The Dodo Philatelic Society

Are you interested in Mauritian philately too?
Join the Dodo Philatelic Society (DPS) then!

Founded on 21 December 2012, the DPS is a fully-registered association run by keen Mauritian philatelists which meets on the last Saturday of each month at the Postal Museum, Port Louis at 1 p.m.

The next meeting is scheduled on 26 September next.

The aim of the DPS is to promote the passion of stamp collecting and the study of Mauritian postal history and the evolution of our postal system.

Membership is open to both locals and foreigners; you must only be at least 14 years old.
Minors' memberships have to be endorsed by a responsible party.

Fees

Entry fee: Rs50
Yearly subscription fee* for locals: Rs240
Yearly subscription fee for foreigners: Rs500

*Subscription fee includes postage for agendas.

The membership application form can be downloaded from the following link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6-FUeTrT9eBcVFMLWR0UmxkaFE/view?usp=sharing


All correspondence must be addressed to:

The Secretary
Dodo Philatelic Society
P.O. Box 593
Port Louis 11307
Mauritius

Email: dodophilatelicsociety@gmail.com

The UN International Meeting for the Sustainable Development of SIDS Mauritius 2005

The Mauritius Post released on 10 January 2005 a Special Commemorative Cover to mark the United Nations International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States held in Mauritius from 10-14 January 2005.

Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and islands supporting small communities have been considered 'a special case both for environment and development.' The first Global Conference on Sustainable Development of SIDS in Barbados in 1994 adopted the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA). This has been an important blueprint for the sustainable development of SIDS recognising the uniqueness of small islands, their vulnerability and specificity.

The World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 further reasserted the special challenges of SIDS and the relevance of the 'special needs' was again stressed in the Millenium Development Goals. One of the recommendations of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation was that a 'full and comprehensive review of the implementation of the BPoA for the sustainable development of SIDS takes place in 2004.

All SIDS are characterised by inescapable limitations: small domestic markets, isolation, narrow resource base and dependence on external trade. Mauritius has overcome many of these obstacles, but the advantages on which it has built its economic and social progress now constitute threats to its future prosperity. Its development has affected the natural environmental resources on which its future depends.

N.B.: The above text is from the SCC insert.

Milestones for meetings on sustainable development relevant to SIDS:

http://www.sidsnet.org/milestones-timelines

The SIDS Network (SIDSnet) website:

http://www.sidsnet.org/

Technical Details:

Release date: 10 January 2005

Stamps:

 Re1 - Red Coral Cod/ Vielle (Cephalopholis sonnerati)

 Rs4 - Blue Mauritius Angelfish/ Ange (Centropyge debelius)

 Rs5 - Mauritian Anemonefish/ Débouetteur (Amphiprion chrysogaster)

 From the 'Fishes of Mauritius' definitive issue of 9 October 2000.

Centenary of the Faculty of Agriculture (1914-2014)

The Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Mauritius in collaboration with the Mauritius Post released on 13 October 2014 a Special Commemorative Cover to mark its centenary.

Founded in 1914, the Faculty was then known as the 'School of Agriculture'.

In 1925, the School was renamed 'College of Agriculture' until 1968 when the name of the College changed back to 'School of Agriculture'.

In 1993, the last change in name occurred when the School of Agriculture became the 'Faculty of Agriculture'.

The Faculty is located on the campus of the University of Mauritius in Réduit.

The website of the Faculty of Agriculture: http://www.uom.ac.mu/FOA/


Technical Details

Release date: 13 October 2014

Stamp: Rs10 - The Richly-Blooming Oeoniella (Oeoniella polystachys)

            From the 'Fauna and Flora' issue of 30 August 2013.

175th & 180th Anniversaries of the Royal Society of Arts & Sciences of Mauritius

The Royal Society of Arts and Sciences of Mauritius in collaboration with the Mauritius Post released two Special Commemorative Covers (SCC) on 24 August 2004 and 11 October 2014 to mark their 175th and 180th anniversaries respectively.

