Fight against pollution with #RespekteMoris

Mauritians must change their attitude towards littering and be more responsible and conscious when handling wastes. From this notion came the idea of introducing the national clean-up campaign #RespekteMoris in July last year, a sustainable initiative in partnerships with the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, together with the European Union, local authorities, and the tourism stakeholders including AHRIM.

There was a need to protect our environmental heritage and promote the importance of environmental awareness and reinforce a productive dialogue with the tourist operators and with the local population, all by sharing the good practices to follow for a correct waste management and to raise awareness of the consequences of waste abandonment.

Nine effective awareness-raising campaigns have been carried out so far around the island and on three distinct islets, making a strong call for action and building momentum for the adoption of ambitious measures to protect the environment and the ocean at national level.

One of the responsibilities of the Tourism Authority is to promote the sustainable development of the tourism industry and ensure the cleanliness and rehabilitation of tourist sites across Mauritius. Officers from the cleaning unit have been working hand-in-hand since day one with the different tourism stakeholders in picking up garbage and waste materials, clearing the surroundings, painting and refurbishing kiosks and toilets, and distributing new bins in the surrounding villages.

We hope to revive the enthusiasm of volunteers in continuing these campaigns for the second half of the year.