TRANSFORMING MAURITIUS INTO A DIGITAL COUNTRY : I-Council at District of Moka Launched 

The Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, launched the I-Council at the District Council of Moka in Quartier Militaire earlier this week.  The project, I-Council, funded to the tune of about Rs 7 million, is a first of its kind.

Several personalities were present at the launch event including the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Local Government and Outer Islands, Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo, the Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden and the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun.

In his address, Prime Minister Jugnauth, said that it is crucial for Mauritius to adapt to the digital world as well as to change which implies moving towards innovation, blockchain technology and artificial intelligence which are the backbone for sustained economic growth.  The I-Council initiative implemented by the District Council of Moka should serve as a model to be replicated in other District and Municipal Councils, he emphasised.
The Prime Minister also spoke of the various measures adopted by his Government in line with the vision of transforming Mauritius into a digital country which he pointed out will help position the country as a high income economy.  In this endeavor, he recalled the setting up of the Citizen Support Portal, an innovative online platform, which ensures proximity with citizens by providing technological facilities to meet the aspiration of the population and transforming Mauritius into a fully-fledged digital country.

Moreover, the Prime Minister urged citizens to get better acquainted with new technologies, which will eventually lead towards accelerated development and growth while at the same time improve the living conditions of the population.

In their respective speeches, the other Ministers present welcomed the I-Council initiative.  They also dwelt on the importance of such an integrated system project which bears testimony to the Prime Minister’s vision of creating a Ministry dedicated to technology and innovation, hence turning Mauritius into a cyber-country.

On the same occasion, the Mauritius Post Ltd and the Moka District Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the provision of postal codes for the different roads in the region of Moka, for which a pilot project is already underway at l’Espérance, Quartier Militiare.

I-Council project

The project is an integrated system which consists of a business intelligence, an integrated reporting system, a project management system, the Citizen Support Portal, an asset Identification Solution, e-library, a Geographical Information System (GIS) for Urban Planning and Fleet management as well as a GIS Refuse Collection Management.