This is how democracy works !

(Facebook 15 Dec 2019)

The Conservatives secured a sweeping victory, winning in 365 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons - the party’s largest majority since under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. Labour fell to its lowest number of MPs in 84 years

Our intellos on the Environment ?

(Facebook 13 Dec 2019)

Why is there a lack of commitment of our intellectuals to the environment. They always manage to stay vague about it. They acknowledge that Mauritius is at a crucial crossroads as regards its economic model and spatial planning. Are they demanding a rethink of the philosophy that has fuelled the development that the country has experienced in recent years. ? Are they questioning the present environment policies ?

A Resurgence of Identity Politics

(Published in l'express of 29 Nov 2019)

Fifty years after independence, Mauritius demonstrates an undeniable success in forging a pluralistic nation, where multiple ethnic and religious groups co-existed peacefully and shared the fruits of economic progress. However, serious fissures do become apparent on occasion, and the last general elections have once more displayed sharpened communal and other socio-political cleavages. 

Political Caricatures; The Squatters Resort Scheme; Doubtful contracts: IRP takes to task two ministries;...

Political Caricatures:National Assembly: Arvin Boolell, Leader of the Opposition; Reimbursement for BAI victims?;Alan Ganoo refutes allegations of electoral bribe'..

Verdict of the polls: Identity Politics reinforced !

If we are really wiser after the event, the denouement could not have been otherwise and we should have seen it coming. In recent years Mauritius has been witness to the assertion of different communities especially in some distinct well-defined regions populated mainly by one community. Displaying sharpened ethnic and communal and other socio-political cleavages, identity politics has become increasingly significant in the emerging political landscape.

Political Caricatures: Voters are likely to sanction turncoats; Is that development: Metro Express, Safe City, C. d’Or Sports Complex… ?; The last manoeuvres of a loser

Political Caricatures:Three non-credible potential Finance Ministers;Religious leaders and leaders of socio-cultural groups should learn to shut up;..

Political Caricatures:The Undecided Voters; Legislative 2019: Lalit wants fair treatment from the media

How far are they convincing?

(Published in MTimes 25 October 2019)

If the fact that more than 50% of voters are undecided is valid, then the forthcoming polls could deliver a surprise - as many people are predicting. What are the voters looking for? What are their expectations? As the main contending parties have gone through lots of ideological swerves, there is not much that differentiates one from the other. The closer one looks the murkier things seem to be, and voters may ultimately choose to focus on such big picture issues like the management of the economy.

Political Caricatures:Electoral bribery;ReA: 20 candidates, one per constituency; “Serenitygate”: Is this the nth scandal of this government?...

Political Caricatures: Abuse of government apparatus? Land Court promise by the LP; Cote d’Or Smart City: Allegations of favouritism/cronyism

The Real Politics "de Rupture" !

(Published in MTimes 11 October 2019)

The Real Estate Schemes (RES) that was started by the MSM-MMM government and accelerated during the Mansoor-Sithanen years have led to much construction activity, and increasingly high levels of foreign direct investments.

Wooing the voters: Desperate Acts !

(Published in MTimes 04 10 2019)

 The MSM-ML government  had it all set. With the 2019-20 elections in mind they had a well-crafted list of programmes, projects, activities, slogans, events and some “tour de force”  that they expected would find traction among the voters. Very soon that they had realised of their inability to present voters with a palatable alternative,  why not woo them with opportunistic politics and poll lollipops and not use some populist measures to sway them and cash in on whatever disenchantment, however small, they may have ?

Political Caricatures: Shooting from the hip, Growth forecast for 2019, the Children Bill, Change happens ...,Employees of the sugar industry , Quote:PRB

Political Caricatures:The Children’s Bill;Be part of Global Climate Strike: a voice can change the world!;Metro Express: Enjoy the ride!The Combined Cycle Gas Turbine stalled againThe opposition rallies to the support of small cane planters ;Suspected fraudulent practices at Mare Chicose Landfill

Political Caricatures:Ageing issues: Taking care of the elderly;National Drug Control Master Plan: some readjustments needed;Metro Express: The chaos continues....

The Financial Services Sector Still Under Siege

(Published in MTimes 13 Sept 2019)

Sudhir Sesungkur, the Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance attended the 19th meeting of the Eastern and Southern African Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) Council of Ministers, which took place from 4 to 6 September in Eswatini, the former kingdom of Swaziland.The minister said he was very pleased with the outcome.