In August 1829, Charles Telfair and Julien Desjardins (their portraits are represented on the 175th anniversary SCC) founded the 'Société d'Histoire Naturelle' (Natural History Society), later the "Arts and Sciences Society of Mauritius" which was to become a forum where all inhabitants of Mauritius interested in arts and sciences could express themselves.

It was the first learned society to be formed in this part of the world and soon attracted the intelligentsia from the island. In 1847, Queen Victoria gave her assent to add the word "Royal" to the name of the society in recognition for its work known since then as "The Royal Society of Arts and Sciences of Mauritius".

Thus, many of the prestigious scientific men and lovers of arts in this country have honoured the Society by joining as members, and have contributed to its advancement and to that of the country. The list of these benefactors is inscribed on the Liénard obelisk at Pamplemousses Garden, to acknowledge their contribution to the advancement of sciences, arts and the conservation of our environmental heritage.

During the 19th century, the Society played an important role in the development of the country. It was instrumental in the creation of the Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture, the Agronomic Research Station, the Herbaeum and the Mauritius Institute. Its participation in international exhibitions has also contributed to the fame of Mauritian sugars. National exhibitions were also organised to promote arts, agriculture and innovations.

The tenacity of the members has helped to convince the nation of the importance of ecological preservation of our island. For instance, as early as the 19th century, the Society persuaded the international scientific community to back its efforts to induce the Mauritian government to start the captive farming of the Aldabra Giant Tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) in Mauritius and the Seychelles (the Seychelles were still administered by Mauritius at that time) to preserve it from extinction.

The society was also active in the first efforts to preserve the fauna and flora of Round Island. In the 20th century, with the help of the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI), it was able to establish the Mondrain, the first private nature reserve of the country and undertake an ecological restoration programme recognised worldwide.

All the work of the Society's members have been published, since 1829 in Transactions, and now in the Proceedings which present a wide range of scientific and artistic articles of utmost importance for our country. The Society inherited 20,000 manuscripts which the late Leon Doyen was hoping to use for his History of Mauritius. A soft copy of those documents has been published recently, on sale at Rs300.

The archives of the Society contain paintings, correspondence, some books and scientific reports, a number of which dating since the end of the 18th century. For conservation purposes, they are kept at the Blue Penny Museum.

The Society was first housed at the Royal College, Port Louis, then as from the 1880's at the Mauritius Institute, still in Port Louis. In 1958, it moved to the MSIRI, Réduit which is today under the aegis of the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority.

Over time, the objectives of the Society have remained the same, and if the members through the generations have changed, the enthusiasm for the preservation of our ecology and appreciation of art is just as great. Regular conferences and outings to raise awareness on conservation and art are regularly organised.

N.B.: The above text is adapted from the 180th anniversary SCC insert.

Technical Details:

175th Anniversary SCC
Release date: 24 August 2004
Stamp:
  Re1 - Trochetia boutoniana (Boucle d'Oreille), the national flower of Mauritius since 1992.
  From the 'Trochetias' issue of 18 June 2003,

This SCC was hand stamped at Moka Post Office.

180th Anniversary SCC
Release date: 11 October 2014
Stamps:
 - Rs9 - Bel Ombre mansion (Charles Telfair owned and worked on this sugar estate)
   From the 'Site & Monuments' issue of 18 April 2013.

 - Rs14 - Rodrigues Fruit Bat (a.k.a. Golden Fruit Bat, Roussette de Rodrigues, Pteropus rodricensis)
   From the 'Fauna & Flora' issue of 28 March 2014.

 - Rs3 - Hurricane Palm (Hyophorbe amauricalis, only one surviving specimen is known, in Curepipe Botanic Garden)
   From the 'Fauna & Flora' issue of 30 August 2013.

The coloured lithograph on the SCC comes from 'La Description de l'Univers' (The Description of the Universe) by Allain Manesson and published in 1683. It represents the first activities on Mauritius by the Dutch in 1598 and the native flora and fauna on the island at the time.

