The ACIM Rally against price gouging will not take place in Port Louis on 22nd January. The Association des Consommateurs de l’ile Maurice (ACIM) did not get permission from the Police. Jayen Chellum announced in a press conference that he would undertake legal proceedings to object against the Police’s decision.
The intention of the rally was to challenge the price increase on fuel which ACIM still finds incomprehensible following their calculations. “With this price structure where there are already cumulative taxes of Rs 12 on each of these fuels and even with other factors that are taken in consideration to higher the prices, the latest price raise by Rs 5 unjustified. And in comparison, with international rates, they do not meet equal levels of prices. Faced with an abuse of power or price, the consumer’s rights rhyme with the human rights as well as the right to protest,” says Jayen Chellum.
The latter is clearly infuriated by this decision of the police, especially by the reasons given for not approving this request. Firstly, the letter that was sent to the police did not reach them on 12 January but on 14 January, that is, only 8 days before the event. And secondly, the most infuriating thing for the secretary general of ACIM is that the police opened an investigation following a demonstration organised on 6 August 2021 where the demonstrators failed to respect certain regulations and laws in force, the directives of the police and the health measures imposed in the country, such as wearing masks and social distancing. It was the responsibility of the organiser.
Jayen Chellum promised to knock on the door of the appropriate lawmen to challenge this decision of the Police. In the last two events by this organiser, the MPF did not approve the first request but had to back down when faced with a court decision in both cases.
