The murder of Michaela McAreavey, an Irishwoman on honeymoon in Mauritius, has raised serious concerns about tourist safety and has led to renewed calls for the return of capital punishment. Mrs McAreavey was strangled in her hotel room at the luxury Legends hotel, part of the Naïade group, on January 10th. She is believed to have returned to her room and disturbed two hotel employees who had used the hotel's master key to enter the room to steal valuables. The floor manager and a room attendant have been accused of murder and a further room attendant has been charged with conspiracy to murder. Two other hotel security staff have also been arrested.

That the murder was allegedly carried out by employees of one of Mauritius's premier hotel groups has sent shock waves through the island. Mrs McAreavey was the daughter of a well-known Gaelic football manager in Northern Ireland, and her murder has attracted worldwide headlines. In the past Mauritius has prided itself on the safety of its foreign visitors, which has been one of its major attractions as a tourist destination. The minister of foreign affairs, Arvin Boolell, sent the government's formal condolences to the family. The minister of tourism, leisure and external communication, Nando Bodha, immediately convened a meeting of hoteliers to review security and launched a damage-control exercise through the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority.

Mr Ramgoolam issued a forthright condemnation of the perpetrators. He is believed to favour the return of capital punishment and reportedly told the council of ministers that this incident reinforces the urgency of introducing a law to this effect as soon as possible. The issue of capital punishment will divide the government and society in general. The president, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, is a known supporter but the vice-prime minister and leader of the Parti mauricien social-démocrate, Xavier-Luc Duval, is a passionate opponent of capital punishment and could take his party out of the coalition government over the issue.