This SCC was hand stamped at Baie du Cap Post Office and officially launched on 11 October during a reception held at the Place du Moulin in the Bel Ombre mansion. The guest star was Dr. Julian Hume from the National Museum, London. Dr. Hume participated in the excavations works in Mare aux Songes to find remains of the Dodo (Raphus cucullatus). Some of his paintings were also reproduced on the 'Extinct Mauritian Giant Tortoises' issue of 16 July 2009 (four stamps and one miniature sheet).

25th Anniversary of the Maritime Air Squadron (1990-2015)

The Maritime Air Squadron (MAS) in collaboration with the Mauritius Post released on 17 July 2015 a Special Commemorative Cover to mark their 25th anniversary.

The MAS is the air wing of the National Coast Guard (NCG - the maritime wing of the Mauritius Police Force). In keeping up with the strategic objectives set by the NCG Headquarters, the Dornier and the Defender aircrafts have accomplished all assigned missions with flying colours in the past twenty five years. The Silver Jubilee also marks twenty-five years of accident-free flying for the squadron.

This success of the squadron amply demonstrates the unflinching commitment and dedication of Team MAS in keeping the aircrafts airworthy and ready for all operations, in every manner and at all times. The MAS is committed to assisting the National Coast Guard to provide maritime safety and security to the nation 24/7 and 365 days a year, living up to the motto: 'Vigilare et Protegere' (Latin for 'Guard and Protect)

The crest of the MAS represents the endemic Mauritius kestrel (Falco punctatus) with a map of Mauritius in the background and their motto in the bottom portion.

Role of the MAS:

1. Surveillance cover over the vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Mauritius

2. Coastal surveillance

3. Anti-piracy patrol

4. Support for outer islands of Mauritius, namely: Agaléga, Rodrigues and Saint     Brandon, including casualty evacuation.

5. SAR operations

6. Pollution control

7. Air-drop of stores

8. Para-drop activities

9. Joint patrol with friendly nations such as France (Réunion), Madagascar and India

Mission Statement:

Surveillance & law enforcement: to enforce maritime laws of Mauritius by airborne surveillabce of coastal waters and the EEZ.

Anti-piracy: act as deterrence for pirates in the Mauritian EEZ.

Search & rescue: to protect life and property at sea.

Humanitarian assistance: to provide humanitarian assistance to citizens living in the outer islands of Mauritius by carrying out casualty evacuations and logistics support.

Pollution response: to respond to maritime pollution within the EEZ.

Operational environment: to maintain high order of flight safety at the squadron.

History:

- The MAS was commissioned on 17 July 1990 by Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo, the then Governor General of Mauritius.

- The first aircraft of the MAS, a Dornier-228, was acquired in 1990 from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., India.

- The squadron acquired a second aircraft, Defender (BN-2T), from Britten Norman, UK in 1992.

- In 2004, the squadron acquired a second Dornier-228 aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., India. The MAS currently operates only those three fixed-wing aircrafts.

- In 2008, the MAS received the ISO 9001:2008 accreditation from the Mauritius Standards Bureau.

Dornier-228

Speed: 180 kts

Endurance: 6 hours

Range: 700 nm

Crew: 2 pilots and 1 observer

Defender (BN-2T)

Speed: 115 kts

Endurance: 4.5 hours

Range: 450 nm

Crew: 2 pilots and 1 observer

N.B.: The above text is adapted from the insert.

This Special Commemorative Cover was a private issue.

Technical details:

Release date: 17 July 2015

Stamp: Rs7 - Dragonfly 

            From the 'Fauna & Flora' issue of 28 March 2014

Courtesy: National Coast Guard Headquarters, Les Salines, Port Louis

          Maritime Air Squadron, New Police Hangar, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Plaisance

MAS Contact details:

Telephone No.: (+230) 637 3003, (+230) 637 3040, (+230) 637 3379

Fax No.: (+230) 637 3905

Email: ccnmas.mpf@govmu.org

The Green Turtle Omnibus Issue

La Poste, the Mauritius Post, La Poste Comores, the Seychelles Postal Services, Paositra Malagasy and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) jointly issued on 9 October 2014 an omnibus stamp on the Green Turtle. It is the first ever joint issue between countries of the south west Indian Ocean and was branded as a France - Indian Ocean joint issue.

