SEPTEMBER 2025 - Flipbook - Page 4
NEWS
Standard Chartered CEO Meets Prime Minister of Mauri琀椀us
On Tuesday 2 September 2025, Mr. Bill
Winters, CBE, Group Chief Execu琀椀ve of
Standard Chartered Bank, paid a courtesy
visit to Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra
Ramgoolam at the New Treasury Building
in Port Louis. During the mee琀椀ng, Mr.
Winters described his discussion with the
Prime Minister as very insigh琀昀ul. Prior to
this, he also met with the Governor of the
Bank of Mauri琀椀us and representa琀椀ves
from local 昀椀nancial ins琀椀tu琀椀ons.
strategic approach aligns closely with
Mauri琀椀us’ development goals.
Mr. Winters noted that the Prime Minister,
the Junior Minister of Finance and the
Governor of the Bank of Mauri琀椀us are
ac琀椀vely exploring how global shi昀琀s will
in昀氀uence Mauri琀椀us and how the country
can seize emerging opportuni琀椀es while
managing poten琀椀al risks.
Addressing climate 昀椀nance, he reiterated
Standard Chartered’s 昀椀rm commitment to
advancing sustainable 昀椀nancing solu琀椀ons,
which he sees as vital for both Mauri琀椀us
and the global economy’s future.
Mr. Winters has served as the Group Chief
Execu琀椀ve of Standard Chartered Bank
since June 2015. A former JP Morgan
execu琀椀ve and founder of the credit fund
Renshaw Bay, he leads a bank renowned
for its engagement with climate 昀椀nance.
He chairs the Net Zero Banking Alliance
and serves as a non-execu琀椀ve director for
Novar琀椀s Interna琀椀onal AG. Known for his
forward-thinking approach, Mr. Winters
con琀椀nues to play a signi昀椀cant role in
shaping sustainable finance initiatives
worldwide.
In his remarks a昀琀erward, Mr. Winters
praised Mauri琀椀us as a “fabulous place
with an open economy, a super highquality talent pool and a forward-looking
vision”. The conversa琀椀ons centered on
the shi昀琀ing landscape of global 昀椀nance
and trade, the challenges brought about
by interna琀椀onal trade tensions and the
opportuni琀椀es for Mauri琀椀us to enhance its
role on the interna琀椀onal stage.
He emphasized that Standard Chartered
has been operating in Mauritius for
over two decades, maintaining a strong
presence and promising growth prospects.
“We have very good business here and
will con琀椀nue to invest and expand”, he
affirmed, highlighting that the bank’s
Mauri琀椀us Fire Service Receives Modern Emergency Vehicles
On Wednesday 3 September 2025, the
Mauri琀椀us Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS)
officially received five First Response
Vehicles and one Rescue Van, acquired by
the Government at a combined value of
Rs 89.2 million. These modern vehicles,
equipped with ultra-high-pressure water
systems, hydraulic rescue tools and
compact designs for enhanced mobility,
are set to signi昀椀cantly boost 昀椀re昀椀gh琀椀ng
capabili琀椀es. They will help reduce water
consump琀椀on, minimize property damage
and improve emergency response,
especially in congested areas.
The handover ceremony took place at
the Triolet Fire Sta琀椀on, a琀琀ended by the
Minister of Local Government, Mr Ranjiv
Woochit; Junior Minister Mr Mohammad
Fawzi Allymun; Members of Parliament
Mr Kaviraj Rookny and Dr Sandeep
Prayag; Acting Chief Fire Officer Mr
Ashok Ramdhean; Chairperson of the
Pamplemousses District Council, Mr
Sanjay Totoo; and other dis琀椀nguished
guests.
In his address, Minister Woochit
highlighted that these vehicles, alongside
upcoming acquisi琀椀ons such as a 42-metre
Turn Table Ladder and aerial drones, will
greatly enhance response capabili琀椀es for
high-rise 昀椀res, road accidents and other
emergencies. He also announced plans for
addi琀椀onal equipment — including 昀氀oa琀椀ng
pumps, portable pumps, breathing gear
and protec琀椀ve clothing — funded under
the 2025/2026 budget, to be琀琀er prepare
firefighters for diverse emergency
scenarios.
Furthermore, the Minister revealed plans
for a new 昀椀re headquarters and sta琀椀on
in Quatre Bornes, estimated to cost
04
Rs 568.5 million. This state-of-the-art
facility will serve as a central command
centre, improving coordination and
operational planning across Mauritius
and Rodrigues. These developments
rea昀케rm the Government’s commitment
to modernizing 昀椀re昀椀gh琀椀ng services and
safeguarding communi琀椀es.
Ac琀椀ng Chief Fire O昀케cer Mr Ramdhean
emphasized that the new 昀氀eet marks
a significant milestone in enhancing
opera琀椀onal capacity. He explained that
the vehicles are 昀椀琀琀ed with advanced RFC
POLY compressed air foam systems and
modern rescue tools, enabling 昀椀re昀椀ghters
to respond more swi昀琀ly and e昀昀ec琀椀vely.
The RFC POLY system, he noted, is a
compact 昀椀re昀椀gh琀椀ng unit that combines
water, foam concentrate and compressed
air to produce powerful foam for rapid 昀椀re
suppression.
