta case on Saturdayannounced new restrictions for people arriving from seven‘high-risk countries’ namely Bangladesh, Britain, Brazil,India, Indonesia, Israel and Peru. Israel, which has one ofthe world’s highest vaccination rates, has also registered ajump in Delta variant cases in recent weeks, causing theauthorities to reinstate an indoor mask mandate that wasdropped. Hong Kong also said that it was banning all pas-senger flights from Britain as from 1 July because of thespike of Delta variant virus strain there.

What if?

The Delta variant represents a serious threat to people.We cannot take this threat lightly. Our priority must be tosave people. It is therefore important that Mauritius takeson board the strong actions taken by counties across theworld to robustly contain the Delta variant and urgently fac-tors the potent risks of the variant on the health and livesof people in its plans to open its borders to fully vaccina-ted international travellers as from 15 July under certainconditions and more openly as from 1 October 2021.

This is doubly necessary as the Delta variant has adominant presence in a number of countries which are ourprincipal sources of tourists.

ll Cont. on page 12

Matters of the Moment Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 4

The Coronavirus Delta Variant Threat - MoreContagious and Deadly

Despite all the robust and costly measures in place, the authorities have as yet been unable to stem the spread of the second wave of Covid-19 infection. The government

cannot water down or botch crucial decisions

“The Delta Plus variant has an enhanced ability to prey on the vulnerable especially in places with low vaccination rates. Research conducted in the U.K., where the strain already accounts for

99% of new Covid-19 cases, suggests it is about 60% more transmissible than the Alpha variant, which previously dominated. It also increases the risk of hospitalization and is more resistant to vaccines

when only one dose has been taken in two-jab vaccines...”

Mrinal Roy

www.wgal.com

Spotlights Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 5

Vladimir Putin, the Russian presidenton Wednesday said that he was vac-

cinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccineagainst the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) earlier in March and April during theannual nationwide televised phone-inshow in Moscow, news agencies reported.

Putin said that he felt he needed to be

protected against Covid-19 for as long aspossible and also said that he did not feelany significant side-effects barring tender-ness at the jab site. "After the first shot, Ididn't feel anything at all. About four hourslater, I felt that there was some tendernesswhere I had received the shot. I receivedthe second at mid-day. At midnight, Imeasured my temperature. It was 98.9°F. Iwent to sleep, when I woke up my tempe-rature was 97.8°F. That was it," Putin toldthe nation.

Putin said that he is against mandatoryvaccination but said that the army is get-ting vaccinated with Sputnik-V like him. Healso defended the local authorities takingsteps to ensure vaccination saying it isneeded to avoid a national lockdown. "Themilitary is getting vaccinated with SputnikV, and after all I'm the commander-in-chief," Putin said. The Russian presidenthowever urged Russians to not listen torumours and pay heed to what the specialists are saying about the vaccine.He said it is 'necessary' to avoid listeningto people 'who understand less andspread rumours'.

Putin's comments come in the back-drop of Russia reporting a record-highnumber of deaths from coronavirus in thelast 24 hours and as daily case tallyremained above 20,000. Russia onWednesday reported 669 deaths and21,042 fresh cases which brought thecaseload to more than 5.5 million.

Vladimir Putin says he received both doses ofSputnik-V, urges Russians to follow suit

Russian president Vladimir Putin takes partin an annual nationwide televised phone-in

show in Moscow. Pic - www.wavy.com

SScientists have developed a "world-first"weight loss device with locking bolts

that restricts a person's jaw from openingwide enough to intake solids. A team ofresearchers from the University of Otago,New Zealand, and the UK collaborated todevelop the magnetic device that limits thewearer to a liquid diet, but "allows freespeech and doesn't restrict breathing."

Trial participants lost an average of6.36 kilograms within two weeks and weremotivated to continue with their weightloss journey, the University said. The mag-netic device is fitted by a dentist, can bereleased by the user in the case of anemergency and can be repeatedly fittedand removed.

The announcement drew a massivebacklash on social media as users termedit a "torture device" meant to force people

to go on a liquid diet. "And this, kids, is whyethics needs to be taught in science. GoodGod, I thought medicine was past thesekinds of torture devices," replied one user.

The outrage on social media promptedthe University to issue a clarification, saying the device is not intended as aquick or long-term weight-loss solution,but to assist people who need to undergosurgery and who cannot have the surgeryuntil they have lost weight. It stated thatusers can have the magnets disengagedand the device removed after two or threeweeks.

"They could then have a period with aless restricted diet and then go back intotreatment. This would allow for a phasedapproach to weight loss supported byadvice from a dietician," the University ofOtago tweeted.

‘Torture device’: Scientists develop weightloss tool that locks jaw; spark outrage

The magnetic device that limits the wearer to a liquid diet, but "allows free speech anddoesn't restrict breathing." Pic - img.republicworld.com

TTech giant Facebook has declared itsopen support to India's new IT rules

stating that they 'make sense' at the timewhen Twitter has consistently refrainedfrom adhering to in the last couple ofmonths.

Facebook India MD Ajit Mohanaffirmed to the Times of India (TOI) thatthe agenda of online safety and security isan important agenda for the company, par-ticularly in a country where around 70crore people use the internet.

He added that the concept of having aframework of accountability and also regulations regarding harmful content issensible.

"The (Indian) government wants to limitthe misuse and abuse of social media platforms by bad actors, and that is anagenda that we are entirely aligned with,"Mohan was quoted in a report by the TOI.

The top executive further stressed thatFacebook along with its group companieshave undertaken measures for userhygiene and security with respect to content.

Mohan assured that the social mediaplatform will continue investing in safety tostay ahead in this respect whilst simulta-

neously following the new IT rules asdirected by the Ministry of Electronics andInformation Technology (MeITY).

The Facebook-owned WhatsApp haschallenged the provision of tracing thesource 'unlawful' messages in the DelhiHigh Court. Yet, the company currentlyseems to be in agreement with all theother regulations as per the amendedrules.

'Rules make sense': Facebook India voicesopen support to new IT policy

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad (VipinKumar/Hindustan Times via GettyImages)

SSouth Africa's home department has putforth a green paper proposing to permit

women to have multiple husbands. Thegreen paper was drawn out in April andhas been open for comments right fromMay to 30th June. However, the said doc-ument has invited criticism from the con-servative section of the country's society.

The government maintains that thedocument was prepared on the backdropof comprehensive consultations with reli-gious and traditional leaders along withhuman rights activists. Apparently, theactivists claim that legal recognition forpolyandry is a demand of the right toequality.

The document from the governmentargues that the legislation that regulatesmarriages in the country isn't based on theconstitutional provisions of the country. It

adds that the law at the time being hassome legacy issues.

"The purpose of the marriage policy isto establish a policy foundation for regula-ting the marriages of all persons thatreside in SA," the document reads as pera report by the Hindustan Times.

It adds, "The envisaged marriagestatute will enable South Africans and residents of all sexual orientations, reli-gious and cultural persuasions to concludelegal marriages that will accord with theprinciples of equality, non-discrimination,human dignity and unity in diversity, asencapsulated in the Constitution."

The South African constitution repor-tedly legally recognizes and permitspolygamy.

* Contd on page 6

Notice for Permission for Land UseTake notice that J'm Mon Cafe Ltee will apply to the Municipal Council of QuatreBornes for a Building and Land Use permit for a proposed PastryShop/Manufacturer at La Louise Quatre Bornes.

Any person feeling aggrieved by the proposal may lodge an objection in writing to theabove-named Council within 15 days from the date of this publication.

Date: 3 July 2021

South Africa: Green Paper proposing to permitmultiple husbands sparks protests

Spotlights Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 6

New cars to be zero-emissions by 2035 in

Canada, says transportminister

All new cars and light-duty trucks in Canada will berequired to be zero-emissions by 2035, Transport

Minister Omar Alghabra announced Tuesday, moving upthe timeline for eliminating vehicle pollution.

"Today, I'm announcing that we are accelerating ourzero emission vehicles goal. By 2035, all new cars andlight duty trucks sold in Canada will be zero emissionvehicles -- 100 percent of them," Alghabra told a newsconference.

"This is five years sooner than our previous goal," hesaid.

The regulatory move, he said, will help Canada tomeet its overall net-zero carbon emissions target for theeconomy by mid-century.

Alghabra noted that his country is one of the few inthe world with domestic access to all of the key resourcesfor producing electric vehicle (EV) batteries, and praisedGeneral Motors, Ford and other automakers for openingEV assembly plants in Canada.

But despite government incentives to defray the relatively higher prices of EVs, purchases have beenslow to take off.

According to government data, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids accounted for less than fourpercent of the 25 million passenger cars and trucks registered in Canada last year -- up from about two percent in 2019.

-"This is five years sooner than our previous goal," OmarAlghabra said. Pic - The New Motion

TThe US's top general in Afghanistan onTuesday gave a sobering assessment

of the country's deteriorating security situ-ation as America winds down its so-called"forever war."

Gen. Austin S. Miller said the rapid lossof districts around the country to theTaliban - several with significant strategicvalue - is worrisome. He also cautionedthat the militias deployed to help the belea-guered national security forces could leadthe country into civil war.

Miller told a small group of reporters inthe Afghan capital that for now he has theweapons and the capability to aidAfghanistan's National Defense andSecurity Forces.

White House Press Secretary JenPsaki said in meetings at the White Houselast week with President Ashraf Ghani andAbdullah Abdullah - the Afghan officialtasked with making peace with the Taliban

- President Joe Biden said the US wascommitted to humanitarian and securityassistance to Afghanistan.

But the president also said that keepingUS soldiers in Afghanistan defied a peacedeal the Trump administration negotiatedwith the Taliban and that wasn't a risk hewas prepared to take.

Washington signed a peace deal withthe Taliban in February 2020. It laid out thepromise of a US withdrawal and commit-ments by the Taliban to ensureAfghanistan does not harbor militants thatcan attack the United States. The details ofthose commitments have never beenmade public.

The Taliban have accused Washington

of breaking the agreement, which calledfor all troops to be out by May 1, the datethe final withdrawal began. US officialshave said the Taliban have made someprogress, but it's not clear whether theinsurgent group has kept its end of thedeal.

The insurgent group issued orders tocommanders against allowing foreignfighters among their ranks, but evidencecontinues to surface that non-Afghans areon the battlefield.

Still, Miller was insistent that only apolitical solution will bring peace to thewar-tortured nation.

Compiled by Doojesh Ramlallah

Top US general says security in Afghanistan deteriorating

TThe European Union (EU)'s so-called "green pass" is not a pre-

condition to travel and individualstates have the option to accept vaccines approved by the WHO suchas Covishield, an EU official said onTuesday.

The EU offered the clarificationagainst the backdrop of speculationon the possible impact of the "EUDigital Covid Certificate" or greenpass on Indian nationals as theregime doesn't include any of thevaccines currently being adminis-tered in India. The green pass systemis expected to be in place from July 1.

As of Monday, the Serum Instituteof India (SII) had not applied to theEuropean Medicines Agency (EMA)for approval of Covishield, the EUofficial said. The EMA has so farapproved only four vaccines -Comirnaty, Johnson & Johnson'sJanssen vaccine, Spikevax or theModerna vaccine and Vaxzevria orthe AstraZeneca vaccine.

The Digital Covid Certificate ismeant to "facilitate safe free move-ment during the Covid-19 pandemicwithin the EU", and it will serve as"proof that a person was vaccinatedagainst Covid-19, received a nega-

tive test result or recovered fromCovid-19", the official added.

Referring to the possible EMAauthorisation for Covishield, the offi-cial said, "As of yesterday [Monday],the EMA stated that it had notreceived a request for approval. It willexamine any such request whenreceived, as per its procedures."

The issue of a "fair travel regime"figured in talks between Indian exter-nal affairs minister S Jaishankar andthe EU commissioner for internation-

al partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen,when they met in Italy on Mondayahead of a meeting of G20 foreignministers.

India has linked the issue of so-called "vaccine passports" to equi-table access to doses around theworld. External affairs ministryspokesperson Arindam Bagchi hadsaid on June 17 that many deve-loping countries had not yet beenable to vaccinate a large percentageof their population.

Green pass not precondition to travel, says EU official

The European Union (EU) has recommended to open its external borders to non-essentialtravel into the bloc if travellers have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Pic - Bloomberg

DDozens of babies have died or been left brain-damaged after errors during childbirth at one of

Britain's biggest hospitals - while managers failed to properly investigate concerns and altered reports to takeblame away from the maternity unit. An investigation byThe Independent and Channel 4 News has uncoveredrepeated examples of poor care over the past decade atNottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, with parentsforced to fight to find out the truth about what happenedto their child.

