The Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage hosted a press briefing yesterday afternoon to respond to the controversy that arose following the establishment, by Mauritius, of the record for the largest national flag from a chain of humans.
The Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck, reiterated his gratitude, this afternoon in Port-Louis, to all those who participated in the national event and landmark achievement of Mauritius in breaking the Guinness World Record of the World Largest Human Image of a Waving Flag. He expressed gratitude to the 6145 students who formed the Mauritian Flag, the educators, officers of the organising Ministries namely: the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage; and the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology; the Special Mobile Force; as well as all the sponsors of the private sector. Furthermore, the Minister pointed out that partners from the private sector contributed in various ways, namely with Mauritius Telecom providing for the coloured hoodies of the participants, Aqua Springs Mauritius offering bottled water and, the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurants in Mauritius catering for lunch packs.
He first deplored the fact that a story of typographical error had taken on such a scale. Remember that Belle-Rue Harel was written on the certificate given to Mauritius instead of Belle-Vue Harel.
Avinash Teeluck explained that this is an interim certificate. “The real certificate with all the details will be given later. But we haven’t seen the interim. Otherwise, we would have seen the error,” he said. And to ask that a simple small error not come to discredit all the efforts made on both sides, especially by the college students who participated in the event, to establish this world record.
Regarding the controversy on the lunch pack, Minister Avinash Teeluck confirmed that the sponsor was AHRIM. He confirmed that for the sake of food hygiene, some members of AHRIM offered a vegetarian dish. First, he indicated that there were not only grilled bringelles or margoze but grilled vegetables in general. Then Minister Teeluck said that in the morning before the distribution, samples were submitted.
For him, the children had “bread of good quality”. But he says he does not understand the insults uttered and the unpleasant comments made, especially by adults. “It’s unfortunate and heartbreaking,” he said. He also criticized some members of the opposition and some members of the press who, according to him, fuelled the controversy.