Political Caricatures:Pravind Jugnauth playing fast and loose on the poll date; A Water observatory in Mauritius and Rodrigues; The Police state? .....

Political Caricatures: Education tertiaire gratis’: conning people !!!;“ Insane News”: The gutter press of the regime;NSS agents monitored by drones;.....

Putting the record straight: Minimum wage, free tertiary education, pension increase and the Workers Rights Bill

(Published in MTimes 30 08 2019)

There has been recently lots of chest-thumping by government on its so-called pro-poor, pro-worker measures. Let us examine how much of the rhetoric is matched by facts.

A Journey Derailed

(Published MTimes 30 08 2019)

The bottom line in 2014 was that people wanted change. The people wanted a new future that would embrace transformation and reorientation to keep pace with their changing sentiments, aspirations, needs, and preferences. The old order had to give way to the new.

Political Caricatures: Safe City project: Apprehensions persist!;MBC-TV : the government’s lapdog;...

Some facets of our democracy

(Published in MTimes 23 August 2019)

 The phases of the campaign: The political campaign is gathering steam. It will start by the high pitch, high level discourses and narratives giving a first impression of a mature democracy with a rich historical tradition of debates and discussions.

The pro-Worker Show !!!

(Published in Mtimes 16 August 2019)

 The 2019-20 Budget with its panoply of feel-good policies and give-ways to one and all, which they had expected to sail them victoriously through the forthcoming elections, turned out to be a damp squid. Moreover, there were no big policy reform signals in the Budget to jumpstart the flailing sectors, no concrete measures to revive the faltering economy and usher in a higher growth momentum. 

Political Caricatures:The Leader of the Labour Party takes up the challenge of the PM; ...School Violence – Prevention Strategy

Titbits : The School of the Future ; Some insights from the Education Renaissance in Rajasthan

(Posted in MTimes 09 August 2019)

 The school as it is now won’t be around in the next 5-10 years with the pace at which digital technology, robots and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are all working to enhance human life and our day to day experiences. The school of the future will no more be a building with students sitting for hours at a desk and the teacher standing at the front. No, it will be more of a virtual classroom operating seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Political Caricatures: Air Mauritius: The chronicle of a programmed debacle;Relocation of street vendors in Port Louis: A mess; Lokal is not always beautiful; MMM’s Commission of Education; Chagos, what next?; National Insurance Company:colourable accounting !

Political Caricatures: The civil service at the politicians’ beck and call!, Kudos to athletes, Air Mts, Gender Gaps, garden drom, Solid waste management,Global innovation,Workers rights bill.

MAURITIUS: A TAX HAVEN ?

(Published in a truncated version in MTimes 02 08 2019)

The arguments of many of our outraged operators of global business and defenders of our "clean jurisdiction" do not hold. They argue that we are being picked out of the many other financial centres that are doing the same thing-that is tax-centric centres, if tax haven is too offensive for them. If they care to read carefully, they will note that we are one of the many but we are one of the worst elements among the many offshore centres- “the lynchpin of many tax avoidance structures in Africa,” and among ”the most aggressive corporate tax havens responsible for large revenue losses across the African continent.”

Political Caricatures: After the Sobrinho saga, now Agliotti; Workers’ Rights Bill; Mauritius Leaks;Terre-Rouge/Verdun finally operational;In Baie duTombeau: “Bétonnage” of the beach;Youth Unemployment;Paying homage to Johnny Clegg.

Bringing the change that Mauritius needs

(Published in MTimes  26 July 2019)

From economic slowdown to the puttering of the main engines of growth, wayward macroeconomic parameters to vested interests, cronyism and undermined institutions to a perennial lack of new ideas and initiatives, critical challenges await the next government. Besides the heck of a mess that it will have to clear up, the task before the next government is indeed daunting.

Political Caricatures: Political Financing & the BAI Group; The BOM’s Board: Rubber stamp?

Political Financing & the BAI Group

 

In his summing up to the debates on Budget 2019-20, Pravind Jugnauth raked through the so-called clean image of the MMM by pointing out its “géométries variables” on corruption. He mentioned the Rs 10 million obtained from Dawood Rawat’s BAI group for the 2014 general elections. He attacked an ex-MMM member, the late Bidianand Jhurry who was convicted for having favoured the hiring of five of his relatives in the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund.