Families say that if lessons had been learnt, furthertragedies at the hospital could have been prevented.Naomi Lewin, whose baby Freddie died after a harrowinglabour, told The Independent: "They don't listen to fami-lies. It's ignorance. If they don't learn from it, it's going to

be a repeat cycle over and over and over again."* * *

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner has said areport that her supporters are preparing a leadership chal-lenge to Sir Keir Starmer if he loses the Batley and Spenby-election is "news to me." MPs have been canvassingsupport among parliamentary colleagues and tradeunions, The Times reported. She would need the supportof 40 MPs, 20 per cent of the parliamentary party, tomount a challenge. Left-wing MPs have been approachedabout a possible mutiny if Labour's performance atThursday's by-election is poor, the newspaper said. ButRayner herself tweeted on Wednesday night: "The 'story'on the front page of @thetimes tomorrow is news to me."

Poor care responsible for deaths of babies

Interview Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 7

Mauritius Times: Nous ne sommespas encore au bout de nos peines euégard à une nouvelle menace virale, levariant " Delta Plus ", qui serait présentdéjà dans 78 pays, et qui est soupçon-né d'être plus résistant aux anticorpsque les autres, et dont le taux de con-tamination serait trois fois plus rapide...Cela alors que la réouverture de nosfrontières est prévue dans lesprochains jours. L'état de notre écono-mie n'offre pas d'alternative, paraît-il?

Jean-Claude de l'Estrac: Faisonsd'abord une distinction entre les deuxenjeux : il y a l'enjeu sanitaire et il y a ledéfi économique. Comme je ne suis pasun infectiologue, je vais m'aventurer avecprudence sur la question sanitaire. Mais jepense que la communication sur ces virus,au niveau mondial, est mal fondée. Elle estterriblement anxiogène et paralysante.

Si la Covid-19 et ses variants sont làpour durer, si les virus tuent très rarementles contaminés, si tous ont été vaccinés, jene vois pas l'intérêt de ces statistiquesquotidiennes sur le nombre de conta-minés. Comme si les contaminés sont tousdestinés à mourir... Apprendre à vivre avecces virus voudra dire relativiser ses effets mortifères et vacciner le plus grandnombre.

La contrepartie, toutefois, doit être l'assurance que les services hospitalierspublics sont parfaitement équipés pourfaire face à une éventuelle situation decrise. La seule vertu que je trouve à cettestratégie de la peur, c'est qu'elle incite la population à respecter les protocolessanitaires.

En ce qui concerne l'ouverture desfrontières, je n'ai pas cessé de penser quele principe de précaution et l'excessiveprudence des gouvernants nous con-damnent à mourir en bonne santé... Jeconstate que le bon sens revient, les frontières sont graduellement rouvertesalors que l'on continue à recenser de nou-veaux contaminés. Il faut se préparer àdénombrer encore plus de contaminéssans parler de reconfinement.

* Singapour vient d'annoncer unchangement radical de stratégie face àla Covid-19. L'objectif n'est plus de neplus avoir d'infection, mais plutôt devivre avec le virus, tout en poursuivantson programme de vaccination pouratteindre les deux tiers de sa popula-tion. C'est une stratégie qui paraît fiablepour Maurice également, maissommes-nous réellement prêts pour laréouverture ?

La nouvelle stratégie de Singapour partd'un principe de réalisme plutôt que deprécaution. Les autorités singapouriennesestiment que les virus de la Covid-19 -comme tant d'autres dans nos vies - sontlà pour durer : il faut donc apprendre àvivre avec ces virus. Mais il faut protéger lapopulation.

La réponse que nous offre la science,c'est la vaccination. Les vaccins qui protè-gent les humains contre un large éventailde maladies sontl'une des grandesavancées de la médecine depuis desdécennies. Ils sont considérés commel'une des mesures sanitaires les pluséconomiques et les plus efficaces. Il fautdonc accélérer la campagne de vaccina-tion, c'est ce que ce fait le gouvernementavec raison ; il lui reste à mettre au pas lesinconscients antivaccins qui prennent desrisques inutiles.

* Pour ce qui est de l'économie, desdoutes ont été exprimés sur la capacitédu budget 2021-2022 de remettre l'économie sur une trajectoire de crois-sance plus élevée. Il y a aussi les critiques du FMI sur la politique moné-taire du gouvernement, le financementdu budget par les transferts de laBanque de Maurice et le rôle de la MIC.Rien n'indique si le gouvernement tien-dra compte de ces commentaires du

FMI, et à bien voir le gouvernement n'apeut-être pas beaucoup de choix, non ?

La stratégie économique du gouverne-ment est illisible pour le plus grand nombrede nos concitoyens.

Les spécialistes, économistes et finan-ciers, les institutions financières interna-tionales telles le Fonds monétaire interna-

tional, les agences de notation, ontexprimé des critiques sinon des doutes,sur la capacité du gouvernement d'attein-dre les objectifs fixés. Plus grave encoresa comptabilité créative est dénoncée,cette semaine encore, par le FMI.

Le ministre n'en a cure, il est resté droitdans ses bottes lors des débats sur lebudget. Nous verrons bien où cela nousmène, le budget 2022 n'est pas loin… Ceprochain rendez-vous budgétaire sera sonlitmus test, son test de vérité.

* Certains observateurs soutiennentque le pire est encore à venir, avec lesfermetures de nombreuses entreprisesjusqu'ici soutenues avec l'aidepublique - ce qui ne pourra pas durerindéfiniment. Il y a aussi les difficultésde trouver un emploi pour beaucoup deMauriciens et le coût de la vie quigrimpe en raison de la forte déprécia-tion de la roupie depuis début 2020...Avez-vous des craintes pour le social ?

Il ne fait pas de doute que lesprochains mois seront dramatiques pourun grand nombre de Mauriciens, et passeulement pour ceux qui se trouvent aubas de l'échelle. La conjonction de ladévaluation délibérée de la roupie, del'augmentation colossale du coût du fret,de l'augmentation à la source des prix desproduits alimentaires importés sont autantde coups de massue.

Mais, en même temps, beaucoup denos concitoyens espèrent que les chosesfiniront par aller mieux, si ce n'est pasdemain, peut-être après-demain. Ils n'ontpas tout à fait tort. L'échec n'est pas unefatalité. Ce pays conserve malgré tout unegrande capacité de rebond.

C'est pourquoi je ne crains pas uneexplosion sociale, aussi parce que l'offrepolitique alternative n'est toujours pascrédible, parce que les syndicats sont peureprésentatifs, parce que personne nevoudra mettre en péril l'existant.

* Le gouvernement doit être conscient des menaces qui guettent lepays et des challenges auxquels il seraconfronté dans les mois à venir etdurant le reste de son mandat - desdéfis plus énormes à relever sur le planéconomique que sur le plan politique.Voyez-vous l'équipe gouvernementalecapable de relever ces défis ?

Cette équipe gouvernementale, cesnouveaux ministres, ont eu à faire face, aucours des derniers mois, à des situationsparticulièrement contraignantes.

* Suite en page 8

‘Le challenger de Pravind Jugnauth aux prochaines électionslégislatives ne peut émerger que des rangs du PTr.’

Tant que le Parti Travailliste gardera une certaine opacité sur la question de leadership du parti, le gouvernement en place est certain de ne faire face à aucun problème politique. Bien entendu, la question sanitaire demeure omniprésente. Il reste

à savoir si le PM optera pour le principe de réalisme comme Singapour ou décuplera ses efforts pour maintenir le principe de précaution. Jean-Claude de l'Estrac, nous en parle.

“Ce pays qui veut s'ouvrir aumonde, qui a besoin

impérativement de s'ouvrir, qui sollicite l'investissement

étranger, qui veut retrouver sesvisiteurs étrangers, a,

aujourd'hui, un gros problèmed'image à l'étranger. Ce n'estpas une question de branding,

cela a tout à voir avec le modèle de société que nous

sommes en train de construire,parfois de déconstruire..."

Interview Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 8

* Suite de la page 7Il faut espérer qu'ils auront appris une

ou deux leçons fondamentales. Et d'abordque l'on ne gouverne pas dans l'arroganceou avec l'esprit de représailles enbafouant la continuité de l'Etat mêmequand on subodore des maldonnes ; quel'on obtient de meilleurs résultats dans ledialogue et la concertation ; que l'on neviole pas indument les règles interna-tionales de transparence et de justice;qu'une fourmi est plus avisée qu'unecigale, qu'un leader s'isole s'il ne travailleque pour son camp.

Compte tenu de l'ampleur des défis àrelever, je sens comme une aspiration àtendre vers plus d'unité nationale.

* Quelle est votre opinion sur lafaçon de faire de Pravind Jugnauth etde son équipe quand ils dirigent lesaffaires de l'État?

Si par "façon" vous entendez la forme,je n'hésite pas à dire que PravindJugnauth émerge de ces derniers mois depandémie et de cataclysmes répétéscomme un Leader. Il s'est affirmé, il est àla manœuvre, il est présent, il est péda-gogique, il parle clairement.

Ensuite, il y a le fond : j'ai du mal àattribuer, dans la gestion des affaires del'Etat, ce qui relève de ses choix person-nels et autoritaires, et ce que les médiaset l'opposition attribuent à sonentourage.Il aurait intérêt à clarifier cetteambiguïté.

* En tout cas, il ne devrait pas sefaire beaucoup de soucis avec l'é-parpillement des forces de l'oppositionsur le terrain. Et, par ailleurs, certainesinstitutions qui normalement devraientjouer un rôle clé sur le plan de 'law andorder' semblent être sous contrôle.Cela va durer, selon vous?

La division de l'opposition, c'est unproblème politique. C'est grave mais bienmoins grave que le délitement des institu-tions censées assurer, en toute indépen-dance, le bon fonctionnement du systèmedémocratique.

Nous sommes, en effet, dans une spirale que des organismes interna-tionaux désignent déjà comme un risqued'autocratisme. C'est une sacrée déculot-tée pour le pays qui faisait figure d'exem-ple démocratique.

Ce pays qui veut s'ouvrir au monde,qui a besoin impérativement de s'ouvrir,qui sollicite l'investissement étranger, quiveut retrouver ses visiteurs étrangers, a,aujourd'hui, un gros problème d'image àl'étranger. Ce n'est pas une question debranding, cela a tout à voir avec le modèle

de société que nous sommes en train deconstruire, parfois de déconstruire, à laface du monde.

* On ne comprend pas trop ladémarche du leader de l'opposition etleader du PMSD de rechercher unecommission d'enquête sur l'affaireBetamax. Le PTr est contre le principed'une commission d'enquête, qui pour-rait éventuellement l'embarrasser, etXavier Duval en est sûrement con-scient. Que recherche-t-il, à votre avis?

Je ne suis pas certain que cette initia-tive soit bien pensée. C'est un classiquechez l'opposition de réclamer la nomina-tion d'une Commission d'enquête àchaque fois qu'elle veut surfer sur uneperception de corruption.

L'affaire Betamax réunit toutes les con-ditions, mais je suis mal à l'aise à l'idéeque cette Commission pourrait êtreperçue comme une remise en cause dujugement du Privy Council.

En tout cas, si un juge indépendantdevait présider cette Commission d'en-quête, je vois au peloton d'exécution:

Ramgoolam, Jeetah, SAJ, Duval,Bhadain… Ça va être saignant !

* Les prochaines élections munici-pales ne vont pas tarder, semble-t-il, eton peut envisager le PMSD et le MMMunissant leurs forces dans cette perspective. Mais ces deux partis vontdevoir compter sur le PTr en ce quiconcerne les élections générales.Qu'en pensez-vous?

Mon expérience politique m'incite àpenser que le challenger de PravindJugnauth aux prochaines élections législatives ne peut émerger que desrangs du Parti Travailliste. J'aurais voulume tromper mais je veux rester réaliste.Je n'attache qu'une importance relativeaux élections municipales parce que cen'est pas l'électorat urbain qui choisit lelocataire de l'Hôtel du gouvernement.

* Voyez-vous Xavier Duval ou PaulBérenger envisager leur avenir poli-tique dans une énième lutte à trois lorsdes prochaines législatives, ce quipourrait donner le même résultat que2019? Ils devront tôt ou tard se décideren ce qui concerne le leadership d'unealliance de l'opposition... sauf si l'un oul'autre envisagerait d'autres options?

