The adequacy of the legal and institutional frameworks to prevent and combat marine pollution in Mauritius

The Global concern for the environment and the adverse consequences of pollution on both developed and developing countries alike, including small islands, have not left Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean, uninfluenced. The Government of Mauritius has now become very much conscious about the environment and its importance in the economic development of the country. Mauritius was a British colony and achieved independence in 1968. From originally a mono-crop country, namely agriculture, the country subsequently pursued a diversified economic policy devoid of environmental consideration in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The country experienced considerable economic progress. Unfortunately, this economic growth was achieved at the expense of both terrestrial and marine pollution. The negative impacts of pollution as a result of the remarkable economic growth were seriously felt in the 1980’s. Government enacted certain laws, promulgated various regulations, ratified a few international treaties and established institutions to deal with both land-based and marine pollution. The existing legal and institutional frameworks have been evaluated and proven to be inadequate to prevent and combat marine pollution effectively. The author suggests several measures and recommendations to reinforce the laws and institutional capabilities for controlling and combating marine pollution in an effective fashion to safeguard and protect the environment with a view to ensure a better quality of life and sustainable development