National Assembly: Govt tackles rising death toll in road accidents

The Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill has been voted late Tuesday night following serious debates after the Opposition showed concerns on the issue. 

The Bill presented by the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Nando Bodha, brought amendments to the existing legislation in view of curbing the rising death tolls in road accidents. Since the beginning of the year, some 126 have died in road accidents as at Thursday 24 November. Henceforth, drink driving will be sanctionned by a Rs 50,000 fine coupled with an imprisonment term not exceeding five years. In case of repeat, the fine goes up to Rs75, 000 and imprisonment of up to eight years.

Presenting the new legislation, Minister Bodha announced that since January 2016, 126 persons died in fatal accidents costing around Rs 120 million to the state per month making a total amount of Rs 6 billion annually. Opposition MPs, Shakeel Mohamed and Ritesh Ramful of the Labour Party, Opposition Whip, Rajesh Bhagwan, and independent MPs Sangeet Fowdar and Danielle Selvon took part in the debates prompting the Minister to modify his amendments.

Drug trafficking issue

“The nation knows that in the eighties, I did not hesitate to put my life at stake to fight the drug barons. Once again, I am as determined to clean the country from the drug scourge for the benefit of our youth and future generations.” This statement was made by Sir Anerood Jugnauth in Parliament on Tuesday 22 November 2016 following a Private Notice Question put to him by the leader of the Opposition, Paul Bérenger. The question was based on drug related offences with a link to the Police, the death of police officer Arvind Hurreechurn in cell, the gaming house of Riviere du Rempart and the recent seizure of drugs involving Mauritian nationals in Reunion Island.

In his reply the Prime Minister emphasized that the Government Programme 2015/2019 includes a Commission of Inquiry on drug trafficking. The seaport and airport are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and technology to counter any attempt to introduce drugs in Mauritius. The hearings of the Drug Commission, chaired by former Justice Paul Lam Shang Leen, are ongoing with stakeholders from all quarters deponing before the Commission.

Sir Anerood Jugnauth also informed the House that for the years 2014 to 2016, 21 Police Officers have been arrested in connection with drug related offences, namely 10 in 2014, 4 in 2015 and 7 as at 18 November 2016. Out of these 21 Police Officers, one was posted at the Very Important Persons Security Unit, VIPSU, and none of them was posted at the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit.

Out of these cases, six are under trial in Court, 13 are still under inquiry, one has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice and in one case the Director of Public Prosecutions has advised no further action.

A Police enquiry under the responsibility of the Major Crime Investigation Team has been initiated to determine the exact circumstances which led to the death of Police Officer Hurreechurn on 30 October 2016 and that a preliminary report was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions on 4 November 2016 for the holding of a judicial enquiry. The Director of Public Prosecutions has asked for additional information regarding certain aspects of the case before tendering his advice. Consequently, Police is enquiring further into the matter.

Death of policman Hurreechurn

The Prime Minister also indicated that the Moka Detention Centre is equipped with 43 cameras which, amongst others, cover the premises, the recording rooms, corridors and the cells. There are 18 cells, 14 for male and four for female, which are equipped with 17 CCTV cameras. One camera covers 2 cells, namely cells number 8 and 9, while the other cells have one camera each.  All the 43 cameras are non-functional as far as recording is concerned. As for cells, live viewing is possible only by five CCTV cameras in six cells, namely cells number 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11 for male and cell number 2 for female. The camera in cell number 14 in which police officer Hurreechurn was detained is non-functional; this system dates back to 2003 and has been found to be outdated and beyond economic repairs.  Since 2014, two successive tender exercises for the replacement of the Camera Surveillance System have not been successful and a fresh tender exercise will be launched shortly.

The enquiry into the case of drug seizure involving Police Officer Hurreechurn is ongoing at the level of ADSU.  At this stage, no link has been established between this case and any gaming house in Riviere du Rempart or any other part of the island.

According to information obtained from the Gambling Regulatory Authority, there is no licenced gaming house in the village of Riviere du Rempart, although there is 5 coin-operated amusement outlets which have a trade licence with the District Council.