More Budgetary Nonsense and Rupee depreciation

(Published in MTimes 17 July 2019)

The announced budget measure to raid the internal capital reserves of the Bank of Mauritius for an amount of Rs 18 billion has attracted heavy criticism from a wide cross-section of economic and political observers.  Government spendthrift policies are leading to mounting public debt despite hiked-up petroleum taxation and record foreign grants extended by China and India. 

Political Caricatures: Political Financing Bill spurned; Graduating to the High-Income Economy?;Fitch Solutions forecast a slowing GDP growth in 2019

Political Caricatures:Drug abuse and trafficking: a holistic approach;Social housing: The great dismal failure of the Lepep government;Funding of religious bodies with taxpayers’ money?

Export Oriented Enterprises: The plunge continues

(Published in MTimes 05 07 2019)

The Export Oriented Enterprises (EOE) consist of enterprises previously operating with an EPZ Certificate as well as enterprises manufacturing goods for exports and holding a registration certificate issued by the ex-Board of Investment.

Budget Doctoring

(Published in L'Express & Mtimes 05 July 2019)

In an article published in L’Express of 3 July 2019 on the 2019/20 Budget, Dr Rama Sithanen concludes that “the Minister of Finance has doctored the budget deficit and the debt figures”, and computes “a total of over Rs 40 billion in creative and voodoo accounting”.  While the charges of fiscal doctoring are undeniable, his demonstration of “over Rs 40 billion of accounting tricks and colourable devices” is mostly incorrect. 

Summing up of Budget 2019-20: Justifying irresponsibility

(Published in MTimes 28 June 2019)

 After the two exceptional contributions on Budget 2019-20 – the first being  the well-researched intervention by the Leader of the MMM in the National Assembly, and the second  the thorough analytical paper of Sushil Khushiram published in some leading newspapers - the Minister of Finance had to respond with the authority of a man that the high position of Minister of Finance (MOF) demands and the sanctimony of someone who believes in a clear vision of the economy, its programmes and policies and the drive to nudge the debate forward with verve and clarity.

Political Caricatures:SBM holdings: Jackpot for the tribe;Pomponette Beach: Rezistans ek Alternativ calls for the restitution of the beach to the public.....

Political Caricatures: Our coastal areas at risk, PRB  as an electoral bribe; Olivier Blanchard on  debt; Artificially depreciating the Rupee;Health Employees Union...;Poverty in Black River...

Political Caricatures: Betamax Verdict: They are all guilty; youth in the fight against communalism; Raiding the Central Bank’s reserves

Budget 2019-20: Postponing the Day of Reckoning

(Published in MTimes of 14th June 2019)

For weeks, we had been asking around about the probable fiscal stance for the 2019-20 budget? Will it be an austerity budget given the pressures of the IMF for greater efforts at fiscal consolidation and reining in of the public sector debt to meet the debt target? The Government seems to have opted for fiscal profligacy rather than fiscal rectitude.

Budget 2019-20: The Orientation

(Published in MTimes on 07 June 2019)

The consolidated budget deficit for 2017-18 is -3.7% of GDP and exclusive of grants it comes to -5.2%. Our own estimates of the consolidated budget deficit for 2018-19 turns out to be around -3.5 % of GDP as compared to earlier estimates of -3.8%. As in previous years, the budget deficit has been contained by sacrificing capital expenditures (Net Acquisition of Nonfinancial Assets - NANA) to a dismal 1.6% of GDP. This trend is likely to continue in the next budget with the populist policies — plenty of giveaways and goodies — at the cost of NANA.

The ESAAMLG MER & Technical Compliance Re-Rating

(Published MTimes 31 May 2019)

This follow-up report of the Eastern and Southern African Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) assesses the progress made by Mauritius to resolve the technical compliance shortcomings identified in its Mutual Evaluation Report (MER). New ratings are given when sufficient progress has been made. 

When Academia Joins Politics

(Published in MTimes of 31 May 2019)

Inspired by her father who was very much involved in social work and community development, and the likes of Edward Said and Noam Chomsky - the intellectuals who denounce all forms of injustice - and obeying to some kind of call to join the political fray to transform the human condition and think of the greater good, Sheila Bunwaree emerges from the lot as a politician with new ideas and the guts to see them through,imbued as she is with the enthusiasm and the naivety of the new adherent. (Interview in Mtimes of the 24^thMay).

Political Caricatures: Rental of Diego military base! Why not Tromelin?; Direct Investment: Emerging Challenges;

A Health Insurance scheme for the public sector: Why the haste?

