{"id":8501,"date":"2022-03-12T00:28:05","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T23:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maritimafrica.com\/en\/?p=8501"},"modified":"2022-03-12T00:28:07","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T23:28:07","slug":"prime-minister-reiterates-determination-to-fight-drug-trafficking-and-ensuring-maritime-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maritimafrica.com\/en\/prime-minister-reiterates-determination-to-fight-drug-trafficking-and-ensuring-maritime-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Prime Minister reiterates determination to fight drug trafficking and ensuring maritime security"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, reaffirmed his relentless\u00a0determination to fight drug trafficking while highlighting\u00a0that\u00a0the record seizure of drugs since 2015 amounts to\u00a0some\u00a0Rs 4.3 billion at land and Rs 1.6 billion at sea.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

He was speaking, today,\u00a0at the inauguration of the New Poudre d\u2019Or National Coast Guard (NCG) Post in presence of Commissioner of Police, Mr Anil Kumar Dip; and\u00a0the Commandant of NCG, Captain Vipin Gupta. The Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck, the Parliamentary Private Secretary, Dr Anjiv Ramdhany and other personalities were\u00a0also on attendance at the ceremony.<\/p>\n

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic impacting on the country\u2019s\u00a0economy,\u00a0Government, he\u00a0stressed, is geared towards promoting infrastructural development in all sectors to enhance\u00a0the quality of life of the population.\u00a0Maritime security, he stated,\u00a0has become a priority with Government\u2019s vision to tap the potential of the blue economy owing to the country\u2019s vast Exclusive Economic Zone.\u00a0Consequently, he\u00a0added,\u00a0the NCG is called upon to play an important\u00a0role\u00a0in\u00a0ensuring\u00a0maritime security.<\/p>\n

Speaking about further\u00a0strengthening the capacity of the NCG, Prime\u00a0Minister\u00a0Jugnauth\u00a0reiterated\u00a0Government\u2019s commitment to providing technological tools to\u00a0law enforcement\u00a0officers to enable them meet emerging challenges, namely through the\u00a0procurement of a Passenger Dornier in April\u00a02022; the NCG\u2019s engagement with regional partners such as India, Madagascar and Seychelles to coordinate maritime activities in the region;\u00a0and\u00a0the replacement of coastal radars. A new Maritime Intelligence Cell with a dedicated Hot Line 177 for the public to share information about illegal activities has also been set up, he added.<\/p>\n

Regarding the new NCG post, Mr Jugnauth indicated that it will provide officers with a conducive environment which will enable better service delivery adding that the previous NCG post was\u00a0a wooden building dating back to 1989.<\/p>\n

He further elaborated on some projects that confirm\u00a0Government\u2019s\u00a0engagement\u00a0to offer better facilities for\u00a0Police\u00a0Officers to perform their duties more\u00a0efficiently. They comprise:\u00a0the Safe City project to\u00a0combat\u00a0crime more effectively; reinforcement of personnel with some 2\u00a0794 recruits since 2015; inauguration of the Headquarters of the Metropolitan Division North;\u00a0and\u00a0the renovation of the Police Stations of Saint Pierre, Camp Diable, Pamplemousses and Piton.\u00a0Construction of\u00a0Police Stations in\u00a0Vall\u00e9e des Pr\u00eatres and l\u2019Escalier\u00a0is\u00a0also in the pipeline. The modernisation of infrastructures in Rodrigues, Agalega, Saint Brandon was also highlighted by the Prime Minister.<\/p>\n

Other Governmental projects in line to improving the lives of the population include:\u00a0the Metro Express Project to revolutionise\u00a0the\u00a0transport system and\u00a0the setting up\u00a0of urban terminals in various regions;\u00a0the\u00a0construction of hospitals;\u00a0the\u00a0setting up of sports infrastructures;\u00a0and\u00a0the implementation of\u00a0drainage projects.<\/p>\n\n\n