Last week’s Carnival at Flic en Flac initiated a well known phenomenon in Mauritius. We call it the Mauritian Superzeroes Rants Campaign. Don’t worry! If you can’t go to Brazil then Brazil is coming to you. In order to promote and fuel the tourism industry in Mauritius, the MTPA (Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority) is organising a series of festive events around the island until the 5th of August. The starting point of these cheerful events started on the 29th of June at Flic en Flac with the Carnival of the Vanilla Islands.
Photo credit: Lexpress.mu
However there were different opinions this celebration. Some were most eager to take part in a new entertaining activity while some people condemn severely the organisation and coordination of this carnival. Before judging, it would be certainly a wise and sensible thing to analyse this situation form different point of view. Ranters are back again
For most Mauritian, this joyous event meant a break from the oppressing routine of work or studies. Old and Young people, together in a joyful atmosphere made their way to Flic-en-Flac to have a taste of what is carnival about. Most of us have seen in Movies or News, the carnivals that take place in Brazil. I’m sure many of us, had dreamed to take part in such an activity or wished something similar was organised here in Mauritius.
But strangely, as usual, some Mauritians are always unthankful, always eager to bring down shamelessly their own country. The traffic jam which occurred after the celebration at Flic-en-Flac, seemed to have been too much for them to cope with.
Some missed their flights, their trains, their boats and maybe even their flying saucers!
Radio stations were overtaken by calls from indignant people claiming that this event was not organised in an effective way and caused more harms than good. Apparently some angels from the heaven of Mauritius were even shocked to see some beautiful women about 80% naked walking on the street on that day. Some people believed that millions of rupees were wasted in the organisation of this event and found it inappropriate in times where the economy of the island is unstable.
Well, though negative critics may overflow we cannot ignore the fact that the MTPA, has at least try to revive and to boost up the tourism industry of the island. Negative critics did not crop up only from Mauritians. The MTPA was severely criticised by the Seychelles tourism authority arguing that the “MTPA has been reeling from the success of Seychelles in the international arena. That is very evident because Seychelles brought the media on their side and I think there is a lot of bruised ego in our man here who finds it hard to see others succeed where he failed.” Once again Mauritius was tagged as being unoriginal and not enough innovative. From a country which itself copied this event from Brazils Carnival does it not seem a little but too much!
Whether Mauritius found a way to make some more money or to waste some is not what we should remember form this event but simply the opportunity for the public to have some fun without having to pay huge amount of money to participate in such a show. Up to you, what do you think of these carnivals with 80% naked damsels walking on the street?
By Sephora J – Edited by Kurt Avish.