La seule alternative crédible à PravindJugnauth aux prochaines électionsgénérales est une alliance de l'oppositionmenée par un Parti Travailliste qui aurarésolu son problème de leadership. Tout lereste est illusoire.

Voilà pourquoi l'on aurait tort, à cestade, de write-off Jugnauth… Les "autres options " auxquelles vous faitesallusion ne sont absolument pas farfelues.Des forces occultes y travaillent. Nousverrons plus clair lorsque nous abor-derons la deuxième partie du mandat dePravind Jugnauth. C'est bientôt.

* Par ailleurs, il semblerait que leParti Travailliste soit toujours en hiber-nation, laissant le champ libre àl'Alliance L'Espoir. Avez-vous desdoutes quant à la capacité du PTr à seremettre sur pied ?

L'appareil du parti est paralysé parl'absence de visibilité sur la question cruciale du leadership.

C'est Navin Ramgoolam, et lui seul,qui déterminera l'avenir immédiat du parti.Il ne peut pas ne pas mesurer l'importancecapitale de sa décision, pour lui-même,pour son parti, pour le pays.

‘Je ne crains pas une explosion sociale parce que l'offre politique alternative n'est toujours pas crédible,

les syndicats sont peu représentatifs...’

“La seule alternative crédibleà Pravind Jugnauth aux

prochaines élections généralesest une alliance de l'oppositionmenée par un Parti Travaillistequi aura résolu son problèmede leadership. Tout le reste estillusoire. Voilà pourquoi l'onaurait tort, à ce stade, de write-off Jugnauth...”

“La division de l'opposition,c'est un problème

politique, c'est grave mais bien moins grave que le

délitement des institutions censées assurer, en touteindépendance, le bon

fonctionnement du systèmedémocratique. Nous sommes,en effet, dans une spirale quedes organismes internationaux

désignent déjà comme unrisque d'autocratisme...”

Sur le principe, l’idée de faire signer un formulaire deconsentement aux vaccinés partait d’une sagedécision. Surtout qu’il s’agissait de reconnaître la

spécificité de la vaccination contre la Covid-19, encore austade expérimental mais considérée comme urgentedans les circonstances liées à la pandémie. En raison dela rapidité de la mise sur le marché des vaccins, liée àcette urgence sanitaire, la vaccination anti-Covid com-porte un certain nombre de risques. Le ‘consent form’ duministère de la Santé reconnaît ces spécificités :

«Le ministère de la Santé et du Bien-Être a rendu levaccin contre la Covid-19 disponible suivant les approba-tions réglementaires de son usage en vigueur aux Etats-Unis, au Royaume-Uni, en Inde et dans d’autres pays, dufait que les circonstances justifient son utilisation dans uncas d’urgence comme la pandémie de Covid-19».

Le ‘consent form’ admet aussi l’existence des risquesvenant du fait que l’homologation des vaccins anti-Covidn’a pas complété les procédures habituelles appliquéesen temps normal. Le ministère reconnaît qu’il rend la vac-cination anti-Covid disponible «sur la base de la totalitédes preuves scientifiques existantes actuellementdisponibles, qui montrent que les bénéfices connus etpotentiels des vaccins surpassent les risques connus etpotentiels».

Des risques passés sous silence

Calqué sur l’argumentaire officiel de l’OMS, ce dis-cours établit une balance bienfaits/risques de la vaccina-tion à un instant T donné («for the time being»), en vertu«des preuves scientifiques existantes actuellement dis-ponibles». Prendre la précaution de reconnaître que cettebalance bienfaits/risques est établie à un instant T, c’estaussi admettre implicitement qu’elle peut être amenée àse modifier ultérieurement (y compris en faveur d’unepotentielle aggravation des risques); notamment avec l’a-vancée de la campagne de vaccination elle-même.

D’ailleurs, cette dernière s’assimile à une phase d’es-sai grandeur nature. De ce fait, un certain nombre de don-nées pourraient faire pencher la balance du côté d’uneaggravation des risques ou des effets secondaires:

- des risques connus à court ou moyen terme, maissous-estimés ou passés sous silence, comme ceux quefait peser la vaccination anti-Covid sur le système immu-nitaire. Les vaccins peuvent augmenter le risque de con-tracter la Covid-19 mais aussi des co-infections viralesmultiples, en raison du mécanisme d’ADE (AntibodyDependent Enhancement, en français : Facilitation de l'in-fection par des anticorps). Ce n’est nullement un délirecomplotiste, mais un fait documenté par des études médi-cale, en particulier, cet article, publié le 9 septembre 2020dans la très sérieuse revue Nature Microbiology, intitulé«Antibody-dependent enhancement and SARS-CoV-2vaccines and therapies» ;

- des risques inconnus à long terme, notammentdecancer… car l’OMS aurait jugé inutile de demander auxfabricants des tests sur la carcérogénicité de leurs vac-cins anti-Covid… Pour prendre l’exemple du vaccinSinopharm qui est actuellement administré à Maurice, le‘consent form’ explique qu’il est fabriqué à base d’unantigène de Sars-Cov-2 inactivé. En omettant de préciserque cet antigène est inactivé avec du beta-propiolac-tone… Une substancereconnue comme can-cérigène pour l’humain(risque documenté parplusieurs études notam-ment dans le BritishJournal of Cancer).

N’envisageant leproblème qu’à échelleindividuelle, le ‘consentform’ fait assumer tousles risques au seul vac-ciné. Ce dernier doitreconnaître en le signantque «comme résultat dela vaccination certainsrisques sont impliqués»qui peuvent l’exposer àdes blessures et même àla mort. Le candidat à lavaccination accepte ainsi qu’il «l’exécute volontairement»(étrange formule pour un document médical, et étrangefaçon de concevoir un consentement à la vaccination). Etil reconnaît assumer «volontairement» tous ces risquesliés à l’administration du vaccin, y compris la mort.

Il apparaît que le ‘consent form’ est un document con-tractuel, quand il fait dire au vacciné qu’il «renonce à toutepoursuite contre l’État mauricien, le Global HealthPartnership aussi connu comme GAVI Alliance, les pro-ducteurs de vaccins ou leurs agents et préposés (…) jeles décharge pour toujours de toutes poursuites ».

Le document va encore plus loin, en stipulant que levacciné s’engage même à indemniser toutes ces partiessi elles venaient à être poursuivies pour des dommagesrésultant de la vaccination.

Un document contractuel d’un cynismeextraordinaire

On est loin du ‘consent form’ sud-africain qui informele patient que «des mesures appropriées seront prisespour prévenir, prendre en charge et soigner les effetsindésirables de ce vaccin sur [s]a personne». Ce genre deprécaution vise non seulement à protéger le patient, maispermet aussi aux autorités sanitaires d’assortir la vacci-nation d’une pharmacovigilance véritablement tournéevers le suivi et la protection des populations. Dans ce cas,cela favorise un ‘monitoring’ permettant d’anticiper à

échelle nationale des possibles effets secondaires de lacampagne de vaccination.

Rien de tout cela à Maurice, où le ‘consent form’ signépar les Mauriciens n’est donc finalement qu’un documentcontractuel dénué de toute humanité, visant à protégercomplètement et de façon unilatérale les fabricants devaccins, les pays fournisseurs et le GAVI. Ce serait doncparadoxalement un document d’un cynisme et d’unmépris extraordinaires, alors qu’il était question au départde protéger la population d’une pandémie et de ses dan-gers.

Une telle posture s’inscrit totalement à l’encontre de lapolitique gouvernementale menée jusqu’à présent par lepremier Ministre Pravind Jugnauth, et ce, alors que lePremier ministre lui-même vient de rappeler à l’occasiondu 12 mars 2021 que la santé de sa population est unepriorité pour lui.

Le premier mandat de Pravind Jugnauth avait pourtantété marqué par l’introduction de véritables politiquespubliques pour le pays. La politique sociale de son gou-

vernement s’était attachée à protéger la population et enparticulier les catégories de citoyens les plus vulnérables,on l’a vu notamment avec l’augmentation de la pensionvieillesse et l’introduction du salaire minimum. C’estégalement sous le gouvernement MSM que la gestion durisque a été introduite dans le pays, avec la mise sur pieden 2016 d’un National Disaster Risk Reduction andManagement Committee pour prévenir et mitiger lesrisques de catastrophes naturelles.

La notion de gestion du risque n’est visiblement pasconçue de la même manière en ce qui concerne la santépublique. Le ‘consent form’ vaccinal, faisant porter au seulpatient les effets secondaires potentiellement nocifs duvaccin, parcellise et relègue au niveau individuel lesrisques inhérents à la vaccination. Pire, il dédouanetotalement le GAVI, les fabricants de vaccins et les paysfournisseurs de toute responsabilité dans cette prise derisque.

Une manière pour les autorités sanitaires de se voilerla face car, en répondant prioritairement au souci de sedédouaner de toute poursuite, ce formulaire hypothèquela possibilité d’une pharmacovigilance transparente etcohérente. En condamnant le vacciné à subir seul seseffets secondaires, le ‘consent form’ freine la remontéed’informations libres et volontaires sur la santé du patient,et surtout leur corrélation au vaccin.

ll Suite en page 12

Eclairage Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 9

Vaccination Anti-Covid‘Consent form’: quand le gouvernement

abdique sa souveraineté sur la santé publiqueLe ‘consent form’ pour la vaccination anti-Covid fait assumer

tous les risques aux seuls vaccinés. Ce faisant, les autorités sanitairess’enlèvent les moyens d’une pharmacovigilance transparente et

préventive sur les effets de la vaccination massive.

Catherine BoudetDocteur en Analyse

politique

Pic - BBC

Having discussedthe need formoral educa-

tion, we must deal withthe most difficult question parents have to contend with.There are genuine concerns that their children, reared onidealistic lines, will be misfits in the real world. There arealso misgivings that moral value systems are pushed bythe rich and powerful to restrain the masses, even whilethey themselves unabashedly flout the same and flaunttheir ‘successful’ lifestyles.

Why shouldn’t all parents want their children to besuccessful? How long can we expect our young to ignorethe audacious, ‘in your face’, amoral value system of themost prosperous people around us? Why should we givea value system to our children which run contrary to theprevailing ‘aspirational’ moral framework of our most ce-lebrated ‘achievers’?

If the billionaire former President of the most powerfulnation on earth could boast that he paid no taxesbecause he is ‘smart’ or people get rich by stealing data,spreading fake news and creating artificial needs, thentelling our children this is wrong is bound to be difficult.How can we ignore what we see around us: that you canget ahead of others by lying and cheating; by flagrantlysubverting the system and destroying institutions; rise tothe top by undermining competition, cornering resourcesand unashamedly corrupting institutions; become rich byselling foods that cause malnutrition and organ damage,by pushing drugs whose efficacy and fatal consequencesare wilfully concealed, by setting up industry which causes ecological damage and destruction of biodiversi-ty, by fudging accounts and reports to distort reality androb the people; or creating fake intelligence to divide peo-ple, provoke hatred and wage wars? What moral valuescan we teach if the definition of success itself has gonehorribly wrong?

These questions will have to be addressed for other-wise we will be building a moral edifice which stands onwishful thinking. Success can be redefined but if thelevers of education and information are in the hands ofthe same people, who have climbed up the ladder of suc-cess through cheating and lying, it is going to be difficult.

This is where the sensibility of the educated middleclass comes in. They will have to reassert their role asconscience keepers – as a group they are least covetousand having been shielded from deprivation and dispos-session bear less grudge against others. Though thisgroup is struggling with a growing number of theirbrethren aspiring for the lifestyles of the nouveau riche,there are still a large number of clear-headed people

around.

The values drawn from thousands of years of humanexistence, as brought out in folklore and written in epicsacross the world cannot be wrong. It is the false valuesystems propagated over the last couple of hundredyears, more so the last fifty years, which are wrong. Lookaround to see the poverty, deprivation, devastation ofnature, war and strife and there should be no doubt thata false narrative of success is destroying humanity.

One way to challenge this false definition of successis for all of us to realise that howsoever powerful the richand mighty be, ultimately it is nature and its power whichdetermines the course of history. The human race cansurvive and prosper only as long as it works in sync withnature. The nature of nature is quite clear. It seeks har-mony and equilibrium. Everything moves according tolaws and a human life span is an insignificant blip. Themegalomania of a few powerful people may appear di-sastrous – indeed it will cause suffering and pain, butnature will reassert its huge power by causing correctiveand constructive destruction.

