The inhabitants of Sainte Croix and the region will now benefit from MUGA, a community-based fun and fitness movement created by the Mauritius Telecom (MT) Foundation, to practice sporting and leisure activities and stay in good health. The seventh MUGA facility was thus inaugurated, on Monday afternoon, by the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, in Sainte Croix.
The Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Georges Pierre Lesjongard; the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Darsanand Balgobin; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MT and Chairman of MT Foundation, Mr Kapil Reesaul; Members of the Parliament; and other personalities, were present.
Local athletes who won medals in international competitions were also awarded prizes by the Prime Minister on the occasion.
Addressing the inhabitants, the Prime Minister reiterated the core mission of Government, which is to ensure the well-being and enhance the quality of life of the population. MUGA, he said, provides the necessary space and equipment and motivating environment for everyone to engage in leisure and sports activities irrespective of their age. Its main objective is to provide a space for physical activity and education and promote a healthy lifestyle for all segments of the population, he stated.
The Prime Minister recalled that since 2018, several MUGAs have been set up in Phoenix, La Source-Quatre Bornes, Tyack, Goodlands, Triolet, and La Tour Koenig in line with Government’s vision to enhance the quality of life of citizens through modern sports infrastructure and technology. Government, he stated, is leaving no stone unturned in promoting a sports culture in Mauritius and will continue to invest massively in state-of-the-art infrastructure to cater to the needs of the population.
To this end, he noted that the Côte d’Or National Sports Complex has been of a significant value in providing training and sports facilities to elite athletes. Likewise, he stated, it is essential that Government strives to make sports and leisure activities even more accessible to the public by opening spaces such as the MUGA. He announced that other MUGA facilities will be set up in the regions of Cité Malherbes, Beau Vallon, Poudre D’Or Hamlet, Flacq and Bel Air, to name a few.
In a bid to encourage the population to maintain a healthy diet, the Prime Minister highlighted the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the country. Statistics, he observed, show that 20% of the population in Mauritius suffer from Diabetes while pointing out the high rate of non-communicable diseases.
Prime Minister Jugnauth reasserted his relentless fight against the drug scourge while adding that Government is doing all in its capacity to protect the population. He also enumerated the benefits of walking regularly and appealed to the public to be more conscious of their eating habits as well as to engage in an active lifestyle that caters to their physical and mental well-being.
For his part, Minister Lesjongard welcomed MT’s initiative in providing the necessary infrastructure to the population for the undertaking of physical and sports activities. He mentioned that the MUGA facility will be very beneficial to the inhabitants and athletes of the locality. He called on the inhabitants of the locality to make good use of this common social and leisure space.
As for the CEO of MT, he underlined that MT has invested in many social projects amounting to some Rs 350 million since 2009. He reiterated MT’s engagement towards supporting the Government in the realisation of projects geared towards enhancing the quality of life of citizens. He indicated that till date, some 100,000 people have visited the different MUGAs. The MUGA at Sainte Croix is also equipped with a solar Photovoltaic system to contribute to Government’s determination towards green energy transition, he added.
The MUGA comprises a secured compound with an outdoor gym having eight sport equipment including one dedicated to individuals with disabilities; a futsal area of 27m x 17m; a dedicated place for zumba, yoga and high-intensity interval training; a petanque area; a jogging/walking track; a kid football pitch; and a senior citizen’s corner. Free Wi-Fi connection is also offered to MUGA visitors. It is open from 06 00 hours to 22 00 hours from Monday to Sunday.
