Digitalised Work Access Permit system fully operational

This information was
communicated, this afternoon, during a press conference by the Deputy
Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr Krishna Jhugroo, held at the Police
Headquarters, Line Barracks, in Port Louis. 
This system, he emphasised, is viable and the Police will do its best to
deliver the permits at the earliest.

According to the DCP, people
who do have no internet access to submit their applications may do so through Citizens
Advice Bureaus (CAB) offices in alphabetical order. For applicants who do not
own a smartphone, their WAPs will be sent to CAB offices, and thereafter they will
be able to collect their permits.

The DCP recalled that since the
first curfew order was introduced on 23 March 2020, WAPs, in hard copies, were
delivered to people going to work.  A
total of 1 258 WAPs has been delivered to Ministries/Departments, and involved
around 57 000 persons.  For private
companies, 4 855 WAPs were delivered and involved 104 000.  These permits will be valid till 13 May 2020,
he said.

Moreover, he indicated that the
new digitalised system has been rolled out as from Friday 8 May 2020 for the
private sector companies who already had permits.  This system has been tested and those
companies received their QR codes.  Each employee
will receive a QR code under the system. 
The private sector, the DCP pointed out, will have to access besafemoris.mu
to submit applications.  The hard copies
which they currently have will be valid till 13 May 2020 and since digitalised
copies have been delivered as from Saturday, these will henceforth be used. 

Companies requesting WAPs will
have to submit to the Police a list of the names of employees, their ID and
telephone numbers.  All those employees who
have a smartphone will receive the QR code directly on their mobiles while
those who do not have a smartphone, their codes will be sent to their companies.  The company will then have to print the
document carrying the QR code and present same to those employees.

The DCP also shared that the
Police has received QR code readers from the Mauritius Telecom to carry out
necessary verifications.  In cases where an
individual or company has committed an offence their WAPs will be immediately
revoked, he emphasised. The WAP is
being delivered for the sole purpose of allowing the holder to travel from his
residence to his place of work and back, he indicated. Furthermore, he said,
that a person who contravenes any conditions attached to this permit shall
commit an offence and on conviction will be liable to sanctions.

Additionally, Mr Jhugroo
highlighted that some people employed in certain sectors are not required to
have WAPs and the same applies to individuals who have to go to hospitals,
pharmacies and supermarkets.  Those employees
who are exempted include judges, magistrates, Members of Parliament, lawyers,
medical practitioners and pharmacists.

Speaking about curfew
orders, he stated that the urfew order introduced on 4 May 2020 as from 20
hours will end on 1^st June 2020 at 20 hours.  He pointed out that all trading premises will
be closed except for food and gas distributors, hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience
stores, shops which are allowed to open from Monday to Saturday. 

As regards opening hours of
certain trades, the DCP observed that from 5 May 2020 till 1^st June
2020, shops and supermarkets can operate from 09 00 hours to 20 00 hours.  If these trades breach the opening hours rule,
the Police will be able to stop their operations.  Poultry, meat and fish shops will open as
from 14 May 2020 but will remain closed on Sundays.  As from 14 May 2020 till 1^st June,
citizens will be allowed to buy their bread at bakeries according to the
alphabetical order rule.  Banks will, from
14 May to 1^st June 2020, operate on normal working hours and according
to the alphabetical order rule.

Hair dressing saloons and
hardware stores will open as from 14 May 2020 and will remain closed on
Sundays.  Restaurants, cafés, and fast
foods will be allowed to take orders for take-aways and home deliveries only.

The DCP shared that medical facilities,
petrol stations, hotels, port and airport and related businesses, security
services, cleaning and scavenging services, animal breeding and agricultural
activities and agrochemical retail outlets and agricultural inputs will be able to operate.  Self-employed and individuals will be able to
work as from 14 May 2020.

#ResOuL

akaz    
#BeSafeMoris

Government Information Service, Prime
Minister’s Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius.
Email: gis@govmu.org  Website: http://gis.govmu.org  Mobile App: Search Gov