PROF. LAURENT BERNHEIM: “I do not understand why Mauritius does not have its own specialist curriculum” PG 8 11 - 17 OCTOBER 2019 | N° 1213 | 40 PAGES | RS 15 | WWW.DEFIMEDIA.INFO UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS A glorious first for Mauritius in Doctor of Medicine PG 14-15 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY CAMPAIGN 2.0 Awareness is a prerequisite A DOUBLE-EDGED for suicide prevention SWORD PG 9 ROUKAYA KASENALLY: NEIL PILLAY: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS “E-engagement “Give opinions does not always in a calm and Metro Express: translate into reasoning way Feel-good factor from tangible actions” on social media” the young generation PG 17 CHRISTINA MEETOO: ADEELAH KODABUX: “The campaigns “Fake news can LEILA ALJANABI are professional be a significant but also danger for Her mixed culinary superficial” societal stability” skills upfront PG 6-7 PG 16 GENERAL ELECTION Gearing up for a tight race PG 2 OLD-AGE PENSION Politics raising the stakes PG 10-11 POLITICS 11 - 17 OCTOBER 2019 | PAGE 2 Dr Yassin Hamuth clarifies The tempo for the general election has been unleashed since the an- on his identity nouncement of the date of the Nomination Day and Election Day by Pravind Jugnauth on Sunday 6th October. As the electoral campaign There has been much con- fusion prevailing these days is on, strategies and tactics are flourishing from every side and the over the identification of two election ambiance is heating up in the different constituencies. different persons who bear the same name. Dr Yassin Hamuth, Ophthalmologist and Yasin Hamuth, barrister GENERAL ELECTION who is active in politics, are not the same persons. Bear- ing the same name and sur- name, the eye surgeon who works in the public sector is Gearing up being mistaken for the politi- cian-barrister. Yassin Hamuth states that he is not a mem- ber of any political party nor is he engaged in active poli- for a tight race tics. Danielle Selvon joins Roshi Bhadain’s Reform Party The former MP for Con- stituency No 1 (Grand River North West and Port Louis West) has joined Roshi Bha- dain’ Reform Party. She will be a candidate in Constituen- cy No 6 (Grand Baie and Pou- dre d’Or). Danielle Selvon was elected under the banner of the Lepep alliance in the De- cember 2014 legislative elec- tions. She then slammed the door of the MSM to sit as an independent MP. The much-awaited dates for the nomination exercise will be triotique (MP). Alan Ganoo and Patrick the elections 2019 have been held on Tuesday 22nd October. Tania Diolle have joined hands finally rendered public. In a tele- In less a week, there have with MSM/ML while the other Belcourt vised speech, Prime Minister been tremendous develop- members of MP, Jean Claude resigns Pravind Jugnauth, on Sunday ment in the political arena, Barbier preferred to join the 6th October, stated that he had from resignation of members to PTr. from MCB informed the Acting President recruitment of new ones. If the The list of potential can- Patrick Belcourt, an execu- of the Republic of his decision MMM is insisting of going alone didates is still under review tive at MCB, submitted his to dissolve Parliament because for this election, PTr and PMSD within all parties. While some resignation on Thursday to the mandate of his government have concluded their alliance. of them are already working be a candidate under the is almost complete. On the same On the other hand, MSM and on the field, others are still in banner of Nou Repiblik in line, he announced that the ML have maintained their alli- a state of confusion, whether Constituency No 19 (Stanley general election will be held on ance. Another interesting fact: they will be in the race for the and Rose Hill). Thursday 7th November, while The division of Mouvement Pa- tickets or pack up and leave. MSM/ML Pravind Jugnauth: “The sum of the minimum wage will be reviewed” The Alliance (MSM-ML) the committee will meet to launched their campaigns at readjust the minimum wage. St Croix on Wednesday eve- There will also be the creation ning in the Constituency No 4 of 10,000 new jobs.” (Port Louis North/Montagne Longue). It is the first electoral THE PRESENTATION appearance of Pravind Jugn- OF THE THREE auth who focused on his real- CANDIDATES ization as Prime Minister and made new promises. The three candidates of the He stated that the Metro constituency were also pres- Express will be extended to ent. Joe Lesjongard rejoiced the west, east and south of for being a candidate in this the country after the second constituency. On her part, Sub- leg of the project from Port ashnee Mahadeo stated that Louis and Curepipe is com- “people are saying I do not pleted. “We are working on Pravind Jugnauth with the three candidates. know anything about politics. phase 3. The Metro