Africa-Press – Mauritius. Budget 2022-23 lays emphasis on a sustainable Mauritius – greener, more efficient, more inclusive and more resilient. To that end, a Sustainable City Scheme is being introduced for the development of a new concept of sustainable living built for people and nature. An International Sustainable City Summit will also be organised by the Economic Development Board this year.
In his Budget speech this evening, the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy, underlined that to finance the implementation of the country’s Sustainability Roadmap, a Carbon Credit trading framework will be prepared; an Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance framework will be developed; and an inaugural Sustainable Bond will be issued.
He added that the cleaning and greening of Mauritius are truly a nationwide effort and stated that in advancing towards the green transition, a sustainable future for ourselves and for our children will be secured.
To that end, he recalled that the National Environment Cleaning Agency has been set up under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Office to develop our national cleaning strategy.
Budget 2022-23 makes further provision for: The allocation of Rs 1 billion to the clean-up and embellishment programme as well as for the rehabilitation of beaches, lagoons and coral reefs, including:
Completion of the beach rehabilitation works at Pointe aux Feuilles to Grand Sable, Providence to Grand Port, Bois des Amourettes and Petit Sable to Anse Jonchée;
Upgrading of access and parking areas at Pomponette and Pointe aux Piments public beaches; Implementation of Beach Management Plans at Mont Choisy, Flic en Flac, La Prairie, Belle Mare and Grand Baie;
Installation of solar lightings at beaches; Extension of the Mangroves Plantation and Restoration programme; Acquisition of two new tipper lorries for effective waste collection and disposal; and
Cleaning and embellishment of 120 public sites including places of worship, children’s playgrounds, and health tracks. The Finance Minister further highlighted that a sum of Rs 400 million is being earmarked to undertake landslide rehabilitation works across the country.
Speaking about recycling, Dr Padayachy underlined that in a bid to promote locally manufactured products from recycled materials, a tipping fee will be paid to local recyclers per tonne of waste, excluding used tyres and PET bottles, and a margin of preference will be provided for products manufactured from recycled materials.
Other measures include: Setting up of an additional déchetterie for disposal of waste oils, construction and demolition wastes. A pilot Composting Unit and a Sorting Unit will be developed for the separation of dry and wet waste resources for sale to registered recyclers on a PPP basis.
A framework will be introduced to encourage composting of Green Wastes from Households, Markets, Parks and Gardens. A Scrapyard for vehicles declared total loss and beyond their economic life will be created on a PPP basis.
To further enhance the country’s preparedness to disasters, Rs 90 million will be provided over the next three years for the purchase of oil spill combat equipment.
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