Vallée d’Osterlog Dissolution: Arvin Boolell Condemns Mismanagement

In an address to the National Assembly, Arvin Boolell, the Minister of Agro-Industry, voiced his concerns regarding the Vallée d’Osterlog Endemic Garden Foundation (Repeal) Bill, which seeks to dissolve the aforementioned foundation. The organisation, intended to safeguard our rich biodiversity, has suffered from negligence, inaction, and questionable practices, as highlighted by Minister Boolell.

The minister painted a grim picture of the foundation’s operation, declaring, “The director must go. This garden deserves far better.”

He lamented the leadership’s failure to effectively manage the 275 hectares dedicated to preserving vulnerable and endemic flora.

According to Minister Boolell, the foundation’s administration has floundered in inefficiency since 2016, with damning reports from the Office of Public Sector Governance exposing numerous irregularities.

Once envisioned as a bastion of biodiversity conservation, it has sadly become emblematic of poor governance.

Crucial positions, including that of scientific managers, human resources officers, and technical supervisors, have remained unfilled.

Strategic plans intended to guide its operations have never been executed, and contracts have reportedly been awarded to suppliers barred from bidding.

To remedy matter, the Repeal Bill proposes dissolving the foundation and transferring the majority of its operations to the National Parks Conservation Service (NPCS).

Of the 33 employees currently with the foundation, 32 will be reassigned to the NPCS while the director’s position will be eliminated.

Minister Boolell emphasised that the foundation should have epitomised transparency and sound management, lamenting the inaction of the previous government regarding its oversight.

He argued that the decision to dissolve the foundation and shift its activities to another body is essential for restoring effective management of the nation’s natural resources.

In a forward-looking approach, Minister Boolell outlined his vision for the future of the site, advocating that it transform into a centre of research, conservation, and environmental education.

He envisions this as an ambitious project to ensure the preservation of the country’s biodiversity, including the establishment of a seed bank to protect threatened plant species.

Rajesh Bhagwan Calls for a “National Mobilisation”

On Tuesday, during the same parliamentary debate on the Vallée d’Osterlog Endemic Garden Foundation (Repeal) Bill, Environment Minister Rajesh Bhagwan made a powerful appeal for the protection of the Vallée d’Osterlog.

He characterised the ecological situation in Mauritius as “critical but not irreversible” and underscored the urgent need for a renewed conservation dynamic.

Minister Bhagwan noted that a mere 2% of the territory is covered by indigenous forests, primarily located in the South-West, which he described as “the beating heart of Mauritian biodiversity.”

Mauritius hosts 39% of the nation’s plant species, alongside 80% of non-marine birds, 80% of reptiles, and 40% of endemic bats.

Alarmingly, 89% of endemic flora is under threat, with 61 species already extinct, including the Alasbek parakeet and the giant tortoises Azdez, Aziz, and Leloup, though he mentioned scientific efforts to revive the latter.

The government plans to transfer management of the Vallée d’Osterlog to the NPCS, following recommendations from the Public Sector Governance Office due to previously identified management deficiencies.

“The NPCS has a clear mandate: to protect, restore, and raise awareness,” stated Bhagwan.

He also announced that a bill regarding ecologically sensitive areas is currently under review.

The Vallée is set to become a hub for awareness, research, and environmental education, serving as “a symbol of our commitment to our island and its fragile beauty.”

Source: Defi Media