Functions / Services

Organisational Structure

The GIS is organised in two divisions:

​​​Information Services

The Information Services, headed by the Director, comprise five main divisions, namely Press & Publication, Publicity, Documentation and Audio-Visual, each providing distinct services and involving specific stakeholders.

​Administrative

The Administrative Division, headed by the Permanent Secretary, facilitates the running of the Information Services by dealing with administrative, personnel and financial matters.

Information Section

  • Covering the activities of Ministries/ Departments and issuing press releases on these activities as well as on government projects.
  • Managing the government portal and updating the contents according to the requirements and requests of ministries and departments.
  • Updating the news column of the government web portal.
  • Processing cabinet decisions for publicity, including translation in French for immediate release to the media.
  • Producing and updating fact sheets on Mauritius as well as publicity material such as brochures and posters on issues of public interest.
  • Monitoring the local and international press and constituting dossiers on issues of national interest.
  • Advising and assisting Ministries/Departments on publicity and public relations matters.
  • Maintaining close contacts with ministerial information units.
  • Managing press centres and accrediting journalists during international conferences/seminars held in Mauritius and assisting the local and foreign press in obtaining relevant documents.
  • Assisting local and foreign media persons on the occasion of official visits of VVIPs to Mauritius.
  • Attending to requests for information from the local and international media and from the public and updating texts on Mauritius appearing in certain international publications.
  • Acting as facilitator for foreign journalists on assignment in Mauritius.
  • Ad hoc publications

Audio-Visual Secti​on

  • Maintaining and managing audio visual services for the achievement of government activities;
  • Keeping close contacts with Ministerial Communication Units;
  • Providing visual publicity of the government to the Media;
  • Producing black and white, colour, digital and slide photography and ensuring their distribution to local and international Press and Magazines through multi media;
  • Providing public address – sound system for official functions, seminars and international conferences;
  • Providing technical advice on audio visual services in respect of press conferences banquets, state visits and other official functions;
  • organising and mounting photo exhibitions on request;
  • Producing souvenir albums to be handed over to VIPs and VVIPs;
  • Managing a digital laboratory to transfer, edit and record digital photographs, speeches, visuals on CDs and DVDs;
  • Managing an audio visual archive including a database for retrieval of audio visual materials;
  • Acting as official Photo Journalists during international conferences and during the visit of the Hon. Prime Minister abroad;
  • Providing digital photographs of Ambassadors, High Commissioners and other foreign dignitaries calling on H .E the President, the Hon. Prime Minister and the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation through e-mail or on CD’s.

Documentation Section

  • Acts as a support service for reference and documentation as well as for press clippings.
  • Provides assistance in Press Centres during international conferences and visits of Heads of State/eminent foreign dignitaries.
  • The Documentation Centre is open to other Ministries/ Departments and to member​s of the Public. It has a wide range of reference materials, including:
  • Debates of National Assembly
  • Government Gazettes
  • Official Reports
  • Acts & Regulations
  • Books and Magazines
  • Other publications of social, economic, political and cultural interests
  • Biographies of Ministers and Eminent Personalities
  • Clippings of Newspapers
  • Mauritiana Section
  • Bound copies of main local newspapers​

Press Section

  • Despatching of all communiqués, press releases, handouts, press notices, invitations to the Press and other publicity materials to MBC Radio and TV, private radio stations and the Press.
  • Keeping, classifying and binding of local newspapers.
  • Issuing/renewal and laminating of Press Reporters’ and Photographers’ passes for issue to members of the press.
  • Working as and when required in Press Centres during important international conferences and visits of Head of States/eminent foreign dignitaries, essentially to despatch to the media communiqués, speeches and other documents relevant to the events.​​