(Published in Mtimes of  24th May 2019)

Universal access to good quality health care remains a major concern of health systems globally. In view of this, countries have adopted different health financing mechanisms including a National Health Insurance (NHI) to ensure universal access to quality basic health care. Here, Government has announced that soon after this year’s Budget it will be implementing a Government Medical Insurance Scheme (GMIS) for the public service.

Political Caricatures: "We at the mercy of the economic elite"; Beating his own drums… on a wrong note; Anti-Money Laundering & Combatting the Financing of Terrorism: A question of effectiveness.;The Safe City project: Towards a surveillance state....

Politics: A contest of competing ideas

(Published in MTimes of 17 May 2019)

Recently in UK, Labour Party and opposition leader Jeremyn Corbyn paid tribute in the course of a debate on Brexit to the amazing performance of Liverpool in the Champions League and advised the Prime Minister to take some tips from Jürgen Klopp on how to get agood result in Europe. In an equally applaudable riposte, Theresa May said: "I actually think that when we look at the Liverpool win over Barcelona…, what it shows is that when everyone says it's all over, that your European opposition have got you beat, the clock is ticking down, it's time to concede defeat, actually we can still secure success if everyone comes together." This is the stuff of what politics should be – a contest of ideas.

The Ministry of Finance fudges again with the debt figures

(Published MTimes 10 May 2019)

Despite IMF concerns about  transparency and openness in the reporting on public indebtedness, the Ministry of Finance continues with its juggling of the debt figures and has reverted back to net debt measures of public debt. We have got used to these gimmicks of the Ministry of Finance: when it cannot reach its debt target it either moves the goalpost some more years further down the road or manipulates the Public Sector Debt figures. (PSD).

The Hidden Figures of Our Budgets

(Published in MTimes 10 May 2019)

There is very little that differentiates one regime from another in terms tortuous accounting practices in relation to the budget figures. We seem to have become past masters in conjuring budgetary tricks, and this has been going on under different regimes. 

“Chantiers” fizzling out next year: IMF Art IV 2019

(Published in MTimes 03 05 2019)

Despite a massive grant from India at the expense of the DTAA, the public investment splurges – the so-called ‘chantiers’ with billions being spent on the Metro Express , the Road Decongestion Programme, the Safe City project – have not had the multiplier effect that was expected on the economy.

The IMF demands more of transparency

(Published in MTimes 03 May 2019)

We have on many occasions highlighted the colourable accounting or the fudging of the budget and debt figures. In quite diplomatic but firm ways that sound more like a reprimand, the IMF demands greater fiscal transparency towards general government reporting and the implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) which “will bolster credibility”. This would suggest that we were therefore not that credible in our reporting. To be more credible, there is need for a full consolidation of the budget figures by including the special funds and other off-budget expenditures. 

Africa Strategy: A Mere Slogan?

The Africa Strategy was supposed to be another core element of the Economic Mission Statement (EMS) to transform Mauritius into a regional platform for trade, investment and services. This would be achieved through enhanced economic exchanges and improved air and sea connectivity, with the eventual creation of both a regional air and shipping company. 

Political Caricatures:Government losing its grip on the political and social situation; Employment creation is now at its lowest since 1991;...

Updating Moody's April 2019 Report

(Published in MTimes 19 04 2019)

The latest Moody's Report, dated April 2019, has assessed our fiscal strength and debt affordability as moderate. It also finds that the high debt levels and interest burden are a constraint on the rating and are above similarly rated peers.

Mauritius and the EU Tax Haven Blacklist

(Published in MTimes, 19 April 2019)

 Mauritius narrowly avoided inclusion in the European Union's tax haven blacklist of March 2019 by committing to  address, by end 2019, "identified deficiencies" in the Partial Exemption Tax (PET) Regime introduced in 2018 to replace the Deemed Foreign Tax Credit (DFTC). 

Political Caricatures:Floods: Frustrated outbursts of the public; ReA’s proposals to address food security challenges; IRP cancels a contract of Rs 72 M; Budget submissions: Measures for small planters;  Religious celebrations: Political speeches; Religious celebrations: Political speeches;Tourism’s poor performance – Where is the Minister?;MMM’s participatory approach for its electoral program

Technology and Innovation Policy: Some lessons for Mauritius

(Published in MTimes, 12 April 2019)

“The empirical evidence shows that the odds for poor or middle-income countries to reach high-income status within a couple of generations are very low. Over 1960-2014, less than 10 percent of economies (16 out of 182) have reached high-income status.” A very interesting piece that may be of interest to our policy makers is the working paper titled “The Return of the Policy That Shall Not Be Named: Principles of Industrial Policy” by Reda Cherif and Fuad Hasanov, March 2019. 

