In the fight against the proliferation of drugs and illicit products in Rodrigues, a popular march, a youth festival, to say ‘No’ to drugs was organized by the Commission for Youth and Sports in collaboration with other stakeholders on the 24th July. The event, on the theme ‘No to drugs, yes to life’ and ‘An ecological Rodrigues island, an island free from drugs’, started from Coromandel and ended at Graviers. This follows the recent arrest of two young men, both inhabitants of Graviers, who were in possession of a certain quantity of hard drugs suspected to be ‘heroin’. Hundreds of young people throughout the island had answered to the call of the local leaders to demonstrate their refusal of drugs.
During her speech, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Rose De Lima Edouard Ravina, put forward the sense of responsibility and duty proved by the young people of Rodrigues on an issue of so great importance which requires that all the people be united and shows solidarity for the same cause. « We are all here today to celebrate the competence of the young people, which is a driving force for our island and for our autonomy, but also for the construction of the modern world. We are fighting in view of saving the life of a whole population », she added.
She wants all necessary information to be disseminated so that the young generation becomes aware of the situation and thus, is well protected against this scourge.
As for the Interim Chief Commissioner, Nikolson Lisette, he said that ‘we have walked as one family for the whole island because we do not want drugs’. He trusts that all the youth clubs throughout the island will know how to convey the message at the level of their respective villages.
