"Plenty of effort, no long-term vision" — Patrick Belcourt on Beau-Bassin/Rose-Hill

After his first year as ward 2 councillor at the Beau-Bassin/Rose-Hill municipality, En Avant Moris leader Patrick Belcourt offers a critical assessment. The team works hard, he says, but lacks strategic direction.

The most immediate problem is staffing. He estimates around a hundred vacant municipal posts, which translates into excessive overtime spending. Belcourt also points the finger at central government, which dismissed staff without launching recruitment drives to replace them.

On infrastructure, the Rose-Hill market crystallises the criticism — he calls out a reactive approach where root causes should be tackled instead.

Cultural and sports budgets came in for similar treatment: allocations of around Rs 100,000–150,000 for culture and Rs 200,000 for sport, which he calls grossly insufficient to support local artists and athletes.

Nationally, Patrick Belcourt confirmed he had called Paul Bérenger after his resignation from government, stressing that En Avant Moris remains open to dialogue across the political spectrum.

Other party leaders also spoke. Nita Juddoo, president, lamented that political infighting has overtaken attention to citizens. Chimène Hope, secretary general, described the drug situation as a “national emergency” and called for the NADC to be properly resourced. Arnaud Vacher argued for a dedicated tourism crisis cell ahead of the low season.

Source: Le Mauricien, 17 April 2026.