Political Caricatures:A land tribunal with a sitting judge; The Ministry of Tourism fails in rallying NGOs for a clean-up campaign; Civil servants on Statutory Boards; the captains blame each other, SBM sinks!; They had promised;Gambling Regulatory Authority: Biased ;

Beyond “Honte”: Achieving 5 to 6% growth rate!

(Published in MTImes 05 April 2019)

On the occasion of the 170thAnnual General Meeting of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the President of the Chamber in his 'State of the Economy Address”, transcended the puerile issue of having “honte” (shame) of our 3.8% to 4% growth rate for a more important debate on how Mauritius can achieve 5-6%  economic growth. 

The cost of dismantling the BAI Group: Rs 20 billion!

(Published in MTimes 29 03 2019)

The Report of the Director of Audit on the accounts of the Republic of Mauritius for the financial year 2017/18 provides a good deal of information that makes it possible to estimate the cost of dismantling the BAI Group.

 

Disaster preparation: Are we prepared?

(Published In MTimes 29 03 2019)

A devastating cyclone has caused widespread destruction in Southern Africa, across the city of Beira, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Some 1.7 million of our African brothers and sisters are said to be affected, with no electricity or running water in areas where homes have been swept away and roads destroyed by the floods.

Ocean economy: Any progress?

(Published in MTimes 29 03 2019)

Since the release of ‘The Ocean Economy: A Roadmap for Mauritius’ in July 2013, successive governments have identified the Ocean Economy (OE) as another important economic pillar.

Political Caricatures: Palmar Ltd Employees: Government responsibility? ; Ageing and pension reform; Caught in the middle income trap: “Une honte”;The Metro again : Another impediment?;Betamax case;State capture, nepotism and cronyism: Worse than the previous regime;MBC: The pot calling the kettle “black”;The Sugar sector: Absence of a long term view

Ageing and pension reform

(Published in MTimes 22 03 2019)

 The share of the population age 60 years and above in the total population will increase from 16.1 percent in 2017 to 26.8 in 2037 and 35.2percent in 2057. The dependency ratio (defined as the combined child population (under 15 years) and population aged 65 years and over per 1,000 population of intermediate age (15 - 64 years) in a particular year) will increase from 408.0 to 529 and to over 629 the same period. Today, there are 6 employees to support a pensioner and by 2037, there will be less than 3. 

The Sugar sector: Absence of a long term view

(Published in MTimes 22 March 2019)

 At a workshop recently on the agricultural sector at the Labourdonais hotel , the representative of the Ministry of Finance in his presentation showed that the sugar sector has been declining since 2010. The sugar sector, previously of fundamental importance to the Mauritian economy, has become very "inefficient" very much depending on the  financial support from government for its survival.

Caught in the middle income trap: “Une honte”

(Published in MTimes 22 March 2019)

At a business forum that the Economic Development Board had organized to improve economic cooperation between Mauritius and Madagascar at The Westin Turtle Bay Resort in Balaclava on Wednesday 13th March, Foreign Minister Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo expressed his "shame" at our dismal growth performance.

Manipulating Public Debt Data

(Published in MTimes 22 March 2019)

 Whenever an economic aggregate ((national income, budget deficit, government expenditure, debt. ..) is chosen as a target of public policy, it’s almost invariable that policy-makers will try to manipulate its presentation and computation to their advantage. Take budget deficits, which can be deliberately underestimated by displacing expenditures from the budget to state-owned special purpose entities (SPEs). Borrowed funds can be directed to SPEs for spending, and Government can make equity investments in the SPEs without adding to the fiscal deficit. In cases where SPEs are used as an artifice for circumventing the budget, the budget deficit will provide a misleading measure of the fiscal gap.

Export Oriented Entreprises (EOEs): The Minimum Wage dealt the final blow

(Published in MTimes 15 03 2019)

 When Air Mauritius plunges, a whole set of experts and the very people who are the cause of this debacle tender advice for a new “business model” for MK but when the textile industry is in doldrums it is a question of mismanagement. So the State has to inquire into what and how things went wrong. 

