Social housing bill nearly triples to Rs 30 billion as units sit unfinished
Rs 30 billion. That is roughly where the public cost of the social housing programme now sits, up from an initial Rs 12 billion, even as the number of promised homes fell from 12,000 to 8,000. By the end of September only 2,922 units stood fully finished across 14 projects, an independent audit found.
Another 2,332 homes are built but cannot be handed over until 2027, still waiting on connections and basic fittings. The audit also flags Rs 496 million paid out after eight consultancy contracts, priced above the programme's own ceiling, were torn up. Families keep waiting, the invoices did not.
US giants from Chevron to Google head to Mauritius for a December summit
Mauritius will host the 18th US-Africa Business Summit from 6 to 9 December, and the guest list does the talking. Organisers expect nearly 3,000 delegates and list Chevron, ExxonMobil, Amazon, Google and Pfizer among the Americans likely to attend, still to be confirmed.
Big names, bigger expectations. The industry minister calls it the country's largest event yet. The real work starts after the handshakes: turning a weekend of visibility into deals that outlast convention centre's lighting.
Mauritius takes the chair of a regional ocean treaty until 2028
Mauritius has been elected unanimously to chair the bureau of the Nairobi Convention until 2028, the pact that coordinates how countries along the western Indian Ocean protect their coasts and seas. It takes over from Tanzania, named at treaty's twelfth conference of parties. A small island now sets the agenda for a very large ocean.
New science scholarship aims at the pupil just behind the state scholar
Cabinet has approved a new scholarship from the Mauritius Telecom Foundation for the top HSC science pupil ranked right after the State Scholarship winner. HSC is the Higher School Certificate, the exam that closes secondary school. Second place now has a prize.
Shorts
Distress calls climb at a suicide helpline – Befrienders Mauritius now fields 500 to 600 calls a month, up from 400 to 500 in July.
A baby who struggles to breathe needs help – At five months Kaysen has laryngomalacia; his parents have put out an appeal for support.
Volunteers hit illegal dumps in the north – A World Clean-Up Day drive by estates and firms targeted illegal dumping across the north.
A college pleads to keep its state grant – Saint Bartholomew's College loses state funding in January 2027 and wants one last chance.
Young shuttlers finish 22nd at the worlds – Mauritius placed 22nd at the BWF world junior mixed team badminton championships.
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