It was not a sense of failure that animated Jayen Chellum on Saturday, September 18, but rather a sense of taking a step back to make a leap forward. This is what the secretary general of the Association of Consumers of Mauritius (ACIM) made clear.
Indeed, the second demonstration against the increase in the price of gasoline, which should have taken place, has been canceled because of the lack of participants.
Speaking at the press conference that followed, Jayen Chellum stressed that this is not a feeling of failure. “ACIM has been in Mauritius for 45 years. There are ups and downs sometimes. But this time, I don’t consider it a low point because there were many people who had indicated their intention to participate in the event. Unfortunately, they declined because they thought the police would prevent the demonstration,” said Jayen Chellum.
A strong police presence was indeed reported on Volcy Pougnet Street in Port-Louis.
For Jayen Chellum, the goal of ACIM is to inform the population about their rights, but others must follow. “We have a civilized relationship with the police but they have their prerogative and they have to follow their order. We have a social activist role. We will come back to the charge. This is not an admission of failure,” he concluded.
