Mauritius Prime Minister addresses State Partnership Program with US, denies military base plans
via Le Mauricien3 min read
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam responded to Joanna Bérenger of the Militant Progressive Front regarding the State Partnership Program with the New Mexico National Guard and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement with the United States. Ramgoolam assured that no military bases are planned. He highlighted Mauritius's significant maritime security challenges as a small island developing state, including illegal fishing, drug trafficking, organized transnational crime, irregular migration, piracy, climate change impacts, and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure, which exceed its limited resources. Ramgoolam stated that no Western Indian Ocean country can effectively address these challenges in isolation, and Mauritius consistently pursues a policy of strengthening bilateral, regional, and international partnerships to enhance its maritime security, law enforcement, and disaster response capabilities. He detailed cooperation with countries like India, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and organizations such as the European Union, INTERPOL, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime through joint exercises, capacity building, information sharing, maritime domain awareness initiatives, technical assistance, and training programs. The State Partnership Program, signed on May 22, 2026, aims to establish a lasting institutional partnership based on professional exchanges, technical cooperation, and capacity building, without creating legal or fin
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The trial of Mariia Peresolkina, a 28-year-old Ukrainian woman accused of importing dangerous drugs with an averment of trafficking, resumed on June 30, 2026. Inspector Bsomi, during cross-examination by Peresolkina's lawyer Me Shameer Hussenboccus, admitted to significant flaws in the police investigation. Bsomi confirmed that John Mick Martingale, whose suspicious death in Beau-Bassin prison in 2024 is under judicial inquiry, was part of an international drug network. Martingale, Peresolkina, and Olega Levina were arrested at SSR Airport on October 29, 2022, after two bottles of liquid synthetic drug were found in Peresolkina's luggage. However, Martingale's first statement was recorded only five months later. Inspector Bsomi conceded that nothing in Martingale's statements incriminated Peresolkina. He also admitted that the contents of Martingale's laptop were not analyzed by the police's IT Unit, citing a flat battery as the reason, and that he did not pursue this lead despite Martingale being suspected of international drug transactions using cryptocurrency. Bsomi was also contradicted regarding his knowledge of Katerina Kononova, a Ukrainian national in Mauritius, who had booked flights for Martingale, Peresolkina, and Levina from Brussels to Mauritius. Bsomi admitted he did not investigate Kononova, who lived in Flic-en-Flac. Kononova's Mauritian husband, Kevin Édouard, reportedly died of an overdose one month after Martingale's death. Martingale was found hanged in hi
Must ReadAir Mauritius is under investigation by the police and the Financial Crimes Commission following a forensic inquiry by Kroll Middle East Consultancy Ltd into aircraft sales and leases from 2014 to 2024. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam stated that the national airline incurred significant losses from these operations, and falsified reports were allegedly submitted to the Air Mauritius board. Ken Arian, former head of Airports Holding Limited, and Sattar Hajee Abdoula, former Top Gun of Air Mauritius's Voluntary Administration, have been implicated by the Kroll report's findings. The inquiry revealed that Air Mauritius sold four aircraft between December 2014 and December 2024, resulting in a net loss of approximately Rs 1.2 billion. Confidentiality clauses prevent the disclosure of total proceeds from these sales. During the same period, 11 aircraft were added to the fleet through direct purchase, finance leases, and operating leases, with costs also undisclosed due to confidentiality agreements. Additionally, 11 aircraft were grounded 100 times between 2014 and 2024 due to technical issues, unavailability of spare parts, lack of spare engines, and supply chain constraints. The Air Mauritius board commissioned the Kroll investigation last year to examine the sale or disposal of five aircraft during the voluntary administration period of 2020-2021, as well as the leasing of two A330-200s in 2022 and the order for an additional A350-900 in 2023. The board met on June 25 and 29, 2
Mauritian artist and visual arts professor Erwin Bryan Utchanah is presenting his new ink artwork collection, "Ink Beyond Borders," in Zhengzhou, China. The exhibition reflects his conviction that emotions, introspection, and the search for meaning are crucial to human learning. Utchanah, who holds a doctorate in education from Atlantic International University and a master's in educational leadership from the University of Roehampton, has taught in foreign institutions for several years and currently teaches at Sias International School in Henan province. He describes the inspiration for his black ink series as an unexpected moment when a bottle of ink spilled, revealing a spontaneous beauty that sparked his artistic exploration. Utchanah views ink as a universal language transcending geographical, cultural, and generational boundaries. The exhibition is held in a wellness center specializing in traditional Chinese care, a setting he believes fosters observation, reflection, and creativity. His work is deeply interconnected with his background as an educational researcher, educator, and artist, drawing inspiration from neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang. Utchanah's philosophy, "I feel, I think, I learn," guides his art, which seeks an equilibrium between emotions, creativity, learning, and well-being. Through his art, he pays homage to Chinese culture and acknowledges the contributions of the Mauritian community of Chinese origin. He describes black ink as a dialogue b