Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Gaël Rangain
Published on 2024-03-13 11:00:54
The atmosphere was relatively flat among the public who came to attend the official flag raising ceremony at Champ-de-Mars yesterday. The intense heat in the capital seems to have dampened the enthusiasm of the Mauritians who made the trip in the middle of the day, as the ceremony took place between 3 pm and 3 pm for the celebrations of the 56th anniversary of independence and the 32nd year of the republic. Nevertheless, the public was keen to applaud the efforts of the participants and artists, taking part in the national events with a return to Champ-de-Mars.
By noon, the police had already secured the surroundings of Champ-de-Mars for security reasons. Only participants in parades and cultural performances, as well as authorized individuals, had access to Shakespeare Street in front of the Mauritius Turf Club (MTC). Tents were set up around the bookmakers’ premises (La-Plaine) for the artists to prepare on the sidelines of the event.
The public had to take the passage, Pope-Hennessy Street, to enter Champ-de-Mars. Police officers and motorcyclists continued to circulate to ensure that everything went smoothly. Messages could even be heard on police radios as political figures and VVIPs made their entrance in the Champ-de-Mars area.
With scorching sun and heat, some members of the public preferred to seek shade under the trees on D’Estaing Street while the benches there quickly found takers. “Let’s go home when the sun goes down,” these citizens said. As a result, they ignored the formal ceremony and the parade. Those who went inside the Champ-de-Mars sought refuge under the large public tent to protect themselves from the sun. However, the humidity led to discomfort.
Despite the intense heat, Mauricians who had made the trip still wanted to experience the celebration of national holidays after four years of absence from Champ-de-Mars due to Covid-19, among other reasons. And they proudly displayed small flags. The Motherland was fervently sung by those present under the tent during the flag-raising ceremony. This could be watched on two giant screens set up in front of the VVIP tent. A jubilant cheer rose at the final shot of the 21-Gun Salute, from which smoke of red-blue-yellow-green colors emerged.
The atmosphere was quite lively during the parades. People here and there took photos and videos of the helicopters and police logistics. Some relatives of the participants chanted their names as they appeared in front of the VVIP marquee.
With the heat, caps, umbrellas, and water bottles were essential. In fact, police officers distributed bottles to sweaty participants after their parade. “Before noon, we finished coming to Champ-de-Mars to prepare. We need to be ready and wait at the signal on the corner (Boulevard Victoria Street). Sometimes people don’t realize the preparation and sacrifices that go behind before we parade,” confides a member of the Special Mobile Force (SMF). Despite the weather, the participants were satisfied with their performance.
After the departure of high-profile individuals around 3 pm, the cultural show took over. As the sun set, many young people entered Champ-de-Mars to attend various songs and dances. Earlier during the flag-raising ceremony, there were more Middle-Aged Mauritians and Early Pensioners than the younger generation. Young people from a locality near Champ-de-Mars told Le-Mauricien: “We are not interested in looking at personalities because we did not come for that reason. We want to have a good time, enjoy with our artists, and have fun together with all Mauritians.”
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