The updated EU list: Mauritius stuck in greylist

(Published in MTimes 15 March 2019)

The European Union (EU) announced a revised blacklist of 15 tax havens (uncooperative jurisdictions) on 12 March 2019. The blacklist originally issued in December 2017 numbered 17 countries, which was reduced to only 5 by end 2018. Among 10 new additions, the UAE (Dubai and others) is back on the blacklist, which should be reassuring to those who spent considerable efforts there to finance the Heritage City Project. Equally comforting to  those who instructed a state-owned

bank to lend millions of dollars to an absconding borrower in Dubai.  

Ganga Talao also needs its “politique de rupture”

(Published in MTimes 08 03 2019)

Several hundred thousand pilgrims from different parts of the country congregated to Ganga Talao for Maha Shivaratri to offer worship to Lord Shiva. On this occasion matter and consciousness unite. The subtle world and the gross world come together and that is the celebration. 

Political Caricatures :The CCGT project: ML may brandish the war hatchet....

Schooling and Youth Violence

(Published in Mtimes , 01 March 2019)

There is a great concern about the incidence of violent behaviour among children and adolescents. This complex and troubling issue needs to be carefully understood by parents, teachers, and other adults. 

Mauritius under supervision by EU’s Code of Conduct Group

(Posted in Mtimes 22 Sep 2019)

Barbados, Belize, Curaçao, Mauritius, Saint Lucia and Seychelles have been warned by the European Union (EU) that some of their tax policies are "harmful" and must be updated to comply with best practices by the end of this year.

The Minimum Wage and Its Impact

(Published in MTimes 15 02 2019)

The National Minimum Wage was set at Rs 8,000 a month, effective from year ending 31st December 2017 and 8,500 as from year ending December 2018. From the preliminary observations of the National Minimum Wage Council, one can easily see that a more detailed analysis is needed to isolate the impact of the minimum wage on the economy from the customary or annual trend.

Political Caricatures:CTSP promises to issue voting directives;Diversifying the financial services sector;The ultra-liberals: Same old story for the economy;Election time: Freebies for our workers;

CTSP promises to issue voting directives

The Confédération des travailleurs du secteur privé (CTSP) – Confederation of Private Sector Workers – is tuning itself for the forthcoming elections. It held a peaceful march in the streets of Rose Hill on Saturday 2nd Feb. Reaz Chuttoo and Jane Ragoo announced that the union would be issuing directives to private sector workers about which political bloc to support at the next elections.

Educational reform : More investment in pre-primary

In my latest article titled “Free Tertiary Education for All: A Blunder” published in this column  on 25th January 2019, where I took the stand that a fee-paying tertiary education is not necessarily against the interests of the poor,

The Competition Commission Amnesty Programme: What next?

(Published in MTimes 08 02 

The Competition Commission of Mauritius (CCM) has released its first batch of decisions for the Resale Price Maintenance (RPM) amnesty programme. 

For Lokal to be beautiful: Tinkering at the edges won’t do!

(Published in MTimes  31 Jan 2019)

Do we need a whole set of foreign consultants of the Utopies agency to tell us what we already know about our economy? That we need more of local value added, that we have to boost our exports, more of open economy, etc? 

Free Tertiary Education for All : A Blunder

(Published in MTimes, 25 January 2019)

I was astonished by the overall positive response on the free tertiary education measure announced with pomp and audacity by the regime without prior consultations and planning. Even opposition politicians were quick to say that they approve the principle that tertiary education should be paid for everyone but disapprove the government’s approach towards its implementation.

Living beyond our means

(Published in MTimes ,18 January 2019)

Nobody owes a living, and most of the goodies that have been served by this regime -tertiary education, negative income tax, minimum wage, generous wage and PRB awards, increase in basic pension, etc., have an impact on the budget and the economy. They have a cost. Can we afford them? Are we not jeopardising our future by such fiscal largesse - if not irresponsibility?

"FREE "TERTIARY EDUCATION : Is it a priority now ?

(Published in MTimes 11 January 2019)

As regards the blatantly populist measure of “free” tertiary education, it would be more appropriate to start with the comments of Jayen Chellum, Secretary of the ’Association des consommateurs de l’île Maurice (ACIM) who has summarised it so cogently:

 “Le gouvernement juge qu’il peut décider seul pour le pays, étant donné qu’il a été élu. Le métro est l’exemple type de la manière de gouverner. Ce projet n’est pas basé sur une politique nationale de transport; il n’a pas eu l’apport des citoyens et ne touchera que les cinq villes; il a été exempté d’un permis EIA, donc nous ne connaissons pas l’impact sur l’environnement. De même, il y a des coûts cachés et n’est pas totalement transparent. ….”