Mauritius Government Moves to Legalise Squatters in Ti-Rodrigues
Cabinet has approved steps to regularise unlawful occupants on private land at La Cure in Ti-Rodrigues, with the Housing Ministry leading the process.
The Mauritian Cabinet approved on Friday the launch of a formal process to regularise the situation of squatters living on private land in La Cure, a locality within the Ti-Rodrigues district of Rodrigues Island.
The decision was taken during the weekly Council of Ministers meeting and falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing and Lands, which will work in collaboration with other relevant government bodies to carry out the process.
Ti-Rodrigues is a district on Rodrigues, the autonomous island that forms part of the Republic of Mauritius, located roughly 560 kilometres to the northeast of the main island. Rodrigues has its own elected Regional Assembly and enjoys a degree of administrative autonomy, though key ministries including Housing and Lands remain under the authority of the central government in Port Louis.
Squatting on private land is a long-standing issue in both Mauritius and Rodrigues, where some families have lived on plots they do not legally own for generations. Regularisation typically involves the state negotiating with landowners and granting occupants a legal tenure, such as a lease or title deed, so they are no longer considered unlawful occupants.
The government has not yet released a detailed timeline or the number of households affected by this specific initiative at La Cure. Further details are expected as the Ministry of Housing and Lands advances its consultations with other agencies and the landowners concerned.
What this means: For the families currently living on private land in La Cure without legal title, this Cabinet decision is a significant first step toward securing their right to remain in their homes. It does not immediately grant them legal status, but it opens an official process that could eventually lead to formal tenure. For landowners, it signals that the government intends to engage with them through proper channels rather than allow the situation to continue unresolved. For observers of housing policy in Mauritius and Rodrigues, it reflects a broader recognition that informal settlements require structured, negotiated solutions rather than evictions.
Source: Le Defi Media
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to regularise squatters in Mauritius?β
Regularisation is the official process by which the government works with landowners and unlawful occupants to grant residents a legal form of tenure, such as a lease or title deed, over the land they currently occupy without legal right. In Mauritius, the Ministry of Housing and Lands oversees such processes, which can involve compensation to landowners and administrative surveys to identify eligible households.
Where is Ti-Rodrigues and La Cure?β
Ti-Rodrigues is a district on Rodrigues Island, an autonomous island of the Republic of Mauritius located about 560 kilometres northeast of the main island. La Cure is a locality within that district. Rodrigues has its own Regional Assembly but remains under the jurisdiction of central government ministries for matters such as housing and land.
How common is squatting on private land in Rodrigues and Mauritius?β
Squatting on private land is a recognised social issue across the Republic of Mauritius, including Rodrigues, where some families have occupied land without legal title for multiple generations. The government has periodically launched regularisation programmes to address these situations, but each case depends on negotiations between the state, occupants and the private landowners involved.
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