In a statement to the press, the leader of the Labour Party said he was shocked by what happened this Monday. He wondered how an ordinary citizen like Afzal Goodur could have been more accurate about the cyclone than the meteorological services. He recalled that Afzal Goodur had asked Mauritians not to travel to Port-Louis. For Navin Ramgoolam, this is criminal negligence, and the government must pay for it. The leader of the Labour Party expressed his sympathy for the victims and their families. He points the finger at protocol and the slowness of the authorities to take decisions.
Another blunder that caused the hecatomb in Port Louis was that the authorities issued a communiqué at 12.30 p.m. telling public sector employees to go home, just as torrential rain and heavy showers were falling on the island… BUT WHO COULD HAVE TAKEN SUCH A PARTICULAR DECISION ? Satellite images from several locations clearly showed the timing and deterioration of the weather.
The flash floods of 2013 were not predictable, and we were not on cyclone alert! But we had learned our lesson and that’s why the Labor Government, under the supervision of a National Disaster Management Committee headed by the expert, Ms. Venecia Belles had planned to build the Metro on stilts, precisely to avoid flooding and other traffic jams.
Navin Ramgoolam concluded with this word: “ I extend my sincere condolences to the bereaved families affected by this tragedy, and a special thought to all those who risked their lives – civil servants, police officers, firefighters and other private-sector employees – on their way to work in Port Louis and who suffered various damages. I solemnly request the Government to lower the flags to half-mast and to declare a period of national mourning.
