Mauritius observed Earth Day earlier this week. It was an opportunity for policymakers and land users to ponder over the necessity to preserve our surface soil from erosion, pollution and deforestation. News on Sunday talks to a specialist on Soil, Land and Water Management on whether the population is aware of the importance of a sustainable agriculture in Mauritius.

Air Mauritius recently announced organisational changes to support a new business model. This new business model, which was approved by the Board in February, is well under way with the implementation of its seven- step plan.

The year 2012 has been proclaimed by the United Nations as the International Year of Cooperatives with the theme “Cooperative Enterprises build a better world.” In this context we put a few questions to Jugdish Goburdhun, former Minister of Cooperatives in the 1990-95 government.

The ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) was founded in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, independent India’s first Education Minister. The Council helps formulate and implement policies pertaining to India’s external cultural relations, to foster mutual understanding between India and other countries.

USEP condemns
The union of press employees, ‘Union Syndicale des Employés de Presse’ (USEP), protests against the assault on a journalist while on duty on the night of 22 March. In fact, on that night, there was a street fight at Cite Martial, Plaine Verte.

The President of the Republic of Seychelles, James A. Michel, was the guest of honour at the celebrations marking the 44th anniversary of the Independence of Mauritius this month. During his 24-hour visit (12-13 March), accompanied by a 10-member delegation, President Michel had little time to talk to the press. However he gently agreed to reply to a few questions put to him by News On Sunday.

The construction industry in Mauritius has features and practices that are unique to the land. And like any activity, there are aspects of our construction industry that can be improved; there is need for an advanced construction technology in line with principles of sustainability.

Bishop Ian Ernest is fully engaged in national inter-faith, ecumenical and spiritual movements. He is fully active in any action that aims at improving social and family relations and comes forward promptly whenever there is a need to look for steps that can bring the population positively forward.

Mauritius is celebrating the Law Day for the first time this year. The 4th of March is designated as the Law Day, as 4 March 1968 is the day on which the Mauritius Independence Order was decreed, thereby giving birth to the Constitution of Mauritius (which is set out in the Schedule to the Order).This is the time to reflect on our legal and judicial system which we inherited from France and England. In the following interview the Attorney General, Yatin Varma tells us of the need for change and the rule of law in a sovereign democratic country.

Following the official visit of the President of India, Smt Pratibha Patil, to Mauritius early last year during which she insisted that there should be better volumes of trade between our two countries and the recent visit of the Prime Minister, Dr Navin Ramgoolam in the sub-continent accompanied by a large delegation of businessmen, a synergy has been created to promote commerce and trade between Mauritius and India.

Climate variability and extreme weather events such as cyclones and their impact on our environment and on the island economy are becoming a concern for the authorities as well as for the population. Large Ocean atmosphere interactions are influencing the climate of the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) region, and smaller islands like Saint Brandon and Agalega Islands are threatened by sea-level rise as well. Are all these factors directly linked with climate change? Balraj Dhunputh, the newly appointed director general of the Mauritius Meteorological station of Vacoas, analyses the situation and shares his views with News on Sunday.