New Year’s message - Pravind Jugnauth: “Education and training are top priorities”

During his New Year’s message to the nation broadcasted on the national TV on January 1st, the Prime Minister outlined the government’s priorities. Education, economy, quality of life, improving infrastructure, law and order and the environment are the main areas of concern for the government in 2018.

Education

Pravind Jugnauth stated that his government’s top priority is education. He recalled that his government has invested “massively” in the Nine-Year Basic Continuous Education. “The Nine-Year Basic Continuous Education has given way to the elimination of the fierce competition that existed among students (of the primary cycle). We promote children’s development,” he said.

He asserted that youth training will be the key for 2018. “We are offering quality training to the youth who have finished their secondary education or their tertiary education in key sectors such as ICT, tourism, construction, cinema and financial services. 4,000 youths are in the process of benefiting from training in these areas.”

Economy

The second priority of Pravind Jugnauth’s government is the economy. “2017 was an exceptional year in economic terms and we made historic decisions... We ended the year with a growth of 3.9% and we expect a growth that will exceed 4% by 2018. This is a clear indication that we are going in the right direction,” he said. Commenting on the unemployment rate, the prime minister declared that he has noted with satisfaction that the rate is on a downward trend.

“We are forecasting that it is going to fall under 7% this year. We will continue to make efforts to ensure that all Mauritians, especially the youth and women, will get a job so as to be able to be independent, support their family and contribute in the development of our country.” Pravind Jugnauth also commented on the foreign investment and stated that the business climate has improved a lot.

Quality of life

The government’s third priority is improving the quality of life of Mauritians. “We need to work constantly to improve the quality of life of all citizens. The problem of water concerns everyone, but it is a problem that my government has inherited. The rotten pipes have not been replaced for the past 50 years. We have engaged ourselves in a major project regarding new pipes and connections.

It is not a small task but you will see more results in two years.” Pravind Jugnauth also claimed that he has a special consideration for the most vulnerable. “We have done a lot to combat poverty and decrease inequalities,” he said. He recalled that the government has introduced the minimum wage, has increased the old age pension and has also introduced the Negative Income Tax. He announced that the government is planning to build 4,000 new homes in 2018. “Our goal is for every family to have their own home,” he said.

Improve infrastructure

“As from 2018, Mauritius will be transformed into a huge construction site. Many infrastructural projects will see the light. In October 2017, work on the new road network for the Metro Express was launched. This month, the new lane between Rose-Hill and Port-Louis will begin,” affirmed Pravind Jugnauth. The prime minister also announced the construction of new roads, bridges and flyovers, a new building for the Supreme Court, a multi-sports complex in Cote D’Or and a new ENT hospital, among others.

Law and Order

Pravind Jugnauth said that the police have undertaken several measures but that his government is aware that investment must be done in terms of technology in order to fight criminality. “We are going to launch the Safe City project by installing more than of 4,000 cameras on 2,000 different sites to allow the police to constantly monitor the situation on the ground and thus take actions.” He stated that road safety remains a serious issue despite the government’s efforts and appealed to all road users to show more discipline and be more responsible on the road.

The prime minister reiterated his fight against the “drug mafia.” Pravind appealed to all Mauritians and said that he needs their support to combat the drug plague in the country. He moreover announced the establishment of a National Drug and HIV Council this year to sensitise, prevent and rehabilitate.

Environment

“Our last and sixth priority is the environment. Our soil, our sea, our country, along with the legacy we will leave for our children are paramount. So we all must do what we can to preserve our surroundings and use them to our advantage, for both prosperity and posterity. I can assure you that all developments that will be done in a sustainable way,” stated the Prime Minister. Pravind Jugnauth affirmed that nothing is impossible if we show solidarity, have conviction and act with sincerity. He finally reiterated the importance of keeping Mauritius clean.