The green turtle (Chelonia mydas, Tortue verte or Tortue franche in French) is found in the tropical marine waters of the south west Indian Ocean which shelter important nesting and feeding sites for this protected species.

The green turtle is a great migrant that can weigh over two hundred kilograms and measure over a metre long. Fully grown, it is essentially herbivorous and reproduces on the beaches of tropical islands of the Indian Ocean as well as on Malagasy shores and on East African coasts.

The green turtle is undergoing several study and conservation programmes in the countries of the region.

The Mauritian FDC

'Marine turtles of the Indian Ocean: a common heritage to protect.'

The six stamps were officially launched at the head office of the TAAF in Saint-Leu, Réunion, where the 6e Rencontres Philatéliques de l'Océan Indien (6th Indian Ocean Philatelic Meetings, 9-11 October 2014) were being held.

Unofficial FDC hand stamped at the Philatelic Bureau, Port Louis
and featuring the World Post Day 2014 Special Cachet.

The Indian Ocean Philatelic Meetings, RPOI, are organised by the Association Philatélique de l'Océan Indien, APOI (Indian Ocean Philatelic Association, based in Réunion, founded in 1958) and held on a almost-yearly basis.

Alternative links in French to blogs of the APOI:

- http://apoi.over-blog.com/

- http://philateliereunion.blogspot.com/ (last updated in June 2011)

Mauritius last hosted the RPOI, the 4th, in 2012 (6-9 September, Cybercity Tower 1, Ebène), in the context of the 240 years of postal services in Mauritius.

Note that Réunion actually represents France
and that the French stamp was released in mainland France too.

In Mauritius the official launching was done at the new Trianon Post Office.

Technical details:

Release date: 9 October 2014

Stamp denomination, country and print run: 

 0,98 € - France - 1,000,000

 1500 Ar - Madagascar - 100,000 

 150 Kmf - Comoros - 11,000

 R 50 - Seychelles - 100,000

 1,05 € - TAAF - 1,000

 Rs14 - Mauritius - missing figure
(Source for print runs: http://apoi.over-blog.com/actions-realisees.html)
Designer: Claude Perchat

Size:  40.85 x 30 mm

Printer: Phil@poste, France

Process: Offset

Number per sheet: 42 stamps

Stamp sheet format: 240 x 286 mm

Watermark: None

The presentation pack, issued by La Poste:

Illustrations by A. d'Aunay
Graphic conception by S. Ghinéa

The stamps on covers:

From France:

Special thanks to Eric for sending me this very nice cover from the 68e Salon Philatélique d'Automne (68th Autumn Philatelic Exhibition, Paris, 6-9 November 2014) and signed by Claude Perchat, the designer of these stamps.

From Tromelin, TAAF:

This cover too is from Eric. Besides being a nesting site for green turtles and boobies, the island of Tromelin is also an occasional amateur radio station. 2014 marked 60 years since the first amateur radio signal was sent from there; more information about the miniature sheet affixed on this cover and cancelled on the first day of issue (6 November 2014) on Eric's always-interesting blog: http://timbredujura.blogspot.com/2015/02/60-years-of-amateur-radio-liaisons-from.html

Illustrated link to the Tromelin 2014 FT4TA Expedition: http://www.tromelin2014.com/en/

Special cachet hand stamped at the back of the cover
depicting from left to right a booby, Tromelin and a marine turtle.

A vaguemestre in French is a military in charge of the delivery of mail.

From Mauritius:

The following cover was sent from Port Louis Centre Post Office on 16 October 2014.

The Green Turtle on Coat of Arms

British Indian Ocean Territory

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_the_British_Indian_Ocean_Territory

Inauguration of Solferino Post Office

The Posts and Telegraphs Department of Mauritius released on 14 August 1990 a Special Cover to mark the inauguration of a new Post Office in Solferino, a locality in the city of Vacoas-Phoenix.

