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. ….”