A few minutes after the presentation, Pravind Jugnauth the Prime Minister, alongside his Finance Minister, Dr Renganaden Padayachy, commented on the 2023/2024 budget, presented.
For the head of government, this budget shows once again that this government truly has the interests of the country and its people at heart. According to him, the Morisien alliance has remained faithful to the same philosophy that it is the economy that must serve the population and not the other way round. For Pravind Jugnauth, this fourth financial exercise is once again socialist, forward-looking and gives the people the confidence to meet the challenges ahead. He affirmed that the government has not remained insensitive, but that it continues to move forward with measures to relieve the population.
Recalling the difficult context in which the country found itself, following the health crisis and the war in Ukraine, Pravind Jugnauth agreed that it was a real effort that the governmental team had made to propose a budget that both remained in line with the government’s social philosophy, but also favored the island’s exclusive development.
Pravind Jugnauth dwelt on the major tax reform undertaken to ease Mauritians’ purchasing power. He stated that this is the first time that an institution that is supposed to collect taxpayers’ money has embarked on an exercise to relieve the population. He spoke of the many measures taken in this budget to ease the burden on households.
Regarding the reduction in the price of gasoline, the PM declared that this was yet another huge effort on the part of the government. He explained that the Ministry of Finance had come forward with this measure despite the fact that the STC still has a deficit on this item, even exceeding one billion. Moreover, he denounced the demagoguery of the opposition members on this subject because, he said, they acted as if the cut should have been made a long time ago. However, Pravind Jugnauth asserted that decisions must also be taken responsibly in the management of institutions. He pointed out that whenever there have been increases in the price of petrol on a global scale, in Mauritius the rise has been smaller because of the subsidies.
Pravind Jugnauth also emphasized the initiatives taken to protect workers and develop women and young people. He affirmed that children and young people had received special attention, which was more than deserved. For him, the Child Allowance of Rs 2,000 for newborns up to the age of three is a historic measure, which only this government had the courage to take. Commenting also on the Independence Scheme, which will offer new adults a sum of Rs 20,000 so that they can undertake a project of their choice, he affirmed that this is further proof of the government’s willingness to optimize the potential of young people, who have an important place in the government’s heart.
With regard to the increase in allocations for socio-cultural associations, which has risen from Rs 75 million in 2014 to Rs 125 million at present, Pravind Jugnauth said that each time, it is his government’s duty to maintain consistent support for them. The reason, he says, is that these associations strive to preserve and uphold the values that the population needs to move forward.
Regarding the Chagos, he affirmed that discussions are well underway with the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and that the government is planning a second trip in the near future.
