Lawyer ends hunger strike, consumer activists keep pressure over fuel prices

Mauritian Lawyer Sanjeev Teeluckdharry has put an end to his hunger strike on Monday, three days after joining Nishal Joyram’s strike against controversial high fuel prices imposed by authorities in Mauritius.

The latter has been on hunger strike since 15 November in front of St-Louis Cathedral in Port Louis. The lawyer said he pulled back due to his professional obligations.

Sanjeev Teeluckdharry told Defi Media that he would continue supporting Joyram.

Meanwhile, consumer rights associations have blasted the State Trading Corporation (STC) for ending up with a Price Stabilisation Account that is in deficit by Rs 4.4 billion.

“It is not for road users to pay for this. Due to Mauritius’ austere domestic policy, too many taxes have been added and this is seriously impacting consumers. The government’s priority is elsewhere than lowering fuel prices,” said Suttyhudeo Tengur, president of the Association for the Protection of the Environment and Consumers (APEC).

Mosadeq Sahebdin, spokesperson for the Consumer Advocacy Platform (CAP), also deplored “excessive taxation”.

“Why do we have to pay this when there is a lack of transparency in the management of the money collected? We have the right to know what the government is doing with our money,” he said.

Source: Defi Media