On Tuesday 20 May 2025, in Port-Louis, the Minister of Local Government, Mr. Ranjiv Woochit, presided over a meeting with the newly elected Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor of the Port Louis City Council, alongside Mayors and Deputies from various Municipal Councils. The Junior Minister of Local Government, Mr. Fawzi Allymun, was also present.
The primary aim of the gathering was to discuss key issues related to urban governance, infrastructure development, and the effective functioning of the Councils.
During the meeting, Minister Woochit reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to advancing reforms under the Local Government Act. A significant concern raised was the alleged misappropriation of funds intended for the procurement of waste bins. The Minister urged the Councils to enhance oversight of public funds and to promote transparency, inclusiveness and accountability in procurement processes.
Minister Woochit also addressed challenges related to market management, including the timely issuance of fire safety certificates, allocation of vacant stalls and the increasing number of illegal vendors and street hawkers. He emphasized the importance of maintaining public health standards in markets and called for urgent upgrades to toilet facilities in various market venues.
Additionally, he stressed the need for regular maintenance of municipal assets such as kindergartens and traffic centers and encouraged officials to prioritize the prompt execution of embellishment projects.
The Minister highlighted the importance of reinforcing waste segregation efforts, acknowledging the limited number of sweeper lorries available but assuring that appropriate remedial measures would be considered. He also discussed plans to establish a centralised garage to improve vehicle maintenance operations.
Finally, Minister Woochit provided an update on the progress of the e-local Government Project, which is currently under review within the Council Project Management framework.