The old cliché is true – “nature has enough for every-one’s needs but not for their greed”. Nature does not dis-criminate between people. In our quest for more, as wedisturb the ecological balance and interfere with the habi-tats of the flora and fauna, we will be visited by floods,storms, climate change, famine, pestilence and pan-demics. Gandhi said: “We must not lose faith in humani-ty. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean aredirty, the ocean does not become dirty”.

True we have come a long way from the time Gandhiwalked this earth; the few drops do seem to look like asluice valve turned full on. Yet, history is witness that themightiest of kings, colonisers, rulers, capitalists andpower brokers will eventually perish. The power of natureand the cycle of life and death are the only undeniableforces which sustain man. The ocean will destroy the dirt!

The second way is to inculcate a scientific temper inour young. This does not mean that all children have tobe taught physics, chemistry or maths. Scientific temperwould mean developing a systematic approach to lookingat things, asking questions, understanding the conceptsof ecology, demanding evidence for fantastic claims,insisting on finding the cause and effect of phenomenonand having the strength and courage to take questionsfrom others.

Let there be no doubt, everyone has the capacity for

understanding nature as a whole. There is no right side orleft side limit of the mind for science and arts, nor is science more difficult than arts. With good teachers it iseasy to explain the basic concepts to every child.Remember, some of the most famous scientists andinnovators like Albert Einstein, Galileo Galilei and SamuelMorse were also famous for their works of art and music.On the other hand, the music of Johann Sebastian Bachis often described as ‘mathematical’ due to its organisedsymmetry.

I could intuitively even say that worthwhile inventionsare not forthcoming in the last sixty to seventy yearsbecause our educators created a divide between scienceeducation and education in the fine arts. Children shouldbe taught that everything in nature connects to everythingelse. A global, scientific, innovative and imaginative mindalone can think of solutions for sustainable developmentand prosperity, not people living in silos.

The correct moral compass has to point in this direc-tion. Let the educated men and women of fine arts, ourdoctors, scientists, engineers, industrial workers, agricul-turists, teachers, academicians, and of course our youngstudents assert their responsibility to take back controlover our value systems. We must redefine success. Onlythose who are inquisitive, respect nature, seek truth andcreate harmony are successful in nurturing life. Call it auniversal faith if you like. It can provide the vision anddirection to steer back our country to a more egalitarianand functional social system, which will draw tremendousstrength by learning to survive within the laws of nature.

While it may not be easy to change the false narra-tives immediately, each one of us can create smallislands of scientific inquiry, respect for nature and moralexcellence, wherever we are – at home or at the work-place. The goodness and wholesomeness will surelyradiate from these moral havens, and as the value sys-tem and scientific temper permeates our schooling, wecan look forward to a new kind of human existence; a‘civilisational’ change, which the whole world will cele-brate and rejoice in – perhaps even replicate!

Can Mauritius take the lead?

This is the third and final part of a three-part series ofarticles.

Musings Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 10

Moral Education and Character Building

‘Honesty is the Best Policy’ – ButWhat about Success?

What moral values can we teach if the definition of success itself has gone horribly wrong?

“Be the change thatyou want to see in

the world”-- Mahatma Gandhi

Arvind Saxena

“The values drawn from thousands of years of human existence, as brought out in folklore and written in epics across the world cannot be wrong. It is

the false value systems propagated over the last couple of hundred years, moreso the last fifty years, which are wrong. Look around to see the poverty,

deprivation, devastation of nature, war and strife and there should be no doubtthat a false narrative of success is destroying humanity...”

Arvind Saxena is an Indian civil servant and a former Chairman of the Union Public Service

Commission (UPSC) in India.

The Conversation Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 11

THE RIVER RUN CUP1600 m - Valeur [0-20] - 12h151111

THE GAETAN HALBWACHS CUP1365 m - Valeur [50+] - 15h45

THE LE TURBO CUP1500 m - Valeur [0-25] - 12h50

THE ZILLAH CUP1400 m - Valeur Benchmark 36 - 13h25

11 SeoulSeoul

22 Eagles VEagles Visionision

33 OpOpagueague

44 Midnight OracleMidnight Oracle

55 GlitterrockGlitterrock

66 Kali's ChampKali's Champ

77 Desert ThiefDesert Thief

88 Double GratitudeDouble Gratitude

99 GreatGreatfieeightfieeight

JMHSPNGSPNASCRRGRMCD

6059.559.559.559.558.558(-4)5857.5

573196428

0-0-0-0-26-2/8-R-60-5-7/4-24-6-10/7-76-7-7-8-8/5-4-6-7/73-1-3-3/37-4-7/8-56-7-4/9-4

320480260

160020001600500800

1600

G.D.AucharuzK.KalychurunS.DonohoeB.SoofulS.RamaR.JoorawonJ.AllyhosainP.C.OrfferM.Sonaram

1 Carbon Fibre1 Carbon Fibre

22 Lemon Drop ShotLemon Drop Shot

33 Liverpool ChampLiverpool Champ

44 AfdeekAfdeek

55 Ovation Ovation AAwardward

66 John HancockJohn Hancock

77 InaugurationInauguration

88 Protea ParadiseProtea Paradise

99 AbsolutistAbsolutist

SPNPGRRMGRGCRRGAS

60606059.559.55958.5(-4)58.558

174935628

0-0-0-0-77-2-4-8/40-0-0-0-33-2-5/4-85-3-4-3/66-9-6-3/69-6-4-7/46-4-5-10/5nouveau

1000360260750430550

150018002500

R.JoorawonG.D.AucharuzN.TeehaP.C.OrfferB.BhaugeerotheeS.DonohoeN.S.BatchameahJ.AllyhosainS.Rama

11 Al MadharAl Madhar

22 Barak LavanBarak Lavan

33 EurotecEurotec

44 FlowerscapeFlowerscape

55 FundraiserFundraiser

66 TTicket Holdericket Holder

77 SStreet Bytetreet Byte

88 The RiddlerThe Riddler

99 Chosen WChosen Wayay

GRSNRMRGPSJCDSHG

6059.559.559.559.559.559(-4)5958

758129463

nouveau2-6-5-8-8/0-0-0-0-13-4-1/2-40-7-A/7-37-7-10/9-86-5-3-1/510-7-2/6-10-0-0-0-7

2601000430350

100025002000500

1200

N.TeehaG.D.AucharuzP.C.OrfferJ.AllyhosainO.SolaT.JuglallM.SonaramI.SantanaS.Donohoe

11 TToro Bravooro Bravo

22 GimmetherainGimmetherain

33 Colour My FateColour My Fate

44 Emerald BandEmerald Band

55 Henry THenry Tudorudor

66 YYorktownorktown

77 Candy Candy AppleApple

88 WWaimeaaimea

9 9 Hooves of Thunder[EA]

SNSJASVACDRGGRJMHAS

6059.5595959(-4)59565459

547218369

1-1-R-1/13-1-1-5-5/nouveau2-2-1-6/42-6-6-9/9nouveau3-4-2/5-1nouveau0-0-0-8-10

25020001000290650900420

1400----

G.D.AucharuzT.JuglallS.RamaB.Fayd'herbeM.SonaramJ.AllyhosainB.SoofulR.Joorawon------------

11 Rule The NightRule The Night

22 VVirtueirtue

33 WWall Tall Tagag

44 Pietro MascagniPietro Mascagni

55 KamadevaKamadeva

66 Prince Of PersiaPrince Of Persia

77 Etched In BlueEtched In Blue

GRCRVASNRGGJMH

61(-3)58(-4)57.556.5545352

2173465

1-3-5-2/C1-1-2-4/35-3-3/2-14-7-4-4-7/1-5-N-2/13-5-1/3-20-0-0-0-3

290400380

2500290550

2000

A.RoyN.S.BatchameahB.Fayd'herbeT.JuglallS.RamaY.EmamdeeB.Sooful

11 AlameeryAlameery

22 Good BuddyGood Buddy

33 KingsmanKingsman

44 Skip The RedSkip The Red

55 Nao Faz MalNao Faz Mal

66 The Jazz SingerThe Jazz Singer

77 Zigi Zagi ZugiZigi Zagi Zugi

SJJMHPRMRGSHSN

6060606059.559.559.5

1427365

0-0-0-8-45-6-3/7-44-4-7/8-31-7-1-R-8/6-2-3-1/31/8-7-6-9/7-3-3-5/C

300500350

1400280

1800600

N.TeehaR.JoorawonO.SolaP.C.OrfferJ.AllyhosainI.SantanaG.D.Aucharuz

11 Black Cat BackBlack Cat Back

22 Count JackCount Jack

33 Horse GuardsHorse Guards

44 AlramzAlramz

55 VVascostreettractorascostreettractor

66 HuyssteenHuyssteen

77 WWe Light The Firee Light The Fire

GGRCDRMSJRGCR

6158.557.5(-4)56.555.55352

7415326

4-1-7/1-1/0-0-0-0-61-6/5-1/40-0-0-0-91-3-2-7/82-1-4-1/1nouveau

550260260900

1000400

2000

S.DonohoeN.TeehaM.SonaramP.C.OrfferR.JoorawonS.RamaK.Kalychurun

11 NimitzNimitz

22 PotPotawatomiawatomi

33 DreamforestDreamforest

44 AlssakhraAlssakhra

55 SubtropicalSubtropical

66 OverdoseOverdose

77 GiratorioGiratorio

88 WWest Coast est Coast WWarriorarrior

SJSNCDGSPNASVARG

6060(-3)59.5(-4)58.558.55857.557.5(-4)

63451782

0-0-5-6/32-6-8/3-95-5/3-1-25-6-5-4/34-6-9/9-45-4-2/6-40-0-0-3-23-3-3/5-3

2902200500380

1800800280

1200

N.TeehaA.RoyM.SonaramS.DonohoeK.KalychurunS.RamaB.Fayd'herbeN.S.Batchameah

11 Free TFree To Wo Winin

22 GontravelinGontravelin

33 Grand VGrand Visionision

44 Supreme Elevation

55 HardfallingrainHardfallingrain

66 Master Of Disguise

77 AmandlaAmandla

88 Grey Grey AgainAgain

SHCRGJMHCDVAJMHRG

6060(-4)6060(-3)59.559.55958.5

13827546

nouveaunouveaunouveaunouveau0-0-0-0-8nouveau9-2-3/5-16-7-4/5-2

5002000800

1600800280450300

I.SantanaN.S.BatchameahS.DonohoeA.RoyR.JoorawonB.Fayd'herbeG.D.AucharuzB.Bhaugeerothee

THE HOLDALL CUP1600 m - Valeur Benchmark 46 - 14h00

THE PONDICHERY CUP - 1365 m - Valeur [50+] - 14h35

THE SHADARI CUP1850 m - Valeur Benchmark 31 - 16h20

THE BAISER DE PAIX PLATE 1450 m - Valeur [0-26] - 16h55THE TABASCOREZ CUP

990 m - Valeur Benchmark 51 - 15h10

Programme desCourses

8è journée samedi 3 juillet 2021

ll Cont. from page 2

The rising or falling of fraud was used as a metric todetermine whether politicians and public servants wereeffective in their roles. At times, political or businessopponents of the government were allegedly targetedby the measures. And some powerful business actorsreportedly got around regulations.

Sixth, corruption, as well as in-fights, conflicts, ten-sions and power struggles within and between stateagencies charged with anti-fraud measures, featuredtoo. One example was Kenya Bureau of Standards. Inrecent years, several managing directors of the bureauwere accused of graft.

The seventh feature was that many anti-fraud mea-sures were carried out by specialised for-profit privateactors. They were therefore arguably shaped by businessinterests, competition for anti-fraud measure contracts,and the dynamics of industries and markets.

We also found that international companies specia-lising in regulations and standards often played a role.Such commercially oriented actors were particularlyactive in promoting the proliferation of anti-fraud mea-sures.

Eight, arrests, confiscation and destruction of itemswere widespread in reports about anti-fraud activity.

Ninth, we noticed a prevalence of anti-fraud measuresin efforts to increase tax revenue and inhibit illicit financialflows. Various initiatives emphasised the need toincrease compliance. At times we detected tensions in

moves to create an “enabling” business environment toattract foreign investment – such as low taxes – and callsto protect the national tax bases.

We found there was international cooperation and theinvolvement of civil society actors in efforts to address taxevasion and transnational money laundering. One exam-ple was the Tax Justice Network.

