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P HRI/CORE/1/Add.60     P page  3    (2$ !UKUS.,  TRX<6&X3' Letter 6&A43'T  33+B.++b >uQ!XB   ` 'UKUS.,  33+B.++b >uQ!XB  ! ++P++7!HRI/CORE/1/Add.60  page  3    (2$ !UKUS.,  TRX<6&X3' Letter 6&A43'T  33+B.++b >uQ!XB  (!2L$ !UKUS.,  TRX<6&X3' Letter 6&A43'T  33+B.++b >uQ!XB  3333+rX+Ҁ  0  /(!2N$ !UKUS.,  TRX<6&X3' Letter 6&A43'T  33+B.++b >uQ!XB  3333+rX+Ҁ  0  /#|d (t$UKUS.,  TRX<6&X3' Letter 6&A43'T  33+B.++b >uQ!XB dHP LaserJet 4P,,,,,,0!}. Jc.SHAREU !UKUS.,  TRX<6&X3' Letter 6&A43'T  33+B.++b >uQ!XB  _  R?+?'F dEF ??'QG dEQG ?_ ]MIz|_ p @X@E_X__* Y* UNITED R NATIONS  _OKz|2n ` @X@E?2nJ?2n ]MIz|   p @X@E       Y ! ??++7! E +?    Distr. !     GENERAL       _HRI_/CORE/1/Add.60       14July1995        Original:ENGLISH  i  mm X E.++b >uQ!??E@  COREDOCUMENTFORMINGPARTOFTHEREPORTSOFSTATESPARTIES  @0MAURITIUS  O$[2June1995]  1. b Mauritiusisanislandof720squaremilesfoundinthesouth-westofthe ` IndianOceanandwhichhasapopulationofabout1.2million.Theisland O obtaineditsindependencefromtheBritishin1968.HerMajestytheQueenof > GreatBritainwastheheadofStateuntil1992whenMauritiusadopteda - republicanstatus.ThereexistsaparliamentarydemocracyledbyaPrime n Minister,assistedbyaCouncilofMinistersconsistingof21ministers.The ]  headofStateisthePresidentwhoiselectedbyamajorityofallmembersof L  theAssemblyonamotionmadebythePrimeMinister. ;! 2. b TheStateofMauritiusholdsfairandfreenationalandlocalelections #  atregularintervals.Theseelectionsaresupervisedbyanindependent $ ! ElectoralCommission.TheNationalAssemblyconsistsof70membersofwhom62 $!" areelectedandtheremaining8areselectedfromamongthebestlosersatthe %"# electionsonacommunalandpartybasis. &#$ 3. b Theeconomyisbasedonlabourintensive,exportorientedmanufacturing (a%& (mainlytextiles),sugarandtourism.About85percentofagriculturalland )P&' isplantedwithsugarcane.Thelatesteconomicindicatorspointtoalow *?'( inflationrateof7.3percentandalowrateofunemploymentrepresenting +.() 1.6percentoftheworkingpopulation.Theeconomyachievedanannualgrowth o,)* ofabout5percentduring1994.Percapitaincomealmostdoubledoveraspan ^- *+ of6yearstoattainapproximatelyUS$3,500in1994. M.*,  +0,. _ԇGE.9517638(E)     R}B.++b >uQ!++7B4. b OntherecommendationoftheNationalRemunerationBoardtheGovernment F establishesminimumwageswhichvaryaccordingtothesectorofemploymentand 5 reviewsminimumwageseachyearbasedoninflation.Theactualincomefor $ mostworkersishigherthantherecommendedminimumwages,duetothepresent  shortageoflabour.Thestandardlegalnumberofworkinghoursisembodiedin   theconceptofthe40-hourweek.TheGovernmentsetshealthandsafety   standards,thefactoryinspectorsoftheMinistryofLabourensurethat   employerscomplywiththehealthandsafetyrequirements.Sanctionsofa   penalnatureareprovidedforbylawincasesofnon-compliancewiththesaid  x requirements.  