by Toolsy Luchmun

Editorial note: Not unlike most of the world, Mauritius found itself unprepared for the Coronavirus pandemic. After initial stumbles amid bureaucratic secrecy, the island’s governing structure has by and large played it by the ear. But the crisis, Toolsy Luchmun suggests, should force the government to re-examine its basic healthcare system—and to reconsider, in the near future, any of its big-ticket prestige projects.

Even as the rest of the world had already started considering worst-case scenarios regarding the Coronavirus pandemic, the global tourist destination of Mauritius was uncertain about what lay ahead of it.  In early March, Mauritians had begun to hear about some cases of dengue in their country; but on March 18 at 10 PM, they would come to realize—via a hastily organized press conference featuring their Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth—that those rumoured cases were really the first three COVID-19 infections on their island.

In that conference, Jugnauth also divulged that two of the infected worked on a cruise ship, while the third one had returned from the UK.  These three men were isolated immediately after being identified as COVID-19 positive.  

Minutes after that press conference, all educational institutions were ordered to remain closed indefinitely from the next day, March 19. With the Prime Minister’s declaration of ‘a state of emergency’, the Ministry of Health also initiated its ‘contact-tracing’ exercise—and the government imposed a two-week ban on commercial flights inside and into the island.

The Mauritian government had sort of assumed that the citizens would hold their nerves; however, the island’s markets were flooded with people on March 19—and panic buying prevailed all over the place.  The Mauritians observed no social distancing that day! Meanwhile, pressure from the opposition forced the government to announce a two-week lockdown across the country through March 19-April 2; only emergency services were to be kept operational during this time.  

Intermart Supermarket in Floreal, Mauritius on March 19, 2020 (Photo credit: Toolsy Luchmun)

But even as the lockdown came into force, panic buying remained rampant despite the government’s repeated appeals to the public to stay indoors and observe self-discipline. In the meantime, the island would also see many of its natives abruptly return from their trips abroad—while many others would yet continue to do the same.  Some resort hotels would also volunteer to serve as quarantines for those infected by COVID-19.  

On March 22, with 24 positive cases and 2 deaths on hand, Jugnauth had to declare a curfew for the period of March 23-March 31 toward fighting this ‘invisible enemy’.  The metro services were put on hold; and private businesses—except the supermarkets and basic-needs shops—were supposed to be kept closed.  Also, on the pain of a stiff penalty and warrantless arrest, Mauritians were required to have their identity cards checked before entering a supermarket——and they also had to follow an alphabetical order to do the same.  As for the supermarkets, they were to remain open through 9 AM-3 PM, weekdays.

Curepipe, Mauritius on March 22, 2020 (Photo credit: Sailesh Ramdin)

However, as the citizens failed to fully respect the curfew, even the supermarkets, bakeries and basic-needs shops were ordered closed for a week starting out from March 24—by when the infections had dramatically climbed up to 42.  But that would get much worse quickly—as by March 26, Mauritius would have 81 positive cases—forcing the government to distribute food packets to people on welfare. 

Meanwhile, to encourage contactless payments and home deliveries, the government partnered with the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry and set up online shopping sites. Those sites, however, intermittently crashed because of traffic overloads; this situation, and other associated challenges, led the government to decide (on March 31) to let the bakeries, grocery shops, and supermarkets remain open through 9 AM-5 PM starting out April 2.

Aside from having to follow an alphabetical order while entering a supermarket, Mauritians were now also forced to use floor markers and to sanitize their hands at entrance; no more than 35 customers were now being allowed inside at once, and each was required to finish shopping within 30 minutes. By April 4, though, Mauritius had 196 (COVID-19) infections, 7 deaths, and 0 recoveries.  The curfew had already been extended to April 15.

The extended curfew apparently had also prompted the Minister of Education and Vice Prime Minister, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, to propose—on April 1—an alternative framework for the delivery of education. So, starting out April 6, the government would telecast educational programmes covering key national curriculum topics for the grades 1-6 on the four TV channels through 8.30 AM-3 PM. As for 7-9 graders, they would have to access online lessons on the education ministry’s Student Support Portal—for which contents have been put together by the Mauritius Institute of Education, the Open University of Mauritius, the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, and individual educationists. The government has also implemented Zoom and Microsoft platforms for online classes—which are already being conducted for university students.

On a macro level, the government has taken the following key steps to check the fallout from COVID-19:

• establishment of a Wage Support Scheme—to cover half of the basic salaries of those in the private sector and falling inside the MUR 25,000-50, 000 pay bracket

• under a Special Relief Fund, loan deferments for 6 months for enterprises whose annual income is less than MUR 50 million

• interest write-offs on housing loans starting April 1 for those earning less than MUR 50,000

• establishment of a COVID-19 Solidarity Fund, aimed at supporting needy citizens.  By March 28, the bank account for this fund had received MUR 7.5 million; and the parliamentarians had pledged to contribute 10% of their personal salaries to it.

• decision to pay 50% of the minimum wages for the period of March 16-April 20 to workers of the informal sector.  These workers have been asked to register on the Mauritius Revenue Authority’s website—and the government would transfer the funds to their personal accounts directly; those lacking a bank account could collect their sums from the post offices.

• establishment of a credit line (via the Development Bank of Mauritius) of MUR 1 million for companies with an annual turnover of less than MUR 10 million; and

• penalty deferrals for March for enterprises failing to pay their rents 

Broadly, though, this pandemic has highlighted the need for Mauritius to upgrade its healthcare system.  In the backdrop of this medical crisis, Mauritians are likely to come to wonder about the wisdom of huge public investments into other types of mega projects—such as the rather recent Metro Express, which caused significant socio-ecological upheaval for many.  How intelligently the COVID-19 Solidarity Fund—which amounted to MUR 26 697 512 on April 2—would be utilised might be another brain-teaser for all Mauritians!

Those interested could track the effect of this pandemic on Mauritius on this website:  http://www.reddot.mu/covid.html

Toolsy Luchmun has been teaching within the elementary school system of Mauritius for more than 5 years. As a researcher of the gender dimension of African education, she remains open to offering her services as a consultant in that area as well as on the Mauritian school education system. You are welcome to contact her via email by clicking on her name above.

—Copedited by Piyush Mathur—