According to the 25th Anniversary of the Mauritius Philatelic Society Souvenir Magazine (2015: 103), a Post Office was first opened in Solferino on January 13, 1970. It was then closed in 1974.

On 14 August 1990, a new Post Office was inaugurated; it is still in service today.

Technical Details:

Release date: 28 June 1990

Stamps:
40c - Sir Aneerood Jugnauth at desk
          From the '60th Anniversary of Prime Minister Sir Aneerood Jugnauth' issue of 29 March 1990

Rs1.50 - Indian immigration, 1835 
               From the 'History of Mauritius' Definitive of 12 March 1978

Rs3 – Places D’Armes, c. 1880 
          8 February 1989 reprint of the 'History of Mauritius Definitive' of 12 March 1978

Unregistered priority mail sent from Solferino Post Office on December 1, 2014

Registered commercial mail sent from Solferino Post Office on 14 February 2013.

Five Post Offices curently service Vacoas-Phoenix: Vacoas, Phoenix, Solferino, Mesnil and Glen Park.

Inauguration of D'Epinay Post Office

On 28 June 1990, the Posts and Telegraphs Department of Mauritius released a Special Cover to mark the inauguration of a new Post Office in D'Epinay, a village in the north west of the island.

According to the 25th Anniversary of the Mauritius Philatelic Society Souvenir Magazine (2015: 102), a Post Office was first opened in D'Epinay on December 1, 1951. It was then closed in 1954.

On 28 June 1990 though, a new Post Office was inaugurated; it is still in service today.

D'Epinay is named after Adrien D'Epinay (1794-1839), a French lawyer and politician born in Mauritius, then Isle de France.

Technical Details:

Release date: 28 June 1990

Stamps:
40c - Sir Aneerood Jugnauth at desk
          From the '60th Anniversary of Prime Minister Sir Aneerood Jugnauth' issue of 29 March 1990

60c - Pierre Poivre and the Nutmeg Tree (Muscadier)
         From the 'History of Mauritius' definitive issue of 12 March 1978

Rs4 - Fern Tree
         From the 'Protection of the Environment' definitive issue of 11 March 1989

First International Yoga Day

The Indian High Commission in Mauritius in collaboration with the Mauritius Post released on 21 June 2015 a Special Commemorative Cover to mark the first International Yoga Day.

On December 11, 2014, the 193 member United Nations General Assembly approved the proposal by consensus, with a record 177 countries co-sponsoring, a resolution to establish 21 June as 'International Yoga Day'.

Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice or discipline that originated in India. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his UN Address suggested the date of June 21 as it is the longest day of the year (Summer Solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance in many parts of the world.

From the perspective of yoga, the Summer Solstice marks the transition to Dakshinayana. The first full moon after Summer Solstice is known as Guru Poornima. Lord Shiva, the first yoga practitioner (Adi Yogi) is said to have begun imparting the knowledge of yoga to the rest of mankind on this day and became the first guru (Adi Guru). Dakshinayana is also considered a time when there is natural support for those pursuing spiritual practices. (Source: Wikipedia)

"Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being.

Yoga is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with ourselves, the world and nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us to deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day."

Extract from the speech of

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi

at the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly

27 September 2014

"Yoga with its ancient roots is today valued and practised the world over for its holistic approach to health and well-being. The living discipline of yoga has evolved over thousands of years and is known to bring harmony in all walks of life including disease prevention, health promotion and regulating lifestyle-related disorders.

I am indeed happy that the United Nations has declared 21 June as the International Day of Yoga and take satisfaction that the Mauritian youth is increasingly appreciating the core benefits of practising yoga.

Let us celebrate the first International Day of Yoga in such a way that its quintessential message finds universal resonance."

Sir Aneerood Jugnauth

Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius

18 May 2015

Technical Details:

Release date: 21 June 2015

Stamp: Rs50 - Hibiscus fragilis

            From the 'Indigenous Flowers of Mauritius' definitive set of 9 April 2009

New Postal Charges in Mauritius

New postal charges are effective in Mauritius since Saturday 1 August 2015.

