Africa-Press – Mauritius. A delegation led by the Minister of Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation of the Republic of Seychelles, Ms Veronique Laporte, met the Minister of Land Transport, Mr Mahomed Osman Cassam Mahomed, today at the seat of the Ministry in Port-Louis. The meeting aimed to provide the Seychelles delegation with insights into Mauritius’ progress in implementing its public transport electrification strategy and roadmap.
In a statement, Minister Mahomed underlined that Mauritius is making steady progress in the adoption of electric buses, marking a significant step towards a cleaner and more sustainable public transport system, despite the challenges encountered. He emphasised that, through careful planning and continued investment in renewable energy solutions for electric bus charging, the e-bus programme is expected to transform public transport in Mauritius.
He dwelt on key challenges facing the land transport sector, particularly the continuous increase in the number of vehicles on the country’s roads each year. In this context, he underscored that the Government has introduced a taxation regime aimed at curbing the growth of the vehicle fleet, with the objective of reducing road congestion and traffic-related accidents.
Mr Mahomed also referred to the penalty point system, which will take effect as from 31 January 2026, emphasising that road safety remains a topmost priority of the Government. He expressed confidence that this measure will help reduce road accidents and promote more responsible driving behaviour.
Minister Laporte, for her part, indicated that the Government of Seychelles plans to introduce 250 electric buses over a period of five years as part of its broader strategy to reduce carbon emissions and modernise public transport. Mauritius, she stated, serves as a valuable example to learn from, having already embarked on the implementation of an electric bus system.
She further highlighted key concerns facing Seychelles in this transition, notably the capacity of the national electricity grid to support large-scale charging, particularly during peak hours, as well as the setting up of a reliable and efficient charging infrastructure. Minister Laporte also pointed out that Seychelles’ geographical characteristics, including mountainous terrain and narrow road networks, pose operational challenges, reinforcing the importance of learning from Mauritius’ experience in this area.