will surely I will ask them to give me a be in the four corners of the nounced that there will be an years of service will automat- will help them in their task.” chance.” The third candidate country.” insurance cover for the Police ically be promoted sergeants. Pravind Jugnauth averred that Joanne Tour highlighted that He also applauded the Officers who put their lives in The Police will have new equip- the sum of minimum wage she is a believer in social jus- work of Police Officers and an- danger. “Those who have 20 ment and the Safe City project will be reviewed. “In January, tice and women emancipation. PAGE 3 | 11 - 17 OCTOBER 2019 POLITICS ELECTORAL COMMISSION Alliance National Registration of 36 parties as at Thursday launches campaign As at Thursday afternoon, 22 parties have registered them- selves with the Electoral Commission in Mauritius and 4 in Rodrigues. In two days, 36 parties and one alliance (Alliance Morisien) have been registered. The exercise will continue on in Quatre Bornes this Friday. The list is as follows: 1. Mouvement Democratique National (MDN) On Thursday night 10th 2. Small Planters, Labourers and Farmers Party October, the Alliance National 3. Mouvement Authentique Mauricien (MAM) comprising the Labour Par- 4. RASSEMBLEMENT SOCIALIST MAURICIEN ty and the PMSD launched 5. Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) its electoral campaign with a 6. LIBERTE SANS FRONTIERE meeting held at Pavillon, Qua- 7. Parti Socialite Mauricien (PSM) tre Bornes, which falls in Con- 8. Voice of Hindu stituency No.18 (Belle Rose/ 9. 100% CITOYENS 10. Socialiste Militant Progressite Quatre Bornes). Labour Party 11. Mouvement Democratique Mauricien MP Arvin Boolell, the leader 12. La Plateforme Sociale Curepipienne of the PMSD and leader of the 13. Lalit Party Opposition Xavier-Luc Duval 14. Progressive Youth Movement and the former Minister of 15. Mouvement Zeness Morisien Finance Rama Sithanen were 16. Forum Citoyen Libre (FCL) present. 17. Mouvement Travailliste Socialiste (M.T.S) Party Arvin Boolell stated that 18. Mouvement socialiste National people must understand the 19. Mouvement Entrepreneur vision that they have for a 20. En Force Maurice ! 21. R.A.M.I.M.A.N (Regional Autonomy Movement for Inter- modern Mauritius. “We want gral Man-Animal –Nature) this country and its politics to fecting our women more than ment. “The last case of Navin 22. Ralliement Citoyen pour la Patrie regain its former nobility. We men. We are conscious that we Ramgoolam will be in front of 23. Reform Party are an unbeatable team.” have to take the necessary mea- the Court in November and 24. Parti Kreol Morisien (PKM) Rama Sithanen on his side ad- sures to address these.” the government knows that 25. Rezistans Ek Alternativ dressed the youth in his speech. Last to speak, the leader Navin will win his case and 26. Mouvement Mauricien Social Democrate (MMSD) “25% of our youth are jobless. of the Opposition Xavier-LuC come out as innocent. This is 27. Front Socialiste They all have diplomas, they are Duval uttered that he never re- why he (Pravind Jugnauth) has 28. Tamil Council graduates but they do not have gretted one day of leaving the decided to held the elections 29. Nou Repiblik jobs. Unemployment is also af- Lepep Alliance and the govern- before Navin comes out clean 30. Les Verts Fraternels 31. Front Solidarite Mauricien (FSM) because he knows the country 32. Regroupement Socialiste Militant will be upside down.” He stat- 33. Front Libération National (FLN) ed that the biggest challenge 34. MP Navin Ramgoolam calls for the next government will 35. Mouvement Socialiste Militant be the economic one. 36. Muvman Liberater media to be vigilant during On the other hand, the 37. L’Alliance Morisien electoral campaign president of the Labour Party Patrick Assirvaden spoke at a The leader of the Labour Party Navin Ramgoolam launched meeting held at Constituency WAR ON THE LOGO an appeal via his Facebook page to the media to be vigilant No. 17 (Curepipe/Midlands) at when treating information during the electoral campaign. “I the Paradise Hall at Eau Coulée encourage all media in the nation, in the spirit of the future Judge Rita Teelock on Wednesday night. He de- Freedom of Information Act, to ensure the truthfulness of plored the fact that the elec- the information in order to protect our fellow citizens,” he reserves her judgment tions have been set on the day wrote on his Facebook page. He added that “this is one of Judge Rita Teelock reserved by the Jean-Claude Barbier / of the SC and HSC exams. Pat- the major issues of this national poll 2019. The question is her judgment after the panel Atma Bumma, within the rick Assirvaden announced the central, especially that we have 28 days left! My team and I debates in the conflict be- Mouvement Patriotique (MP).