Tenth, civil society actors seemed to have a limitedrole – or no role at all – in various anti-fraud measurecoalitions. In some cases, however, they seemed to playa larger role. One example was consumer protectionagencies.

Challenges

A challenge we identified was that anti-fraud mea-sures could be launched and sustained for reasons thatwent beyond an interest in simply fighting fraud. Thisincluded commercial interests of specialised anti-fraud

firms. These were often companies that operated glo-bally. Other interests at play included governments thatused anti-fraud platforms to seek legitimacy or stateagencies that sought government funding as well asnew areas of operations and streams of revenues.

We also came across criticisms in some cases ofthe measures’ design, costs, bureaucracy and imprac-ticality. There were also concerns about the heavy-handed way in which some measures were imple-mented.

Anti-fraud measures are mostly initiated andshaped by powerful actors. This includes big business,

particularly transnational companies, rather than grass-roots or activist organisations. They are uneven acrosssectors (for example, the financial sector gets significantattention), and they seem to have become a businessand revenue generation vehicle in itself.

It is important to acknowledge that some measurescertainly make a positive impact and that efforts are madeby various agencies to address internal and other short-comings, thereby improving the effectiveness of mea-sures. But the question remains: how can countries subs-tantially contain “irregularities” in situations where theirregular has become widespread, routine and institu-tionalised? And the dominant agendas and pressures ofthe day – such as economic growth, profit and commer-cialisation – are highly conducive to fraud.

The fight against economic fraud

1. Desert Thief, Eagles Vision, Seoul2. Al Madhar, Flowerscape, Eurotec3. Nao Faz Mal, Alameery, Good Buddy4. Liverpool Champ, Lemon Drop Shot, John Hancock5. Rule The Night, Virtue, Wall Tag6. Toro Bravo, Candy Apple, Emerald Band7. Horse Guards, Huyssteen, Black Cat Back8. Nimitz, Giratorio, Alssakhra9. Master Of Disguise, Amandla, Grey Again

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Nataliya Mykhalchenko & Jörg WiegratzUniversity of Leeds

Matters of the Moment Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 12

THE ALEXEI CUP990 m - Valeur [0-20] - 12h151111

THE INDIANOIL BRINGING ENERGY TO LIFE CUP1450 m - Valeur Benchmark 41 - 15h45

1 T1 Trippi's Expressrippi's Express

2 Haylor2 Haylor

3 Ideal Secret3 Ideal Secret

4 T4 Triple Fate Lineriple Fate Line

5 S5 Spring Manpring Man

6 T6 Tower Of Wower Of Wisdomisdom

7 S7 Stream tream AheadAhead

8 Creation8 Creation

9 Northern S9 Northern Spypy

10 Pop Icon10 Pop Icon

111 Big Mist1 Big Mistakeake

RGSJRMSHRMGRCDSPNSJSPNPM

62(-4)61(-3)6160.559.559.559(-4)585856.555

86111

10295743

2-3-1-3/2N-5-1/9-82-4-1/3-64-5-4-R/13-1-7-1-4/3-3-N-6/45-3-1-N/6nouveau1-1-5-1-1/0-0-0-7-R6-8-3-7/7

N.S.BatchameahA.RoyS.RamaI.SantanaP.C.OrfferN.TeehaM.SonaramG.D.AucharuzJ.AllyhosainK.KalychurunR.Oliver

1 Mr Hardy1 Mr Hardy

2 Desert Illusion2 Desert Illusion

3 Jals T3 Jals Tigeriger

4 W4 Winter Guardinter Guard

5 Ladder Man5 Ladder Man

6 River Thames6 River Thames

7 W7 Wordbusterordbuster

8 Nikhils Inn8 Nikhils Inn

9 S9 Straighttraight

10 10 AdamoAdamo

111 Oxford Blue1 Oxford Blue

CRSNGRASPSJVAPMJMHSHCD

60(-4)59.559.559.559595958.558.557.557.5(-4)

87

10211695143

2-8-3-5/20-0-0-4-11-3-3/2-50-0-0-2-13-7-4-7/81-7-8/2-66-2-8-2/80-0-0-3-22-2-4/6-16-5/8/7-40-0-0-7-4

N.S.BatchameahG.D.AucharuzN.TeehaS.RamaO.SolaJ.AllyhosainB.Fayd'herbeR.OliverB.SoofulI.SantanaM.Sonaram

1 T1 Twist Of Fatewist Of Fate

2 Undercover 2 Undercover AgentAgent

3 3 AlyaasaatAlyaasaat

4 4 AlshibaaAlshibaa

5 Patrol Officer5 Patrol Officer

6 Marshall Foch6 Marshall Foch

7 Opera Royal7 Opera Royal

8 The Dazzler8 The Dazzler

9 Idit9 Iditarod Tarod Trailrail

10 Marauding10 Marauding

111 S1 Stoptopalltheclocksalltheclocks

12 S12 Special Blendpecial Blend[EA]

VARMGRRMGRGRSHSNGRGCDSPN

585858585858585858585858

7249

12138611105

0-0-0-1-44-1-4-3/52-1-1-2/13/3-1-2-1/1-1-1-1/30-0-0-0-104-5-2-5/55-2-4-1/61-1-2-7/62-1-1-6/20-0-0-7-70-0-0-0-9

B.Fayd'herbeP.C.OrfferN.TeehaR.JoorawonJ.AllyhosainB.BhaugeerotheeI.SantanaG.D.AucharuzB.SoofulS.DonohoeM.Sonaram------------

1 Bold Horizon1 Bold Horizon

2 Zo Lucky2 Zo Lucky

3 Soul Connection3 Soul Connection

4 T4 Tripodripod

5 Nevil Mu5 Nevil Mu

6 Dark Force6 Dark Force

7 Mac 'N Scar7 Mac 'N Scar

8 Ninotto8 Ninotto

9 Harmonica9 Harmonica

10 Capt10 Captain Garettain Garett

111 El Patron1 El Patron

ASSJSPNCRGRRMSHRGJMHGRSN

6160.56059.5(-4)5958.55857.55756.554

9101173415862

nouveaunouveaunouveau3-6-8-3/5nouveau2-6-1-1/86-7-3-8/33-5-2-5/37-3-7-5/76-R-2/1-11-2-3-N-1

S.RamaR.BoutaniveG.D.AucharuzN.S.BatchameahN.TeehaP.C.OrfferI.SantanaJ.AllyhosainR.JoorawonB.SoofulT.Juglall

1 Edge of The Sun1 Edge of The Sun

2 Eight Cities2 Eight Cities

3 Ernie3 Ernie

4 Paddingtons Luck4 Paddingtons Luck

5 Bound By Duty5 Bound By Duty

6 Power T6 Power Towerower

7 7 YYankeedoodledandyankeedoodledandy8 It8 Itdawnedonmedawnedonme

9 G I Joe9 G I Joe

10 Perfect Pursuit10 Perfect Pursuit

ASVAJMHGRRMRGGSHPMSN

616161(-3)6160.560.560.5605957

9175483

1062

7-2-6/4-101-9-9-9/77-7-7/6-42-7-2/1-85-1-1/6-27-1-2-3/14-9-11-8/32-8-5/2-100-0-0-1-31-6-5/5-6

S.RamaB.Fayd'herbeA.RoyN.TeehaP.C.OrfferJ.AllyhosainS.DonohoeI.SantanaR.OliverG.D.Aucharuz

THE WILD AMBER CUP1600 m - Valeur Benchmark 36 - 12h50

THE AMERICA CHALLENGE CUP1450 m - Valeur Benchmark 41 - 13h25

1 Bold Phoenix1 Bold Phoenix

2 Promissory2 Promissory

3 Clouded Hill3 Clouded Hill

4 T4 Taking Silkaking Silk

5 Uncle Frank5 Uncle Frank

6 Silver Herit6 Silver Heritageage

7 V7 Varsidearside

SJVAJMHGRSPNRMSH

606059.5(-3)59.558.55858

2415376

1-3-1-1/43-1-3/6-70-9-9/8-7nouveau1-4-1-3-4/2-2-1-1/44-2-3/2-2

R.JoorawonB.Fayd'herbeA.RoyN.TeehaK.KalychurunP.C.OrfferI.Santana

1 Lighthearted1 Lighthearted

2 S2 St Vladimirt Vladimir

3 Swagger Jagger3 Swagger Jagger

4 Capt4 Captain Gone Wain Gone Wildild

5 High V5 High Voltoltageage

6 Savvy6 Savvy

7 The Byzantine7 The Byzantine

PCRPMSHASSJJMH

6060(-4)59.559585858

4516732

0-2-7-8/8nouveau0-0-0-2-71-5-4-5/30-0-0-0-R0-6-7/9-65-6/R-4-8

O.SolaN.S.BatchameahR.OliverI.SantanaS.RamaT.JuglallJ.Allyhosain

11 Arctic FlyerArctic Flyer

22 Crushing ForceCrushing Force

33 Secret CircleSecret Circle

44 What What AA KidKid

55 DunzieDunzie

66 Million Dollar ManMillion Dollar Man

77 MauritiusMauritius

SPNJMHSJRGCDCRSH

6060606059.5(-4)58.5(-4)58

2574613

6-5-5-7/30-0-1/8-50-0-0-9-67-N-5-5/22-2-2/5-4nouveaunouveau

K.KalychurunG.D.AucharuzT.JuglallJ.AllyhosainM.SonaramN.S.BatchameahI.Santana

THE PIERRE NOEL CUP990 m - Valeur Benchmark 46 - 14h00

THE SERVO WORLD CLASS LUBRICANT CUP1500 m - Valeur Benchmark 61 - 14h35

THE EXPERTISE PLATE1450 m - Valeur Benchmark 31 - 16h20

THE INDIANOIL BARBE CUP 20211600 m - Valeur P. d'Age [60+] G.1 - 15h10

PROGRAMME DES COURSES9è journée dimanche 4 juillet 2021

ll Suite de la page 9

La pharmacovigilance se résume alors àremonter des données nationales aux four-nisseurs de vaccins et aux organisationsinternationales. Comment dans ces condi-tions, estimer l’impact réel de la vaccinationsur la santé publique, et surtout le risqued’émergence de pathologies à grandeéchelle?

Le contraire d’une politique de gestion des risques

Pourtant, avec l’ambition d’une vaccina-tion de masse, la gestion du risque à échellecollective, en termes de santé publique, s’im-pose comme une nécessité d’importancenationale. Or, c’est tout le contraire d’une poli-tique de gestion des risques qui est mis enplace avec ce ‘consent form’. En politiquepublique, la gestion des risques vise à identi-fier et évaluer les risques liés aux activitéshumaines ou naturelles, ainsi que les publicsexposés, ce qui permet aux autorités de con-trôler et, si possible, de réduire la probabilitédes évènements redoutés, leur impactéventuel, mais aussi et surtout la prise encharge des dommages éventuels.

Pourquoi, en matière de santé publique, lanotion de risque a-t-elle été évaluée en faveurdes entités internationales que sont le GAVI,

les pays fournisseurs et les fabricants de vac-cins, sans considération pour la protectiondes citoyens mauriciens? Si demain, ouaprès-demain, la recherche médicale et lesfaits montrent une surmortalité vaccinale, ouencore une augmentation de certainespathologies découlant de la vaccination demasse de la population mauricienne, à quireviendra la charge de gérer le fardeau ainsioccasionné sur la santé publique (et sur lesfinances publiques)?

Une facture qui pourrait s’alourdir encore,alors que des ‘regulations’ ministérielles vien-nent instaurer l’obligation vaccinale de caté-gories de personnels comme les soignants etles enseignants (une vaccination devenue«volontaire sous la contrainte», où le consen-tement est donc vicié). En fin de compte, c’estle gouvernement lui-même qui risque d’être leplus pénalisé par les effets secondaires de ce‘consent form’ et d’une politique de (non-)gestion du risque vaccinal. Le GM viendrait-ild’abdiquer sa souveraineté en matière desanté publique? Et si, au contraire, la pan-démie de Covid-19 était l’occasion d’ins-taurer une véritable politique de pharma-covigilance pour Maurice, dans laquelle l’Étatet la société seraient partenaires pour le biencommun?