Souvenir cover hand stamped at Grand Bay Post Office on 31 July 2015

Souvenir cover hand stamped at Port Louis Centre Post Office on 1 August 2015

Under this change in charges, posting an inland (including Rodrigues) priority unregistered letter of up to 20g now costs Rs10 instead of Rs7 previously.  Each additional 20g or fraction thereof still costs an extra Rupee (R1).

Inland registration fee has increased from Rs14 to Rs17, from Rs40 to Rs50 for foreign letters; advice of delivery (AR) fee from Rs14 to Rs17 for both inland and foreign letters; inland express fee from Rs20 to Rs22.

Souvenir cover registered at Grand Bay Post Office on 31 July 2015

Souvenir cover registered at Port Louis Centre Post Office on 1 August 2015

Fees for inland printed papers have changed from Rs6 for the first 50g and Rs4 for each additional 50g or fraction thereof to Rs8 for the first 50g and Rs2 for each additional 50g or fraction thereof. Thus, postage for a 30g newspaper will now be Rs8 instead of Rs6 previously while that for a 75g newspaper will remain at Rs10 (Rs8 + Rs2 now, Rs6  + Rs4 previously).

New weight scales are now in use for foreign letters: they will still be charged according to the first 5g and the first 10g for 1st Class letters and 2nd Class letters respectively, and then according to each additional 10g  and 20g or fraction thereof instead of each additional 5g  and 10g or fraction thereof previously for 1st Class letters and 2nd Class letters respectively.

The new charges hence only work in the interest of customers only if the weight of their letters falls into the second half of the additional 10g for 1st Class and 20g for 2nd Class letters.

For instance, one mailing a 1st Class letter weighing 4g to Europe (Zone 2) will now be charged Rs18 instead of Rs15. One mailing a letter to Europe weighing 10g will now pay Rs18 + Rs13 = Rs31 instead of Rs15 + Rs11 = Rs26 previously. However if the same letter weighs 15g and is still Europe-bound, postage will still cost Rs18 + Rs13 = Rs31 instead of Rs15 + Rs11 x 2 = Rs37 previously. The same principle (but not the charges!) applies to Zones 1 and 3 too.

Sending aerogrammes to anywhere in the world now costs Rs12 (Rs10 previously).

Withdrawal fee stays at Rs10 and mailing literature for the blind within Mauritius remains free of charge.

Only the Certificate of Posting fee has decreased, from Rs8 to Rs3 (for both foreign and local mail).

The last change in charges dates back to 8 July 2009 when the fee for inland priority unregistered letters of up to 20g increased from Rs5 to Rs7 and inland registration fee from Rs10 to Rs14.

Reasons put forward in 2015 by the Mauritius Post to account for an overall increase in charges are:

- constantly dwindling volume of physical mail

- increasing operational charges

- modernisation of the postal system and implementation of more sophisticated tools.

The new postal charges can be consulted on the following link:

http://www.mauritiuspost.mu/document/Tariff%202015.pdf

9th Indian Ocean Islands Games

The Mauritius Post released on 1 August 2015 a new Rs17 stamp to mark the opening of the 9th Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Réunion.

The Indian Ocean Islands Games (Jeux des îles de l'Océan Indien in French) is a regional multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from islands of the Indian Ocean.

The games were adopted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1976 and currently gather the islands of Mauritius, the Seychelles, the Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, Réunion, and the Maldives. Albeit both belonging to France, Mayotte and Réunion participate as two distinct islands under the French flag.

The number of athletes participating has increased over the years, from 1000 in 1979 to over 1500 in 2015.

The objectives of the IOIG are to:

- contribute to the development of sports in the region; and

- build friendship and promote mutual understanding among the populations of the islands of the Indian Ocean, in the spirit of Olympism.

Such Games enhance the sense of belonging to one's national flag. The IOIG are held in each country on a rotational basis and as per the level of sports infrastructures available in the country concerned.

