Compared to what our island was 50 years ago, we must acknowledge that today we’ve made remarkable progress in various fields.

At one time, at Rose-Belle, we didn’t have any private doctor. Today we’ve several. We didn’t have a hospital. People had to go to Mahébourg or Candos. Now we’ve the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital. It’s immensely helpful to inhabitants of the south. Plaisance Shopping Village has just opened its doors. It is an imposing building. It’ll change the face of the village. There’ll be more activities and once the work is completed in all its phases, it’ll no doubt become a tourist destination. It is also generating employment. Night life may change the lifestyle of the villagers as the Shopping Village will probably work till late.

A fire station is in the pipeline. Costing Rs 100 million, it’ll cover the southern region. Neighbouring villages will benefit greatly. Earlier, markets were small and functioned in difficult conditions, but today we’ve a large one.

Much has happened in the health sector. Hospitals are better equipped and we have many more doctors today than earlier. Clinics are offering state-of-the-art treatment to patients with complicated health issues. At one moment, such facilities were just a dream for the majority of the nation. Today this dream has become a reality. Mauritius isn’t lagging behind.

In 2005, the Laventure Technical School for the Disabled was set up to provide education to the handicapped and it also helps them to gain autonomy. Besides, they have the opportunity to practise hydrotherapy and farming. Initiatives like these are always welcome, though a lot still remains to be done for them.

Medical tourism

Medical tourism has been a success here. Tourists can obtain the same advanced facilities as in other countries. It’s a matter of pride for us. We must continue developing this sector because it not only brings us revenue, but also establishes our reputation abroad. We have up-to-date spas as well.

The Rs 5 billion New Flacq Teaching Hospital with some 1 000 beds and about 15 operation theatres is to open in the coming years. A new Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital at Vacoas will be set up. With technologicallysavvy equipment, patientscan expect high-level service. E-health (digitization of patients’ files) will allow doctors to perform more efficiently. Rs 600 million have been earmarked for a new eye hospital in Moka.

Not so long ago, a team of cardiologists at the Apollo Bramwell Hospital performed surgery on two patients aged 49 and 61 while their hearts were still beating. At the same hospital, another first was the placing of a stent in a patient’s oesophagus. He was suffering from cancer and was unable to swallow due to the organ being obstructed. At Fortis Darné, for the first time, a medical team proceeded by means of minimally invasive surgery, which consists in visualizing and operating on internal organs without opening the abdomen. Equipped with sophisticated gadgets, New Souillac Hospital is henceforth in a position to perform 4,000 surgeries relating to ophthalmology yearly.

Many of us could never have imagined such breakthroughs occurring in a tiny island like ours.

We’ll also be having a New Cancer Centre at the cost of Rs 1,5 billion at Solferino. It will have a Stem Cell Transplant Unit for bone marrow transplant.

The internet has connected us to the rest of the world. We’re no longer an isolated island. We’re very much part of the world. Efforts are ongoing on the part of the National Transport Authority to introduce cashless bus fare to ease the lives of travellers. The new electronic system will let the government get a clearer idea of the number of people travelling by bus and payment to bus companies can be made on sound grounds. It’ll also solve the problem of people stealing bus conductors’ money.

New drains

The introduction of cameras in Mauritius has helped to solve a number of cases concerning burglaries or unlawful use of ATMs in banks or misconduct in prisons. Cameras have a dissuasive effect on offenders or help authorities to identify them. A simple decision like making a government portal available to citizens to send in their complaints and requests has been an instant success. It’s a good example of using technology to empower people.

We’re finding new ways to deal with waste. Thanks to Domestic Biogas Plant introduced on the Mauritian soil by Kievnov Science & Environmental Technologies firm, biogas and bio fertilisers can be produced. Like the rest of the world, we’re also controlling the use of pesticides to protect consumers. We’re successfully producing organic food, using innovative methods like hydroponic and sheltered farming. In addition, we are making use of the best recycling methods. Just like in other countries.

They may be small steps but they’re taking us far.

Work is under way concerning the Metro Express. People can travel in comfortable conditions. Actually, crowded buses and traffic jams are major problems. Modernising the transport system was a necessity. We need to put up with the inconveniences the project is causing. It’ll be a far cry from the days when we went to school by carts drawn by oxen. There were times when we reached school drenched, with our bags and books wet and our bread and butter hopelessly soaked.

Today we’ve a good number of foreign universities offering courses in Mauritius. Students are coming from outside to study for their Diplomas, Degrees, and Postgraduate Programmes here. These are recognised worldwide. At first many people were sceptic about the setting up of the University of Mauritius, the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate and the Mauritius Institute of Education. Today they are respected institutions. They have made an inestimable contribution to education.

The replacement of antiquated water pipes has begun in some regions. We hope it will extend to other regions as well, especially flood-prone ones. Numerous families suffer during the rainy season because of defective drains. Making people’s lives easier must be the guiding principle of any government.

Many more developments are taking place in various regions of the island, but sometimes they go unnoticed. However, small the developments may be, they’re impacting on the lives of people for certain. When Mauritians return for a visit after a long time abroad, they are pleasantly amazed to see how much the island has changed.