History

The State Land Development Company Ltd. (SLDC) was set up as a Public Company under very special circumstances. At the onset, when the Illovo deal was under way, it was the Government of Mauritius together with BBHM who acquired the land from of Mon Tresor Mon Desert Ltd. Following which, the 10,035 Arpents, purchased through the deal were transferred as follows: 7000 Arpents to Sugar Investment Trust (SIT) and 3035 Arpents (1281 ha) to Business Park Of Mauritius Ltd. (BPML) in February 2001. The deal also included some 600 Arpents of land purchased at nominal price at specific locations mainly for the construction of the cybercity and business parks and for the extension of the Airport of Mauritius. Given the nature and objects of the BPML, i.e. specially set up for the construction, management and operation of the Cybercity and business parks, Government decided that the BPML would only be a temporary warehouser of the 3035 Arpents purchased by Government of Mauritius. Having considered the strategic location of the 3035 Arpents of land within the factory of ex-Highlands sugar mill, and also because of the land was transferred as a going concern with its major activity being cane growing, the Government decided to set up a new Public Company with Development Bank of Mauritius as Share holder to take over the operations, management and development of the land. The SLDC was therefore incorporated on the 29th October 2001 as a Public Company.

Listed as a specified entity under schedule 4 of the Sugar Industry Efficiency Act 2001 (Laws of Mauritius), enables the SLDC to acquire or receive or sell land with the benefits enjoyed by listed companies under the SIE Act 2001 (Laws of Mauritius) and by virtue of the Mauritius Sugar Authority Act no. 45 (amended) 2002 (Laws of Mauritius).

This special status of the company permits the SLDC to shoulder additional responsibilities on behalf of the shareholders. This explains the transfer of some 378 Arpents of land belonging formerly to the Sugar Planters Cane Nursery (SPCN) a subsidiary of the Sugar Industry Development Fund (SIDF) which was operating under the aegis of the Mauritius Sugar Authority after the SIDF was repealed in 1994. The purpose of this transfer was to facilitate the development of the locality by setting up Industrial, Commercial and Residential zones whilst keeping part of the 378 Arpents under sugar cane as it used to be.