Between the whims of Mother Nature's and the closing of money exchange bureaus until further notice, here's what happened in Mauritius this week.
More rain expected as the week ends
The Mauritius Meteorological Station warm that weather conditions are likely to get worse this Thursday and Friday due to active clouds coming from the southwest. The West, the South and the Central Plateau are the most vulnerable regions after last week's flood. You are therefore advised to take all necessary precautions and to avoid venturing near flood-prone areas. A heavy rainfall warning was issued on Thursday afternoon.
Driving exams resume on May 17
According to a police notice issued this week, oral and practical driving tests are resuming on Monday, May 17. However, the tests will be carried out in alphabetical order while respecting social distancing. Candidates whose exams were scheduled between March 10 and 31 are required to call at their scheduled time and centre as indicated on their receipt first. Exams scheduled from April 1 are postponed until further notice. Note that no additional fees are required for those who had already paid their exam fees. New applications are not allowed for now.
Wearing a mask remains mandatory
From March to date, 6,281 tickets people have been fined for not wearing a mask. Indeed, the proper wearing of masks remains mandatory, although many health restrictions have been relaxed since May 1st. The police are currently touring the island for sensitisation and making sure that people are abiding by the law. Anyone found guilty before the Court risks a fine of up to Rs 500,000 and 5 years of prison maximum. This also applies to non-compliance with social distancing.
Money exchange bureaus closed until further notice
Since May 1st, as lockdown measures were relaxed, people have been flocking to money exchange bureaus affiliated with Shibani Finance and Western Union. As social distancing has become a challenge for these bureaus, the Bank of Mauritius decided to close them down until further notice. The authorities are considering new measures, such as introducing a ticket system, so that they can operate in better conditions.
The BoM joins the OECD / INFE
The Bank of Mauritius is now part of the International Financial Education Network of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD / INFE). This forum brings together central bankers and policymakers from more than 125 countries to share best practices and experiences in banking. This organisation aims at promoting financial education among the populations of the member countries. Through this collaboration, Mauritius will benefit from international expertise to develop its financial education policies and programs.