Catherine Boudet

Vaccination Anti-Covid

1. Dunzie, What A Kid, Arctic Flyer2. G I Joe, Power Tower, Yankeedoodledandy3. Uncle Frank, Silver Heritage, Promissory4. Ninotto, Tripod, Captain Garett

5. Trippi's Express, Spring Man, Triple Fate Line6. Alyaasaat, Patrol Officer, Marauding7. Captain Gone Wild, Lighthearted, High Voltage8. Nikhils Inn, Winter Guard, Straight

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ll Cont. from page 4

The country cannot take any riskswith such a deadly variant of coro-navirus and put the hotel and front-liners of the hospitality sector as wellas the vulnerable elderly and peopleat large at risk. It would be disastrousif the Delta variant were to enter thecountry.

Every precaution must thereforebe taken to prevent the delta variantfrom entering the country. Thismeans very carefully choosing thecountries air flights to Mauritius willbe allowed from and more important-ly which Delta variant free countrieswhose nationals would be allowed tocome. The prudent and sensibleaction to take would be to bantourists and travellers from all Deltavariant infected countries. The go-vernment cannot water down orbotch such crucial decisions.

Preventing mayhem

We should remember thatdespite months having elapsed sincethe start of the second wave of infec-tion in Mauritius, we still do not know

how it all started. It is obvious that, aswas the case for the 2020 Covid-19outbreak, the virus was imported intothe country through an incomingtraveller. Rodrigues remains Covid-free because every precaution istaken to limit travel to the island andprevent the spread of the virus toRodrigues.

The facts are telling. Despite allthe robust and costly measures inplace in terms of contact tracing,thousands of daily PCR tests, qua-rantine and sanitary and social dis-tancing measures since early March,the authorities have as yet beenunable to stem the spread of the se-cond wave of Covid-19 infection asnew cases continue to be detectedalmost daily in the community. Undersuch circumstances, the more conta-gious and deadly Delta variant wouldwreak havoc and cause socio-eco-nomic and health mayhem if it wereto enter the country. The authoritiesmust therefore take every action ne-cessary to prevent this.

Mrinal Roy

The Coronavirus Delta Variant Threat -More Contagious and Deadly

Unwind Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 13

A parliamentof baboons

The English language has some won-derfully anthropomorphic collective

nouns for the various groups of animals.Herd of cows.Flock of chicken.School of fish.Gaggle of geese. A pride of lions.

However, less widely known A murder of crows.An exaltation of doves.And, presumably because they look sowise: A congress of owls.Now consider a group of baboons.They are the loudest, most dangerous,most obnoxious, most viciously aggres-sive and least intelligent of all primates. And what is the proper collective noun

for a group of baboons? Believe it or not it is a parliament! Yes, a parliament of baboons!Pretty much explains everything doesn'tit?

* * *A gynaecologist waits on his last

patient, who does not arrive.After an hour, he makes a gin and

tonic to relax. After he settles into an arm-chair to read the newspaper, he hears thedoorbell ring.

It's the patient, who arrives all embar-rassed and apologizes for the delay.

"It doesn't matter," answers the doctor."Look, I was having a gin and tonic whilewaiting. Do you want one to help yourelax?"

"I accept, thanks!" she answers. Hegives her a drink, sits down in front of herand they start talking. Suddenly someoneis heard opening the entrance office door.

The doctor looks worried, gets up andsays: "My wife! Quick, take off yourclothes and spread your legs, otherwiseshe might think there is some nonsensegoing on!"

* * *

Punchlines1. I'm a nobody, nobody is perfect, and

therefore I'm perfect.2. I've got to sit down and work out

where I stand.3. If I save time, when do I get it back?4. Where there's a will, I want to be in it.5. I am free of all prejudices. I hate

everyone equally.6. Take my advice, I don't use it any

way.7. The statement below is true. The

statement above is false.8. As I said before, I never repeat

myself.9. Sometimes I need what only you can

provide: your absence.10. I wish there was a knob on the TV to

turn up the intelligence. There's aknob called brightness, but it doesn't work.

11. A conscience does not prevent sin. It only prevents you from enjoying it.

12. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

13. War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who's left.

14. Best way to prevent hangover is to stay drunk.

15. Doesn't expecting the unexpected make the unexpected become the expected?

16. If your father is a poor man, it is your fate, but if your father-in-law is a poor man, it's your stupidity.

17. I was born intelligent - education ruined me.

18. A bus station is where a bus stops. Atrain station is where train stops. On my desk, I have a work station... What more can I say?

19. If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

20. Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak.

21. How come "abbreviated" is such a long word.

22. Don't frown. You never know who is falling in love with your smile.

23. The best of proverbs: Should women have children after 35? No, 35 children are enough.

24. Living on earth may be expensive... but it includes an annual free trip around the sun.

25. Your future depends on your dreams So go to sleep!

26. Alcohol kills slowly. So what? who's in a hurry?

27. Whom are you working for? Same people. My wife and kids.

28. Can you do anything that other people can't? Sure, I can read my handwriting.

29. A drunk was hauled into court. Mister, the judge began, you've been brought here for drinking... Great, the drunk exclaimed. When do we get started?

Home TipsWhy you ought to leave a

coin in the freezer W hen on holidays or when out of the house for some

days, there is no way to know if there was a poweroutage in your absence or for how long there was no electricity, right?

There is a possibility that the power outage was forseveral days, leading to defrosting of food and its deterioration. Once the electricity comes back, foodsfreeze again and you almost do not notice that they werethawed. Thawed food can be really dangerous as certaintypes of foods are at risk of spreading salmonella andother bacteria!

Below is a way to find out if and how long your freezer was without electricity! And more importantly youcan find out if you can consume the food in the freezer.

For this you need: a cup, a coin, and water.First pour water into a cup and place it in the freezer.

When the water in the cup is frozen, put a coin on top ofthe frozen water in the cup. After returning home, beforetaking out the food from the freezer, look at where the coinis !

If the coin is still at the top or in the middle of the cup,there was no power failure or power outage was for ashort time, so the water was only partly melted.

If the coin is at the bottom of a cup, it means that electricity failure was for a long time, so the water completely melted and the coin sank all the way to thebottom of the cup. At that point, it is advisable not to consume the foods from the freezer.

Happy & safe eating!

Life's Lessons

The Story of theDonkey and

TigerThe donkey told the tiger: "The

grass is blue." The tiger replied: "No, the grass is

green."The discussion became heated,

and the two decided to submit theissue to arbitration, and to do so theyapproached the lion, King of theJungle.

Before reaching the clearing inthe forest where the lion was sittingon his throne, the donkey startedscreaming: "Your Highness, is it truethat grass is blue?"

The lion replied: "True, the grassis blue."

The donkey rushed forward andcontinued: "The tiger disagrees withme and annoys me. Please punishhim."

The king then declared: "The tigerwill be punished with 5 years ofsilence."

The donkey jumped for joy andwent on his way, content and

repeating: "The grass is blue."The tiger accepted his punish-

ment, but he asked the lion: "YourMajesty, why have you punished me?After all, the grass is green."

The lion replied: "In fact, the grassis green."

The tiger asked: "So why do youpunish me?"

The lion replied: "That has nothingto do with the question of whether thegrass is blue or green. The punish-ment is because it is not possible fora brave, intelligent creature like youto waste time arguing with a donkey,and on top of that to come and

bother me with that question."The worst waste of time is arguing

with the fool and fanatic who doesn'tcare about the truth or reality, but onlythe victory of their beliefs and illusions. Never waste time on discus-sions that make no sense... There arepeople who for all the evidence presented to them, do not have theability to understand, and others whoare blinded by ego, hatred andresentment, and the only thing thatthey want is to be right even if theyaren't. When ignorance screams,intelligence shuts up. Your peace andtranquillity are worth more.

-- Author unknown

Wellness Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 14

Healthy Beauty

Stop makingthese beauty

mistakes Find out why you shouldn't brush your teethafter drinking coffee, goswimming with dry hair, orshave before a pedicure.

You brush after coffeeIt's true that the acid or sugar in coffee,sodas, and fruit juice eat away at yourteeth's outer shell, called enamel. But don'ttry to scrub them off right away. When youbrush your teeth right after you down anacidic food or drink, you will remove thatweak enamel. Instead, swish well withwater and wait at least 1 hour before youbrush. Even better, brush before you sip.

You skip water at cocktail hourRed wine is an obvious teeth-stainer, butwhite wine has acid and tannins, too. Theycan damage your enamel and make teetheasier to stain. Alcohol also dries out yourmouth, which means you have less salivato wash away acid and bacteria. To protectyour teeth and prevent staining, rinse yourmouth with water after every drink.

You swim with dry hairPool water has chemicals that damagehair and turn blonde locks green. Think ofyour hair like a dried-out sponge: If you wetit with tap water before you swim, it can'tsoak up as much in the pool. When youget out, wash your hair right away,

preferably with an after-swim shampoo.You shampoo too much ... Or too little

Shampoo strips hair of your scalp's naturaloils. Do it too much and your locks will getdull and dry. But how often your suds updepend on your hair type. For fine, straighthair, you can shampoo every day if oil anddirt build up, but many experts say youshould do it every 2 to 3 days. Thicker orcurly hair can go a few days to a weekbetween cleansings. People with very textured hair can wash it once or twice amonth. Ask your stylist what routine andproducts are right for your hair.

You skip conditionerMaybe you worry it will weigh your hairdown. Or you just don't have time for it. Butwithout it, hair will get dry and dull. To keepyour strands looking smooth and healthy,apply a lightweight conditioner each timeyou wash your hair. Put it on the ends of your strands (not the roots). Use yourfingers to work it in.

You swab out your earsIt may feel good, but cotton swabs actually push earwax in deeper. What'smore, you might even damage youreardrum or the tiny bones that help you

hear. So how are you supposed to cleanout earwax? Ideally, you shouldn't have to-- your body can clear it out on its own. Butif your ears feel full, you hear ringing, oryou have trouble hearing, see your doctor.They can decide how to safely remove thewax.

You use deodorant to stop sweatDeodorant masks odor, but if you've gotsticky or sweaty armpits, antiperspirant iswhat you need. It stops moisture by plug-ging sweat glands. Do you put it on freshout of your morning shower? Read theinstructions first. Some products should goon at night and again in the morning on dryskin. Got sweaty palms? You can useantiperspirant there, too.

You shave right before a pedicureYou may not want your nail technician tofeel your hairy legs. But the tiny breaks inyour skin right after you shave are the per-fect entry point for any bacteria in the footbath. That could lead to an infection. Don'tshave at least 24 hours before a pedicure.On that note, don't let your aesthetician cutyour cuticles, since that also creates anopening for germs.

You don't swap your razor

If you're using a dull razor to shave, you'lllikely need to pass over the same areamultiple times to get smooth. That createstiny cuts in your skin that can lead tobumps, rashes, irritation, and infection.After about five to seven shaves -- or anytime you need to go over an area multipletimes -- it's time to switch blades.

You linger in steaming showersHot water dries out skin. If you haveeczema, that can lead to flare ups. So, skipthe long, hot showers and baths. Instead,keep the tap on warm. You'll know the tem-perature is too hot if your skin is red orfeels warm when you step out.

You scrub your faceYou don't need to scrub with a washclothto clear the day's grime from your face. Allyour skin needs is a gentle massage withyour fingertips and a mild cleanser. Washyour face once or twice a day in lukewarmor cool water. Check the label of yourcleanser, and skip those with alcohol orabrasive ingredients. Rinse thoroughly.

You load up on skin productsBesides a gentle cleanser on your face,dermatologists say the only essentials area moisturizer and a broad-spectrum sun-screen, SPF 30 or higher. Serums arepricey with unproven benefits, and tonersmay lead to dry and irritated skin. Foracne, don't use multiple products with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. Theycan combine to irritate skin. If drugstoreacne treatments aren't working for you,talk to your dermatologist.

You soap up your sensitive areasThe private parts are super sensitive. So,skip harsh soaps that are scented or anti-septic -- they can throw off the balance ofbacteria that keep the area healthy. Thesame goes for douches, scented wipes,and deodorants. All you need is plain,unperfumed soap to gently wash aroundthe area every day.

Reviewed by Debra Jaliman, MD - WebMD

R elationships are difficult and there is no doubt about it.A relationship that looks happy and successful to the

outside world, may have actually gone through a bumpyride in becoming so. It involves a lot of compromises,adjustments, and sacrifices. It is only after these that twopeople are able to finally be in a loving relationship. Inaddition, it is important to test one's relationship every nowand then to keep everything in check. And for this, thecouple doesn't need to live together. Here are some waysto test your relationship without moving in together.