g  5. b InthecontextofthepolicyofGovernmenttomaintainthewelfareState, E  freehealthservicesareavailabletothepopulation.Privateclinicsalso z4  existtocaterfortheneedsofthosewhochoosetopayfortheirtreatment. i#  Educationisfreeuptothetertiarylevelwhilstprimaryeducationis X  compulsorybylawforallchildren. G 6. b ThereisnoStatereligionandtheGovernmentdoesnotinterferewithor % restrictworshipbyanyreligiousdenomination.Freedomofreligionas  propoundedintheConstitutionisofspecialimportanceinviewofthesocial  fabricofMauritiansocietywhichcompriseselementsofallraces,cultures  andreligions.  7. b TheConstitutionofMauritius,awrittendocumentbequeathedtousbyan y Order-in-CounciloftheBritishGovernmentatthetimeofindependencein h 1968,restsontwofundamentaltenets:theruleoflawandthedoctrineof W theseparationofpowers.Itisprovidedundersection1oftheConstitution F thattheRepublicofMauritiusshallbea"sovereigndemocraticState";this {5 isclearlyinconsonancewiththefundamentalrightsandfreedomsguaranteed j$ underchapterIIoftheConstitutionwhichwaslargelycopiedfromthe Y  EuropeanConventiononHumanRights. H! 8. b TheConstitutionbeingthe"supremelawoftheland",itisthedutyof &#  theCourtnotonlytointerpretbutalsotoensureobediencetoits $! provisions.ItisuptotheSupremeCourttodeterminethevalidityofany %" statutewhichisallegedtobeunconstitutionalbecausenolawwhich % # contravenestheConstitutioncanbesufferedtosurvive. &!$ 9. b TheCourt'sprimaryconcerninanycasewhereacontraventionofthe (z#& Constitutionisproved,istoensurethatsuchcontraventionisredressedas )i$' convenientlyandexpeditiouslyaspossible. *X%( 10. b TheConstitutionitselfmakesprovisionundersection17forredressfor |,6'* anyindividualwhoserightshavebeencontravenedunderchapterII. k-%(+ Ї11. b Evenwherethelawmakesprovisionfordisciplinaryoffencestobedealt F withbycertaintribunalsorServiceCommissions(bybestowinguponthem 5 specialjurisdictiontothateffect),decisionstakenbysuchbodiesare $ ultimatelyreviewablebytheSupremeCourt.Mostoftheprovisionsofthe  InternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRightsarealreadycateredfor   bychapterIIoftheConstitution.   12. b Inadditiontoexistingprovisionsofnationallaw,theCovenantitself   maybereferredtoinMauritiancourts.TheprovisionsoftheCovenantareof  x apersuasivecharacterinviewofthefrequentpronouncementsofthecourts  g  emphasizingtheimportanceofrespectingandadheringtointernational V  obligationsenteredintobytheState.Itistobenoted,however,thatthe E  termsoftheCovenantassucharenotdirectlyenforceablebyourcourts. z4  13. b Inadditiontothenormalchannelsofcomplaintthroughthepolice X  authorities,citizensoftheRepublicofMauritiusmayhaverecoursetothe G officeoftheOmbudsmanand/ortheofficeoftheDirectorofPublic 6 Prosecutions.Section97oftheConstitutionprovidesasfollows: % 0 b  "...theOmbudsmanmayinvestigateanyactiontakenbyanyofficer  orauthoritytowhichthissectionappliesintheexerciseof  administrativefunctionsofthatofficerorauthority,inanycasein  whichamemberofthepublicclaimsorappearstotheOmbudsman,tohave  sustainedinjusticeinconsequenceofmaladministrationinconnection y withtheactionsotakenandinwhich:hb$b$ 0 b  "(a)acomplaintunderthissectionismade;Fb$b$ 0 b  "(b)heisinvitedtodosobyanyMinisterorothermemberofthe j$ Assembly;orY b$b$ 0 b  "(c)heconsidersitdesirabletodosoofhisownmotion."7"b$b$ 14. b MembersofthepublicmaywritedirectlytotheDirectorofPublic $! Prosecutionswheretheyarenotsatisfiedthatacaseisbeingdealtwith %" diligentlybythepolice.PowersarebestowedupontheDirectorofPublic % # Prosecutionsundersection64oftheDistrictandIntermediateCourts &!