This year's 9th edition is held in Réunion from 1st to 9th August - the football tournament started on 31 July. Mauritius (Club Maurice) will have a delegation comprising more than 400 athletes (including Paralympic ones), coaches, paramedical and officials.

The government of Mauritius through the Ministry of Youth and Sports invests heavily in the Sports Federation and has created Club Maurice to attract funds from the private and the public sectors companies to participate in the preparation of our elite athletes.

The 14 sports disciplines taking part in the 2015 IOIG for medals are:

- athletics (including handicapped

- badminton

- basketball

- boxing

- cycling

- football

- handball

- judo

- swimming (including handicapped)

- tennis

- table tennis

- volleyball

- weightlifting

- yachting

The postage stamp portrays the logo of the 9th Indian Ocean Islands Games.

The FDC illustrates the geographical locations of the participating islands in the Indian Ocean. It is sad to note that Rodrigues was left out of this map, knowing that Rodriguan athletes do participate in the IOIG, under the Mauritian flag, and that the first Mauritian Gold Medal at these 9th IOIG was won by a Rodriguan athlete, Antoinette Milazar in the half marathon (21.0975 km), establishing a new record as it is the first time that this discipline is featured in the IOIG.

The heading on the FDC is written in French and only the Comoros are written in French (Comores), the other islands are either in English (Mauritius, Réunion) or written the same in both French and English (Mayotte, Seychelles, Maldives & Madagascar) making it unclear whether they were intentionally written in either of those two languages. Of all the participating islands, only the Maldives are not historically linked to France.

Besides, the mascot of these 9th IOIG, Tibayoun, a hedgehog, is also featured on the FDC in pictograms performing the 14 sports disciplines. Tibayoun is the son of Bayoun, the mascot of the 5th IOIG and the lasts held in Réunion in 1998.

Tibayoun, the mascot of the 9th Indian Ocean Islands Games

Mauritius hosted the IOIG twice, in 1985 and in 2003; stamps were released on both occasions.

ALLEZ MAURICE!

Technical Details

Release date: 1 August 2015

Stamp denomination & illustration: 

 Rs17 - Logo of the 9th Indian Ocean Islands Games

Design: Graphic Department (The Mauritius Post Ltd.)

Size:  29.94 mm x 44.45 mm

Printer: BDT International Security Printing Ltd.

Process: Lithography

Number per sheet: 50 stamps set in two panes of 25

Perforation gauge: 14 × 2 cm

Watermark: w18 - CASCO
Courtesy:
  - Ministry of Youth and Sports
  - Mauritian Olympic Committee
  - Stamp Advisory Committee

3rd New Print of the Rs7 Bremeria landia Definitive Stamp

After September 2009 and March 2010, the Mauritius Post printed for the third time the Rs7 denomination of the 'Indigenous Flowers of Mauritius' definitive set issued on 9 April 2009. This new stamp was put on sale as from 9 June 2015.

Only 100,000 of the original April 2009 Rs7 stamp were printed and 1,000,000 for each of the first two new prints (Mauritius Philatelic Society 25th Anniversary 1989-2014 Souvenir Magazine, 2015, p.39).

The two printings of 2009 can be distinguished with the naked eye, the first being darker than the second.

However they can be easily confused and the 1:10 ratio of the first 2009 print to the 2009 reprint makes the first 2009 print very rare.

This third new print occured in a context of expected shortage of Rs7 (fee for inland priority unregistered letters of up to 20g) stamps since the last issue of a Rs7 stamp was the 'Dragonfly' stamp of the Fauna and Flora set of 28 March 2014.

The third new print with '2015' inscribed at the bottom

New postal charges effective as from 1 August 2015 - Rs10 instead of Rs7 for inland priority unregistered letters of up to 20g; Rs17 instead of Rs14 for inland registration - suggests that this 2015 new print will now be used in combination with other denominations to make up postage.

Priority unregistered mail sent from Port Louis Western (Bell Village) Post Office on 22 July 2015

Commercial mail registered at Moka Post Office on 14 July 2015

Commercial mail registered at Port Louis Centre Post Office on 23 July 2015