Mauritius: Who owns the rain on Rodrigues island?

With the inhabitants of the island of Rodrigues [pop. 40,000, a dependency of Mauritius, located 560 km east of Mauritius island] forced to purchase their water from the Rodrigues Water Company (RWC), Alain Leveque laments the commoditisation of the country’s natural resource. The privately-run yet government-owned RWC has installed water meters under a user-pay system without being obliged to consult the Rodriguan population. Leveque argues that not only does the RWC’s monopoly inhibit innovation and threaten price hikes, it also indicates a trend towards privatisation in direct opposition to locals’ rights and representation.

Read more: Pambazuka News, 11 June 2009