Interact with your friends and familyWhen two people start dating, there are high chances

they will cordon themselves off into an isolated bubble.This results in a limited purview of each other. Thus,observe how your partner interacts with each of yourfriends and family. How they treat them could give you anunderstanding of how you will be treated in a householdsetup.

Get clear on your values and expectationsConversations about your values, beliefs, and expec-

tations for your future life together should begin fairly early

in a relationship and will get deeper and more detailed asit becomes clearer that a future together is a realistic possibility. The underlying beliefs of your partner may giveyou an idea of what direction your shared lives will go.

Interact in a wide variety of situationsTo get to know someone to a greater extent, it's

helpful to see how they personally handle the unexpectedand the extent to which you are able to work through difficulties together. Thus, navigate new kinds of experiences and interact with different types of people.

Travel togetherTravelling can help you see how your significant other

handles new people and places and deals with unexpec-ted situations. Also, plotting out a significant trip takessome real effort and is a good chance to see how youwork together as a team.

Do premarital training or counselingTaking a premarital course can help facilitate some key

valuable discussions, identify potential issues and dis-agreements, and teach relationship-strengthening tools.

Ways to test your relationship before moving in together

He&

She

Entertainment Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 15

Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21 You'll be endowed with much energy; make a frontal attack on your

most ambitious projects. Accept your beloved one as he/she is, you'll consolidate the ties which bind you two together. Conflictual relationshipswith one of your children; show yourself firm but understanding.

Lucky Numbers: 2, 3, 4, 12, 20, 33Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19

Beware of a possible burglary. Your current romance will go through arough zone; will it succeed in resisting this first test? This will dependmostly on you for your mate seems to value you very much and is readyto make concessions.

Lucky Numbers: 13, 20, 25, 26, 30, 31Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18

You'll enjoy good luck in money dealings. Career wise, you won't haveto make titanic efforts to get very good results. Pains in your back and cardiac palpitations are probable; spare your forces and avoid all occasion of edginess.

Lucky Numbers: 1, 2, 9, 16, 20, 31Pisces: Feb 19 - Mar 20

Pleasurable family life; your children will give you great satisfactions.Heart wise, your charm will be very much appreciated, and you'll knowhow to play with it skilfully. Career wise, this week will be rich in unexpected but favourable changes.

Lucky Numbers: 4, 15, 19, 21, 30, 36Aries: Mar 21 - Apr 19

In love, you'll always want more pleasure; in case of a temptation, askyourself if the person of your desires is really worth it. In your job, yourneed for expansion will push you to take excessive risks. Hardlyfavourable week for a moving.

Lucky Numbers: 4, 11, 18, 20, 21, 36Taurus: Apr 20 - May 20

Beware of your present tendency to extol your qualities and merits;discretion will prove more beneficial. A favourable week to launch whatever project or to take up a new job. You'll by moments have theimpression of being misunderstood by your family circle.

Lucky Numbers: 5, 9, 12, 16, 20, 36Gemini: May 21 - June 20

Beware of your unstable humour which may complicate your relationships. Put your ideas into due order. Family problems which youthought already solved will make a comeback. Try painstakingly to find anacceptable solution to them.

Lucky Numbers: 3, 7, 9, 15, 20, 30Cancer: June 21 - July 22

In your career, good luck will smile to you all the way. Your responsibilities will seem to you too heavy to assume; but in spite of allyou'll remain steady and your efforts will be rewarded: your dear ones willgive you their support.

Lucky Numbers: 8, 14, 24, 26, 30, 31Leo: July 23 - Aug 22

You'll feel more romantic than ever; an encounter occurring this weekcan make you float on a cloud. If you want to be happy, know how toappreciate the small pleasures of current life. You'll be in good physicaland mental shape.

Lucky Numbers: 1, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24Virgo: Aug 23 - Sept 22

A favourable week for stable marriages. Everything will go well in yourhome. Luck won't be on your side, so don't untie the strings of your pursetoo easily. In your work, only take well calculated risks.

Lucky Numbers: 3, 11, 15, 18, 20, 21Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22

You'll have to cope with some annoyances in your work, but yourdesire to succeed will give you wings. Heart wise, possibility of disillusions, but things can straighten themselves out afterwards. Warmrelationships with your friends.

Lucky Numbers: 8, 12, 14, 17, 21, 30Scorpion: 23 Oct - 21 Nov

In love, you'll have the possibility to make a new start on new bases.You'll be able to get good returns on your possessions; your initiatives willbe audacious, but you'll nevertheless limit risks, and the results will bemost encouraging; reduce your expenses.

Lucky Numbers: 7, 3, 9, 12, 15, 30

YOUR STARS“Grateful, Happy,Blessed, Motivated”:Kareena Kapoor oncompleting 21 years inBollywoodThe 40-year-old actress completed 21 glorious

years in Bollywood as her debut film Refugeeclocked 21 years on Wednesday 30 June 21.Besides Kareena, the film also marked AbhishekBachchan's Bollywood debut.

Kareena Kapoor marked the day with a specialInstagram video that features clips from the movie.The video also features a poster of the film and afew still shots of Kareena Kapoor. In the caption ofher Instagram post, Kareena expressed gratitudeand thanked "everyone for the continuous loveand support."

Kareena also said that's she is "ready" foranother 21 years in the film industry. "21 years.Grateful, happy, blessed, motivated, passionate...21 more to go... I'm ready. Thank you to everyonefor the continuous love and support," she wrote inthe caption, reports NDTV.

Kareena Kapoor received the Filmfare AwardFor Best Female Debut for her work in Refugee.She later delivered critically-acclaimed performances in films like Jab We Met, KabhiKhushi Kabhie Gham..., Chameli, Omkara andmany others.

Kareena was last seen in Homi Adajania's filmAngrezi Medium, co-starring late actor Irrfan Khan.She will next be seen in Aamir Khan's upcomingfilm Laal Singh Chaddha.

Production crews have normally been responsi-ble for the well-being of actors on Bollywood

sets. But now India's film industry has its first cer-tified intimacy coordinator, reports DW.

Production crews have normally been respon-sible for the well-being of actors on Bollywoodsets. But now India's film industry has its first certified intimacy coordinator.

Aastha Khanna says she wants to create asafe space for actors on set while choreographingsex scenes. She is putting together a collective ofintimacy professionals and is drawing up guidelines for Bollywood film producers.

She is hired for scenesinvolving nudity, simulatedsexual intimacy and sexualviolence.

"It was absolutely bizarreto see that while there werestunt coordinators for actionsequences, and dance choreographers for Indiansong-and-dance sequences,there were none for filmingintimate scenes," Khanna toldDW.

"Culturally, intimacy is notdiscussed. It is consideredscandalous or provocative.Because it is taboo evenbehind the screen, it is

extremely important for us to constantly have con-versations about it."

What does an 'intimacy coordinator' do?"My role entails talking about consent and

boundaries with the actors first, understanding thescene and choreographing it according to thedirector's vision. I also make sure new changesare not made post-production," Khanna told DW.

In India, "intimacy coordination is largely a foreign concept and actors are mostly left to figureit out for themselves and are expected to be com-fortable on their own," says Amit Kaur, a director'sassistant who worked on Indian films for a decade.

Bollywood's first ‘intimacy coordinator’wants safe standards for sex scenes

Entertainment Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 16

Shabana Azmi recently took to Twitter toalert netizens about a fraud after she

was conned online. She wrote that theitem she had ordered wasn't deliveredeven though she had made advance pay-ment. She said that she managed to tracethe owners of the online alcohol deliveryplatform and figured that those whoconned her weren't associated with thebrand. Times of India recently reportedthat something similar happened withKundali Bhagya actor, Sanjay Gagnani, afew days ago.

He narrates, "I got a number online andordered alcohol. The person asked me tomake the payment against my purchaseprior to the delivery and after that registerand pay an extra amount on the digitalpayments platform I was using - a protocolthat needed to be followed for the goods tobe delivered."

Sanjay further says, "He told me tomake a payment of Rs17,000, which did

not make sense. But he somehow con-vinced me that it was a requirement andthe amount would be transferred back intomy account immediately. He finally con-vinced me for Rs 9,000, which I trans-

ferred."

After that Sanjay waited for the amountto be credited back, but that didn't happen.He says, "When I called him, he told me

that the money won't be credited as I did-n't write 'registration number'. He also toldme that he wouldn't be able to deliver myorder unless the registration process wascompleted. He gave me another digit tosubmit as my new registration number,asked for my debit card details and theCVV number. That is when I realised that itwas a scam and refused to share anydetails with him. The next day, I called froma different mobile phone on the same num-ber, but my calls went unanswered. Later,the man called me from a different numberand tried the same tactic again."

The actor plans to register a complaintwith the Cyber Crime Cell. "It may not be abig amount, but I want to alert people. Thiscan happen to anyone. I regret not trustingmy instincts. I will soon file a complaintwith the cyber police against the fraudster.I also intend to visit the store and alert theowner," he ends.

‘Kundali Bhagya’ actor Sanjay Gagnani falls prey to online payment fraud

Ratan Rajput, who has been a partof shows like Radha Ki Betiyaan

Kuch Kar Dikhayengi, Agle JanamMohe Bitiya Hi Kijo and Santoshi Maa,is gearing up to return to television.While she doesn't want to talk aboutthe show, which is still in the pipeline,

the actress reveals how she spenttime during the pandemic pursuing herinterest in psychology. She also spokeabout her reality show Ratan KaRishta (2010), in which she chose apotential groom for herself. After get-ting engaged to him on national televi-sion, the two called off their engage-ment a year later. Ratan doesn't regretdoing the reality show, but it did impact

her acting career, she tells HastiDoshi of TNN.

You got flak for doing thereality show Ratan KaRishta. How did it affect yourcareer as an actress?

I know people have beenassuming that I did the show for

money and attention, but that's

not true. I took a lot of time to give mynod to the show. It wasn't fake at all,everything was organic and real. Justbecause I found a man on the showand got engaged on television, peoplethought it was a gimmick.

After Abhinav Sharma and I gotengaged, I took a break from workfor a year to work on our relation-ship. Unfortunately, it didn't workout, so it was a mutual decision tocall it off. If I wasn't serious about it,why would I take a break from work?If we just wanted money, we couldhave lied and participated in dancereality shows together to earn, butwe didn't do any of that. I feel upsetwhen people assume such things.

Do you regret doing theshow?

No, I have no regrets. Somepeople in the industry said that theywould have cast me in their projectshad I not done the show. I couldnever understand that logic; my act-ing skills were still the same andnothing could affect my work. At thattime, all this had affected me badly,

but now I just brush it off.Are you looking out for a life

partner now?I want it to happen naturally. I

would like a simple and down-to-earthman with whom I can connect andspend time. But currently, there's nosuch person on the radar.

How has the past year been foryou?

While the pandemic has been diffi-cult for everyone, I used the time tolearn various things. I completed acourse in Psychology and I'm veryhappy about that. I think I am a betterlistener now. While I don't plan to takethis up as a profession, I would like tohelp people with my knowledge.

Just because Igot engaged on

national television, people

thought it was agimmick:

Ratan Rajput

Shrenu Parikh on her marriage plans: 'I do want

to settle down'Shrenu Parikh, who

has been a familiarface of the televisionindustry, is expanding herhorizons and has delvedinto the digital world.Recently, Shrenu Parikhspoke exclusively toETimes TV about hercareer, working duringthe pandemic, and a lotmore.

Amid all of this, the31-year old also openedup about her marriageplans. On being asked ifshe has that "someone special" in her life and hasplans of getting married anytime soon, Shrenu smiledand said, "This is not something that I am looking atright now."

However, the actress said that she is just like anyother girl with plans of settling down. Shrenu Parikhsaid, "My career is on top priority but I do have a basicgirl's dream, I do want to settle down but that perfectsomeone is still missing. So, yes, of course, marriageis on the cards but when I don't know."

Shrenu has won hearts with her shows namely IssPyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? Ek Baar Phi, Ek BhramSarvagun Sampanna, Ishqbaaaz, and its spin-off, DilBoley Oberoi. Talking about the fame she earnedthrough television and how TV artists are perceived,she said, "I feel that there will always be a demarca-tion in mediums be it films, TV or OTT but lines arevanishing slowly, they are fazing out.

"In fact, I will always vouch for TV actors more - weare much more resilient than other actors because wework straight for 12 hours, are tired but still, we havethe energy to remember our lines and to dance andcry, laugh on the same day at the same time. We playso many characters within our show itself. There aretracks where you play someone else."

