The demonstration in favour of Yogita Babboo-Rama has attracted a big crowd this morning. Trade unionist, human rights activists and politicians were present in numbers. The former DPP and actual Honorary President of the NGO Dis-Moi, Satyajit Boolell, was also present. “It’s a fight for women”, he said. He stressed the need for Air Mauritius “to put an end to this kind of treatment”.
Yogita Babboo-Rama, for her part, said that “money may be important, but our values are even more so”. The President of the Air Mauritius Cabin Crew Association said that the aim of the march was to demand her reinstatement as an MK employee.
Several opposition MPs took part in the peaceful march. It began at the Marie Reine de la Paix social centre and ended in front of the Paille-en-Queue Court.
Yogita Baboo, President of the Air Mauritius Cabin Crew Association, was dismissed with immediate effect on Monday 10 July. She had refused to submit to a disciplinary committee set up by the management of the national airline in response to her recent statements on a private radio station.
For its part, Air Mauritius, in a press release, maintained that it had acted within its rights in sacking Yogita Babboo-Rama. The company accused her of failing to appear before a disciplinary board following comments made on a radio programme. Management assures that it “will respect and cooperate with all legal procedures initiated”. It says it is ready to provide any additional information requested by the competent authority. It points out that Yogita Babboo-Rama “breached her employment contract when she made defamatory, unfounded, erroneous, misleading, inaccurate and/or incorrect statements” on the radio. Management stated that this “caused serious damage to the reputation of Air Mauritius”.
