Mauritius Reclaims Its Voice: Democracy, Reform, and Growth

Titbits

By Jan Arden

Many of our cadres, in their prime forties or fifties, may not be directly aware of the conditions and atmosphere leading up to national independence, but we have all come to agree that the event was momentous and defining for our island.

Despite erudite academic reports that foresaw little future for us, the portrayal of an overcrowded barracoon ravaged by frequent devastating cyclones, or the forlorn aspirations for integration into the UK or even retrocession to France, the moment was seized, and history was ultimately made under the stewardship of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR). Inspired, no doubt, by the ideals of Fabian socialism, initiatives such as free primary and secondary education, healthcare, social security, school food programs, and the expansion of infrastructure — including roads, public institutions, the MBC, and the University of Mauritius — bore the unmistakable imprint of both SSR and his government.

A largely pacified Mauritius looks ready for celebrating Independence Day with style and fervour. Pic – AFP

Where SSR was visionary was in foreseeing the need for social and political equilibrium as a cornerstone of national development. Alliance with the Labour Party’s opponent, the PMSD, paved the way in the 70s to some new dynamism on the industrial and tourism development front, both benefitting from the literate workforce and the participation of a private sector that was constituted largely by the sugarcane and land barons. But we remained largely a mono-crop plantation economy, where life in towns and villages depended on crop and harvest seasonality and the vagaries of nature, with activities beginning before dawn and ceasing at sundown.

What is perhaps better known are the industrial development phase of the eighties and nineties, when an energized push by the Alliance Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, corralled investors from Taiwan and Hong-Kong to bring here footloose industries, particularly from those wishing a second passport. The rapid textile development brought a socio-economic revolution, easier money or travel and certainly a liberation from agricultural seasonalities. 

Social equilibrium and political triangulation grew increasingly complex, but the island of the dodo was emerging as a noteworthy model for international agencies. It was poised to take flight into its second economic revolution, transitioning into financial and tertiary services — bolstered significantly by a series of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) designed to attract high-net-worth investors and related activities. However, this momentum was eventually challenged by issues such as round-tripping, tax avoidance, and crackdowns by foreign authorities, making it increasingly difficult to sustain such investments against more agile international competitors.

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Turning the Page: Rebuilding Institutions and Strengthening Sovereignty

Ten years ago, the country still had a good reputation, healthy monetary reserves and a buoyant middle-class with a decent per caput income and standard of living and, perhaps more importantly, a knack for making social equilibrium and inclusivity, institutional checks and balances, investor confidence and political mores work by and large for the benefit of the country. Political alliances changed and upheavals went their way in 1995, 2000 or 2005, but transition did not change those fundamentals and maybe we all assumed that they offered enough in-built resilience to carry us through choppy political waters.Read More… Become a Subscriber

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 7 March 2025