Jump to navigation

Vol 47 No 16

Published 4th August 2006


Mauritius

Budget bludgeon

Premier Ramgoolam's government faces up to European subsidy cuts and Chinese competition

The poorer Hindu voters who brought Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam's Labour Party to power last year see little to celebrate in his government's tough and reform-minded budget officially enacted in the Port Louis parliament last month. Finance Minister Rama Sithanen is scrapping subsidies on imported rice and flour, which will push up food prices sharply. He is also taking on trades unions and civil servants by proposing to shut down loss-making parastatal companies and proposing labour laws to make it easier for firms to hire and fire workers, with wage negotiations based on productivity.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 961 words.

End of preview

Subscribers: Log in now to read the complete article.

Account Holders: Log in now and use your Account Credit to buy this article. No Credit? Top up your Account now.


If you are logged in, but still cannot access the full text of this article, email customer services or telephone us on +44(0)1638 743633.