One in five Mauritians smokes, and tobacco lobbyists are steering health policy
A new report from the University of Mauritius, produced with NGO VISA, puts smoking prevalence in Mauritius at 18.1% — and the figure includes young people. Presented Monday at a health forum in Quatre-Bornes, the study is part of a 100-country survey tracking how governments manage pressure from the tobacco industry under the World Health Organisation's global tobacco control convention.
Mauritius ranked 15th out of 100 countries in last year's tobacco industry interference index. The report flags persistent industry influence over public health decisions and calls for coordinated pushback from government, civil society, and health professionals.
Eighteen percent is not a rounding error. That is roughly 200,000 adults lighting up daily on an island this size.
Budget pressure and 15 unanswered questions: parliament opens on a tight Tuesday
Parliament sits this Tuesday with PM Ramgoolam expected to face fifteen oral questions from across the floor, all before the Private Notice Question that will set the political temperature for the week. The session comes as the country counts down to the national budget, and the combination of fiscal scrutiny and parliamentary pressure means PM Ramgoolam walks in under more than the usual load.
Watch for questions on household debt, public borrowing, and the state of key public institutions — all themes that have built pressure over the past two weeks.
Tourism is losing altitude, and the hotel industry wants the budget to act fast
After a strong January and February, arrivals growth slowed sharply to just 1.3% in March and has gone negative since April. The AHRIM (Association des Hôteliers et Restaurateurs de l'Ile Maurice) has submitted four urgent requests to the government ahead of the budget: targeted sector support, a review of airlift costs, and measures to ease the drag from rising global travel prices. The group says peak-season bookings are under close watch as flight ticket prices keep climbing.
A Chamarel family let foreigners stay in their chalet. They are still there, five years on.
In early 2021, the Jacob family agreed to let a foreign couple stay temporarily on their land in Chamarel. Five years on, the couple has not left. Sébastien Jacob says the experience has cost the family dearly and left them feeling powerless against a legal process that favours occupants over owners. 'It is a shame that certain foreigners exploit Mauritians,' he told L'express. The case has reopened wider questions about property rights and what recourse local landowners actually have.
Shorts
Fire survivor signs first pro football deal – Four months after being pulled from the Crans-Montana fire in Switzerland, Tahirys Dos Santos has signed his first professional contract at FC Metz in France.
Two young men die on island roads – Bradley Allan Albert, 20, died in a crash at La Tour-Koenig on Sunday; Avish Augnoo succumbed eight days after a separate accident at Roches-Noires.
Man, 76, drowns on family catamaran trip – Yvan Vadamootoo died near Île-aux-Cerfs on Sunday during a family catamaran outing at Trou-d'Eau-Douce; his family says there were safety lapses on the vessel.
Tamarin beach: emergency works begin – Environment Minister Rajesh Bhagwan says emergency measures are now underway at Tamarin after an unauthorised change to the river mouth in December 2025 accelerated beach erosion.
Ministry sharpens rules on electricity waste – Energy Minister Patrick Assirvaden chaired a strategy meeting to tighten enforcement against electricity wastage, citing the global energy crunch as the trigger for faster action.
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