Probably not. That was part of the disorientation plot along with the 100+ measures presented in the last three budgets that produced little more than robust poverty and acute frustration. LBOI stands for Land-based Oceanic Industry. Now you remember, don't you?
I have to admit that when I heard Sithanen talk about this project for the first time almost three years ago on the radio I was completely mesmerised. Just imagine. He was promising air-conditioners running with cold deep sea water. I even remember dreaming about hordes of unemployed people donning their gear and proudly diving to Stella Maru to place those pipes or whatever you call them.
And to top it all, I was planning to write an article about LBOI to ask whether it would be technically feasible to also place pipes all the way to La Fournaise and Karthala volcanoes. Hey, hey! Air-con and almost free hot water: what more could you possibly ask from life? Three years after we're realising that LBOI was nothing but hot air. This definitely doesn't look good, given that summer seemed to have arrived quite early this year.
