China-Mauritius cooperation – another milestone

Our Prime Minister’s visit to China during the last week has given a new dimension to the cooperation between the two countries. China has agreed to advance a credit of Rs 3.5 billions (around 50 million USD) over the next three years. “This agreement is of major significance to Mauritius,” said the PM, “as it [...]

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Financial Planning Blog

Just been listed in the Carnival of Financial Planning – July 12, 2007 Edition. This carnival as stated in the blog “focuses on efficient and sustainable personal financial planning practices that can lead to lifetime financial security”.
You’ll find posts about a wide range of finance issues from budgeting, debt management, estate planning, financial planning, financing a [...]

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Sweet and Sour

The Mauritian Finance Minister delivered his budget speech on Friday 15 June. It was his second speech since the “social alliance” (comprising multiple political parties including the Labour party, Parti Mauricien Xavier Duval, Mouvement Republicain, Mouvement Socialiste Democrate and Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) is in power.
He depicted a sound economic management under his ministership, which [...]

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Budget Day

It was “budget day” today; the presentation of the national budget for the year 2007-2008. It’s a tradition now to have it live on TV and radio. So I rushed back home after work. I didn’t want to miss it. Nobody seemed either as the traffic was particularly jammed this afternoon. I managed to make [...]

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Sugar shortfall

Although the extraction rate is expected to be higher as compared to last year, the sugar production will be much lower than usual. The higher extraction would not seem to “fully compensate for the anticipated reduced cane production”, as mentioned in the last monthly bulletin of the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI). The harvest [...]

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Sugar for ethanol

“Sugar is the most economic and most efficient source of production of ethanol.” That was a statement made by the Mauritian Minister of Agro-Industry at the opening ceremony of the 31st session of the International Sugar Council (ISC) at the International Conference centre at Grand Bay.
The Minister’s statement is pertinent at a moment when our sugar industry is facing new challenges. The Sugar Protocol, which guaranteed a market and a favourable price, is no longer valid. Alternative uses have [...]

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Update on Salary Compensation

At its weekly meeting today, the Cabinet approved the recommendations made by the NPC. The Finance Minister stated it’ll cost more than Rs 3.5 billions to implement the recommendations. He’s is particularly concerned about the payment capacity of small enterprises who are facing fierce competitions and evolving challenges. Although he believes that some sectors [...]

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Not on the same wavelength

Something is wrong somewhere. We’ve always been used to seeing the government and the private sector in good terms, with common stand even in difficult economic contexts. Everybody is surprised with the statement of the Joint Economic Council (JEC), on the one hand, and the Government on the other.
Few days ago the JEC declared in [...]

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Election invalidation

A Supreme Court judgment has last week recommended the invalidation of the election of Mr. Ashock Jugnauth, the first returned candidate at the June 2005 elections in constituency number 8 (Moka- Q.Militaire). Then Minister of Health, Mr. A. Jugnauth is alleged to have been elected by bribery.
Several people from his constituency were said to have [...]

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