The decision to stop CT Power’s proposed coal-fired power station is to be reviewed. According to the press yesterday, the Prime Minister made this promise to representatives of the Tamil community during an event celebrating their New Year on Thursday. Another newspaper states that the Tamil Community feels “very deceived” by the decision. The tenuous link being that the family of the Malaysian promoter originated from Tamil Nadu. If such a project is in the national interest, then why was the announcement made before a specific community? Does this not stoke the fire of communal division?
Apparently, the Prime Minister believes that the original decision may have been manipulated since Mauritius “is a country of schemers” and that certain lobbies may have influenced the writers the Environmental Impact Assessment report “for their personal interests”. Does the environmental lobby have this level of influence or was he referring to the sugar estates which enjoy a monopoly of independent electricity generation? Much is said about democratising the economy, but if democracy means the “rule of the people, by the people, for the people”, then surely the first thing that needs democratising is our process of government? And if government officers have been unduly influenced then who will call them to account?