What's On Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 17

07.00 Dessin Anime10.15 Local Prod: Rodrig Prog11.10 Tele: Soleil Levant12.00 Le Journal12.25 Tele: Le Prix Du Désir12.53 Doc: L’art Et La Matiere13.08 Local: MBC Talent Show14.30 D.Anime: Teenie Weenies14.54 D.Anime: Spirit: Au Galop...15.16 D.Anime: La Famille Blaireau15.28 D.Anime: Little Spirou15.35 D.Anime: Rev & Roll, Amis...16.07 D.Anime: Garfield Originals16.29 D.Anime: Tom-Tom Et Nana18.00 Live: Samachar18.30 Serial: Siya Ke Ram19.30 Journal & La Meteo20.00 Local: Resonances21.20 Serial: Seal Team23.00 Le Journal 23.35 Mag: Eye On Sadc

01.16 Serial: Madam Secretary01.58 Film: Hollows Grove03.18 Serial: Shades Of Blue05.27 Tele: Muneca Brava06.09 Serial: Madam Secretary06.51 Film: Le Chateau De Carte09.00 Serial: Mission: Impossible09.45 Tele: Daniella10.37 Tele: Tanto Amor11.00 Serial: Shades Of Blue12.00 Serial: Island Doctor13.30 Tele: Muneca Brava14.45 Film: Le Chateau De Carte16.43 Serial: Mission: Impossible17.29 Serial: Madam Secretary18.11 Tele: Daneilla19.00 Tele: Tanto Amor20.05 Tele: Sinu, Rio Des Pasiones20.30 Serial: Night Shift21.15 Film: Wolf22.15 Tele: Muneca Brava

08.00 Film: Kuchh Meetha Ho... 12.05 / 19.54 - Radha Krishna12.26 / 20.11 - Chupke Chupke12.45 / 20.32 - Mere Sai13.06 / 21.09 - Agniphera13.29 / 21.24 -

Bade Acche Lagte Hai13.56 / 21.46 - Zindagi Ki Mehek14.14 / 22.13 - Naagin S314.56 / 22.55 - Sethji15.20 Film: Ranviir, The

MarshsalStarring: Rishy, Rati Agnihotri, Ramnita Chaudhry

18.00 Live: Samacher18.30 Kundali Bhagya18.51 Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein19.14 Serial: Bhakharwadi19.37 Serial: Siddhi Vinayak

01.30 Film: Wolf03.27 Serial: Dynasty 204.06 Film: Kill Kane05.21 Tele: Esmeraldas05.30 Serial: Night Shift06.47 Film: Hope Dance08.30 Serial: Mike Hammer09.18 Serial: The Enemy Within09.59 Serial: 10.41 Film: Clarity12.29 Serial: Dynasty 213.35 Serial: Shades Of Blue15.05 Tele: Amanda15.45 Tele: Muneca Brava16.30 Mag: Hollywood On Set17.00 Serial: Night Shift17.45 Film: Love Potion N0.920.05 Tele: Sinu, Rio Des Pasiones20.30 Series: Night Shift21.15 Film: Resident Evil22.52 Tele: Dulce Amor

00.20 Serial: Night Shift01.28 Film: Resident Evil03.05 Serial: Emerald City03.46 Film: The Killer Downstairs05.35 Serial: Night Shift06.17 Film: Clarity08.02 Mag: Hollywood On Set08.31 Serial: Mike Hammer09.19 Film: Zapped10.47 Film: Love Potion No.912.20 Serial: Emerald City13.30 Serial: Shades Of Blue15.33 Telenovela: Amanda16.17 Tele: Muneca Brava17.00 Serial: Night Shift17.45 Serial: Emerald City18.30 Serial: Supercopter20.05 Tele: Sinu, Rio Des Pasiones20.30 Serilal: The Good Doctor21.15 Film: Rememory23.06 Tele: Dulce Amor

06.00 D.Anime: Mega Man06.24 D.Anime: Spongo, Fuzz, And06.46 D.Anime: Sissi, Jeune Impe...07.24 D.Anime: Kid Lucky07.35 D.Anime: The Twisted Whis...08.02 D.Anime: Cosmic Quantum...08.22 D.Anime: Teenie Weenies08.36 D.Anime: The Garfield Show12.00 Le Journal12.30 Tele: Daniella15.00 D.Anime: Teenie Weenies15.41 D.Anime: La Famille Blaireau16.06 D.Anime: Rev & Roll, Amis...16.39 D.Anime: Garfield Originals16.41 D.Anime: Tom-Tom Et Nana17.35 Doc: A Question Of Science18.00 Live: Samachar18.30 Entertainment: Dance19.30 Journal & La Meteo20.25 Local: Le Rendez Vous21.20 Film: The Killer Downstairs23.00 Le Journal

MBC 1 MBC 2 MBC 2 MBC 3 MBC 3 07.15 Serial: Bapu07.26 Serial: Chota Bheem08.00 Live Educational Prog: Grade 310.15 Live Educational Prog: Grade 412.30 Film: Kalavaadiya Pozhuth...15.00 Serial: Zindagi Ki Mehek15.25 Serial: Aamhi Doghi 15.46 Serial: Bava Maradallu16.07 Serial: Apoorva Raagangal16.27 Serial: Sila16.48 Serial: Imtihaan17.09 Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala17.27 Serial: Chhanchhan18.00 Serial: Colourful Bone18.30 Mag: DDI Magazine19.05 Zournal Kreol19.30 Mag: Khwab Hamare Tabeer20.00 Serial: Band Khirkiyan20.45 Local: Aqeedat Ke Phool21.45 Local: Urdu Programe22.40 DDI Live

07.00 Film: Meri Bhabhhi09.30 Serial: Vir: The Robot Boy09.41 Serial: Chacha Bhatija10.00 Bade Acche Lagte Hai11.36 Serial: Bloody Romance12.00 Serial: Nanda Saukhya Bhare12.24 Serial: Mooga Manasulu12.47 Serial: High School13.03 Annakodiyum Ainthu

Pengalum15.00 Serial: Zindagi Ki Mehek15.30 Film: Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya

Starring Salman Khan, Sushmita Sen, Katrina Kaif

17.55 Mag: DDI Magazine19.00 Live: Zournal Kreol20.06 Serial: Vikram Betaal Ki

Rahasya Gatha20.28 Serial: Bitti Business Wali21.01 Film: Ek Thi Daayan

Starring: Emraan Hashmi, Huma Qureshi, Konkona Sen

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Other Voices Mauritius Times Friday, July 2, 2021 18

Eating alone, daily testing, no talking atmealtimes - the Covid rules recently

announced for athletes competing in theTokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games arechallenging, to say the least. On top of therules, there is the threat of deportation forfailure to observe those rules.

This only compounds the considerablestress that athletes have been seen toexperience at previous Olympics, and risksaffecting their motivation. As Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori put it, it's "notgoing to be fun for me … you don't feel likeplaying the Olympics in your home country".

Much has been written about the funthat athletes had in the Olympic Village ingames held pre- Covid. Its fabled hook-upculture was underlined during Rio 2016,which was memorably dubbed "the mostpromiscuous Olympics in history" after itwas reported that as many as 42 condomsper athlete were allocated for the partici-pants.

Opportunities in Tokyo to spend timewith teammates, make new friends and create shared experiences is going to belimited. Teams will operate in bubbles, butthose in individual sports such as surfing orkayaking will be even more isolated. Howwill this affect general motivation, mentalhealth and performance?

State of mindLockdown has had a notable impact on

athletes' mental health in general. The prolonged uncertainty around the delayedgames has only made matters worse.Especially when you consider that many ofthese athletes only have one opportunity,every four years, to make a name for them-selves.

Even without the additional rules of theTokyo games, athletes have struggled withthe restrictions placed on their careers during the pandemic. Professional golferAndrew Johnston quit the 2020 BritishMasters nine holes into the competition,saying he couldn't cope with bubble life andwas struggling "to get his head around itall".

More recently both the Indian and theEnglish cricket teams have reportedly had"bubble fatigue". Some performers havecome up with innovative challenges to alleviate the boredom, and attempt toswitch off and have some fun. But asEngland cricketer Jofra Archer put it: "Itstarts to get hard if you are not having agreat game or not feeling good with yourcricket, because there is nowhere to go."

The Tokyo Covid rules will no doubtresult in participants spending a lot of timealone. You might assume that this mighthelp athletes feel psychologically rested -and there is something to be said for havingno distractions and being solely focused onyour performance. But time to yourself isn'tnecessarily beneficial.

Athletes will be spending large amountsof time in cramped rooms which, in previousyears, have been described as spartan.Apartments can reportedly sleep up to eightpeople (in single beds), with team memberssharing bathrooms and common areas.

In such an environment and withnowhere to escape to, cabin fever soundslike a real possibility. The question is how this might affect individual athletes'wellbeing and team cohesion?

Psychological recoverySport psychologists argue that psycho-

logical recovery is not only beneficial forathletes, it is crucial to their performance.The trick is figuring out how to achieve this:active psychological recovery (meetingfriends for a coffee or a walk or watchingother sports events) is equally as beneficialas passive rest (watching TV, or playingcomputer games).

And in fact, recent research has sug-gested that athletes can be at their mostpsychologically active when at rest, physi-cally. With time on their hands, and nothingto distract them, they might simply worrymore about their performance, which is bothunhealthy and mentally exhausting.

In his 2015 autobiography, DidierDrogba offers a case in point. He writesabout going on a quick holiday before thestart of a Premier League football season. Itshould have been idyllic, he says, "but inreality, it was the worst holiday everbecause I was very tense and could onlythink about the forthcoming season. So, mymind was in the opposite of a relaxedmode."

Psychologists and researchers havedeveloped a number of strategies, includingspending time with people who are not yourteammates or coaches, being in spacesother than your training venue and otherways of winding down.

The idea is to follow different routineswith different people in different places. Butthe Covid rules in Tokyo mean that none ofthese are options for participants. Athleteswill lack the autonomy they need to toengage in that kind of activity.

Sport psychologist Rebecca Levett iscurrently working with the GB women'shockey team, having formerly looked afterthe GB Paralympic archery team. Sherecently told the Sport Psych Show podcastthat not being able to switch off affects athletes' recovery. "Their ability to be at thesame level the following day, and the dayafter that, is impacted."

"People think this isn't a performanceissue," she added. "This is a performanceissue." How Covid rules affect athletes' ability to perform might well be the legacy ofthe Tokyo 2021 games.

Tokyo 2021: how Covid risks taking thefun out of the games

Strict enforcement of Covid-safe regulations in the Olympic Village could affectathletes' mental health. Their performance could suffer too

Jo BateySenior Fellow, Sport & Exercise

Psychology, University of Winchester

Thomas W. GrettonPhD Student in Sport Psychology,

Florida State University

We all have days that seemendlessly difficult and hard.

On these days, it is as if the oddsare stacked against us and we just can't get a break as one chal-lenging situation follows another.We may feel like we're standing inthe ocean getting hit by wave afterwave, never able to get a fullbreath. Sometimes it's necessaryor worth it to stay in the fray andwork our way through. Other times,the best idea is to go home andtake the breath we need in order tocarry on.

If the only choice is to getthrough it, a hard day can be agreat teacher. It will eventually endand we can look back on it, takingpride in the stamina, courage, and ingenuity it took to hold our ground.We may also look back and seehow we could have done things differently. This knowledge will bevaluable when we face hard days inthe future. Trust your gut as you'redeciding whether to work through it,and know that sometimes a timelyretreat is the best way to ensure apositive outcome. Getting spacecan remind us that external cir-cumstances are not the whole pic-ture. Once we catch our breath andre-center ourselves, we will be ableto determine our next move. With alittle perspective, we may even findthe inner resources to change ourattitude about what's happening.We may begin to see that what wesaw as hardships are actuallyopportunities. As our attitudechanges for the better, our actionsand the circumstances will followsuit.

Sometimes all that's needed is agood night's sleep. No one isimmune to having a hard day andthese are usually the times we canlearn the most. If we can find it inour hearts to examine the day, andmaybe make one small change inperception, we can ease our painand greet the next day that muchwiser.

Hard Days -Opportunity for

Reflection

Tree of Knowledge

Madisyn Taylor

Bubble life means spending time with different people, to aid psychological recovery, will notbe an option for athletes in Tokyo. EVREN KALINBACAK / Alamy Stock Photo

A hard day can sometimesbe a great teacher if we stop

for reflection