Church Leaders in Mauritius Concerned about COVID-19 Bill, Appeal for Dialogue

“The haste with which these amendments are presented for voting in the Assembly does not allow sufficient time and space for dialogue. Amendments of this magnitude relating to job security and the possible collapse of businesses, the balance of public debt and citizens' freedom would require more time to assess the issues at stake and a commitment from the whole nation,” the Catholic Church officials said.

In his address at the National Assembly on the COVID-19 Bill Wednesday, May 13, Mr. Jugnauth said the proposed laws have been drafted with the objective of keeping as many jobs as possible and to ensure that the government is sufficiently equipped to respond to this unprecedented situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister also made an appeal to all the workers to understand the rationale behind the amendments being proposed saying, “I am confident that their sacrifices in these exceptional circumstances will no doubt help us gather as a nation to save jobs and to successfully overcome this crisis.”

CJP leadership is not persuaded by the Prime Minister’s argument and foresees a dispute between the government and the ordinary citizens of the Indian Ocean Island nation. 

“Can we afford the luxury of massive disagreement or misunderstanding by a large part of the population as we face an unprecedented crisis? “What assurance do we have about the duration of the emergency laws? How long will they last?” CJP leadership has probed and added, “For, indeed, the great temptation would be that, once adopted, these two laws would install new habits in the conduct of the economy, and that in the long run, the decision-makers in this sector would not want to lose them anymore.”

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CJP members are also concerned about “the extensive powers to be conferred on the police” wondering if they are limited in time and are also limited to the health field in times of pandemic.

“The disproportionate fines added to the lifetime registration of the offence on certificates of morality, passports to obtain work, are also decried. In the face of the appalling violence that recently led to the deaths of prisoners who were under the control of the authorities, the population expresses concern,” the Church officials said.

They are also worried about workers' rights after the bills are passed.

“Many are anxious about the possibility of losing their jobs at any time,” they said and probed, “How can those who are or will be unemployed or technically unemployed be supported?”

Faced with these concerns, the leadership of CJP has appealed to the government to create “a forum of dialogue to hear the concerns of the civil society, their objections and to be able to respond to them.”

The dialogue forum, they said, “would, above all, help to reassure the population at a time when, faced with the transition back to work and a post-lockdown period, perhaps the most important thing would be to inspire confidence and hope in a better future for our beautiful Mauritian society.”

Mauritius declared total recoveries from coronavirus infections on May 11. The island nation’s official COVID-19 page indicates that 322 people have recovered out of the 332 confirmed cases and 10 deaths have been recorded.

In their statement, the Church officials congratulated the Mauritian government for its successful fight against COVID-19.

“So far, the government has managed the COVID-19 pandemic very well. It has taken courageous measures from the outset and has proactively mobilized all forces so that to date, the spread of the virus in Mauritius seems to be under control,” they said.

 “As the country takes a sharp turn in the fight against the coronavirus, it would be unfortunate if the authorities lose the support that the population has so far shown,” they concluded.

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Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.