‘Prize Giving Ceremony of the Science Adventure 2011’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was indeed delighted to be at the Prize Giving Ceremony of the Science Adventure 2011. The Science Adventure 2011 is yet another laudable initiative in the long list of extra-curricular activities offered to our young population by the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre.  I am strongly in favour of such activities as they bring the best potential out of our youngsters and provide them with the ingredients that will make them responsible citizens. I wish to congratulate them for their participation in the project and I know that they will be the best ambassadors to promote such events in future so that more students can experience the incredible Science Adventure. I wish to extend my thanks again to the Minister of Education and Human Resources for allowing the teachers and rectors to play an active and important role during the project and in providing the necessary support to the students.

‘Visit to the University of Technology (UTM)’

 

 

‘Courtesy Call’

 I met with Mr. Mohamed Din Mohamed Sheriff, Director, Innovation & Commercialization Centre, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia and Mrs Yumiko Hamano, Senior program Officer, Patents & Innovation Division, WIPO, Geneva accompanied by Dr. A. Suddoo, Executive Director of the Mauritius Research Council, to discuss on the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Consultative meeting for IP and Innovation Assessment  of Research Institutions in Mauritius to be held tomorrow at the conference Hall, of the Cyber Tower 1.

Workshop on ‘Incarceration & Recidivism in Mauritius: Perspectives & Challenges’

 

 

 

 

I congratulate the Director General of the UTM and Dr. Chittoo, Chairperson of the National Workshop for the laudable initiative to organize a workshop on a theme that would trigger a lot of reflection. The days of opinion based problems and policy advocacy are bygones. We are living in an era where scientific investigation and rigour are required to substantiate any claim even if we are addressing a social phenomenon. If we do not think and act systematically in a scientific manner to look at a problem holistically, the risk of taking symptoms as problems are indeed high. The solutions we will propose run a high risk to turn out to be palliative ones, that is, what some may refer to as easy solutions. I take personal pride that one of the Universities operating under the aegis of my Ministry in tackling a serious problem with the objective of submitting a report to Government which may form the basis of strategic development of the penal services in Mauritius. The best brains and important stakeholders – from the UTM, the University of Mauritius, The Mauritius Prisons Services, the Judiciary, the Police Force, Government, NGOs and Civil Societies among others gathered today for a cause is making history. I sincerely hope they believe in service above self and that their deliberations will be undertaken with zeal and that the good work started will not stop after the two-day workshop. The UTM deserves our congratulations for having brought together all the stakeholders to think and deliberate on a delicate issue of multi-disciplinary nature in Mauritius. The presence of my colleagues Honourable Xavier Luc Duval, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Social Integration and Economic Empowerment, Honourable Yatin Varma, Attorney General at this ceremony is a reflection of the importance that government is attaching to the national workshop. We rely on them to make the most of the two days they will be there.