$ (CriminalJurisdiction)Acttorequestamagistratetoholdaninquiryinto '"% thecauseofdeathandcircumstancesconnectedtherewithwhenapersonhas (z#& diedinprisonorwhilstinpolicecustody.Theseinquiriesarenormallyheld )i$' inopencourtandallinterestedpartiesmaybeassistedbytheirlegal *X%( advisers.ThefindingsofthemagistratearethenreferredtotheDirectorof +G&) PublicProsecutionswhothendecidesonthecourseofactiontobetaken.It |,6'* istobenotedthattheDirectorofPublicProsecutionsisappointedbythe k-%(+ JudicialandLegalServiceCommission,anindependentbody,aspersection72 F oftheConstitution. 5 Judicialsystem  15. b ThejudicialsysteminMauritiusislargelyinspiredbytheBritish   traditionwhichpractisestheadversarialsystemoflitigation.Itconsists   oftheSupremeCourt,theIntermediateCourtandtheDistrictCourtswhichall   havejurisdictionincivilandcriminalmatters.TheSupremeCourthas  x unlimitedjurisdictiontohearanddetermineanycivilorcriminal  g  proceedings. V  16. b TheSupremeCourtistheprincipalcourtoforiginalcriminal z4  jurisdictionandholdssessionsforthedespatchofcriminalbusinesscalled i#  theAssizes.ThosecriminaltrialsbeforetheSupremeCourtareheldbeforea X  PresidingJudgeandajuryconsistingofninepersons,andrelatetovery G seriousoffencessuchasmurderandmanslaughter.Provisionisalsomadefor 6 theprosecutionofcertainoffences,includingoffencesundertheDangerous % DrugsAct,beforetheSupremeCourtwithoutajury.  17. b Inaddition,undersection82oftheConstitution,theSupremeCourthas  jurisdictiontosuperviseanycivilorcriminalproceedingsbeforeany  subordinatecourtandmakesuchordersasitconsidersnecessary.TheSupreme  Courtalsohasanappellatejurisdictionwherebyitcanreviewthedecisionof y oneofitsownjudgesaswellasthoseofsubordinatecourts. h 18. b Thedecisionsoftheappellatedivisionareinturnsubjecttoappealto F theJudicialCommitteeofthePrivyCouncilonmattersofgeneralpublic {5 importance.TheChiefJusticepresidesovertheSupremeCourtwiththe j$ assistanceofaseniorpuisnejudgeandsevenpuisnejudges. Y  19. b TheIntermediateCourtandDistrictCourtsarepresidedoverby 7" magistrates.Theydealwithmostcriminalmatterswhilethejurisdictionof &#  thesecourtsinrespectofcivilmattersissubjecttomonetarythresholds. $! 20. b Defendantshavetherighttoretainprivatecounseloftheirchoice. % # However,incertaincircumstanceswheretherearegenuinefinancial &!$ constraintsoralikelihoodofhisconstitutionalrightsbeinginfringed,a '"% partymaybegrantedlegalaiduponmakinganapplicationtothecourt. (z#& 21. b WehaveastrongandhealthyBarconsistingofbarristersassistedby *X%( attorneysandnotarieswhodomainlyconveyancingandformationofcompanies. +G&)  MostbarristersaretrainedinBritainandcalledtotheBaratoneofthe |,6'* InnsofCourtinLondonsinceitisonlysince1985thattherehasbeena F DepartmentofLawattheUniversityofMauritius. 5  @2