Africa-Press – Mauritius. Under the National Regeneration Programme (NRP), two certificates have been delivered as at date, namely to the City of Port Louis and the town of Mahebourg.
This initiative is expected to enhance the environment and amenities in the interests of residents, businesses, and visitors and promote sustainable development patterns and tourism.
The announcement was made, this morning, by the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Local Government and Disaster Risk Management, Dr Mohammad Anwar Husnoo, at a workshop on the theme ‘Port Louis Urban Regeneration’, organised jointly by the City Council of Port Louis and the Port Louis Development Initiative (PLDI).
The Lord Mayor, Mr Mahfooz Cader Saib, the Chairman of the PLDI, Mr Gaetan Siew, as well as actors involved in the project were present. Dr Husnoo recalled that in December 2018, Government introduced the NRP which aims at regenerating and revitalising the central areas of the city, towns, and larger villages.
According to him, the NRP comes at an opportune time as it will contribute to solve the issues in the cultural, urban, economical and societal fabric of the City of Port-Louis.
In addition, the regeneration project of Port Louis aligns with Goal 11 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which provides for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, he said.
He underlined that the NRP provides for the restoration, consolidation and improvement of the built fabric of towns and large villages with respect to public and private buildings and infrastructure in a specific area, approved under an Area Regeneration Plan.
He added that the Economic Development Board is spearheading this initiative and is treating proposals from interested parties which may be public entities, private and economic sector operators.
Furthermore, Vice-Prime Minister Husnoo dwelt on the various incentives provided to an NRP developer, namely: fully recover VAT paid on buildings and capital goods for a period not exceeding two years from date of registration certificate; claim for a repayment of the amount of input tax allowable in respect of buildings and capital goods; tax credit in respect of capital expenditure incurred in two succeeding income years from the date of the registration certificate; and exempt from income tax with respect to an activity related to smart parking.
Dr Husnoo further recalled that infrastructural work for Port Louis smart city has already started with the mega project of the Port Louis Victoria Urban Terminal, expected to be completed by the end of 2021, which is a major component of the regeneration of the urban landscape of the city.
He also spoke about another important aspect of the NRP for Port Louis which is the creation and development of an Art District. According to him, this project will enable Port Louis to establish recognised centres of musical creation, street music and busking, cultural open-air spaces for practice, and attracting cultural events and international concerts.
Aligning with Government’s policy to culturally regenerate the City, it will synergise the cultural initiatives of the State, City Council, creators, corporates, NGOs and civil society by using music, he said.
For his part, the Lord Mayor lauded Port Louis for its rich historical, cultural and multi-ethnic dimensions, adding that there is still a large potential for investments in the city centre since many plots of land in prime areas are left unexploited.
He recalled that in that context, Government has announced the creation of a series of state-of-the-art development projects, namely the Smart City projects at Montebello, Yihai Garden, and Royal St Louis.
He added that other private sector projects such as the Cruise Terminal, the Odysseo oceanarium, as well as development projects at Port Louis Waterfront and Les Salines, will contribute towards the modernisation of Port Louis.
As part of its efforts to preserve the national heritage, he highlighted that the Fish and Meat Market of the Central Market will be upgraded. Other major projects concern the Immigration Square Urban Terminal, and the Victoria Urban Terminal.
These projects, he stated, will enable Old Port Louis to be restored and regenerated in a sustainable manner with a view to enhancing the potential benefits in terms of financial outcomes, investment attraction, and job creation.
