Saturday, April 2, 2011

Why Free Laptops Have Not Been Distributed Yet

Almost a year after they were promised by A2A. Because of budgetary restrictions says Minister Bunwaree. So that's essentially the same reason why Ramgoolam had to cut Mansoor to size last year when the FS wanted to freeze 2,700 promotions on the eve of the general elections. And it's the same dumb stuff Ministers said Sithanen had been singing to them between 2005 and 2010.

Now 42 police sergeants are going to court because their promotions are overdue by about a year too. No money here too?

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

It looks like you're a victim of Ramgoolam's promises too! Let me tell you why Free Laptops should not be given -

- because it is simply a bad dumb idea that a politician, out of ideas, could think of as populist measure to win elections. All his ideas are like this!

Cliff Stoll could tell you more about why we should not bring in computers at school!! Check him at TED.

You want a new FS - take your pick from the good list of people from Ramgoolam's milieu!

Sanjay Jagatsingh said...

It will cost Rs150 million a year -- a trifle compared to the Rs5 billion that's wasted every year according to the government's auditor.

Yeah, we badly need a new FS. We can get one from the numerous civil servants who work there -- like we've always done. Or we can appoint a Rs 5 coin as FS.

Anonymous said...

If we go by the thinking that we are wasting X amount so let spend it on Y or Z because it will cost less than the X spending then we will stop worrying about the rationales behind why we should spend any amount at all on something. Which is exactly what Ramgoolam has been doing - he saw a few students who couldn't pay for public transport and gave the whole student population free transport (actually kind of a lie, it was a populist measure to win elections...see free transport, free laptops..whats next, free school socks?) Don't give us freebies, show us the way, tell us about your concepts, ideas...well the Prime Minister hasn't got any! The poor man needs a committee to decide if Parliament can be shown live on TV, any X-rated activity going on there?

New FS- yeah agree with civil servants, but have you seen whats happening to the ones at the valuation office? lol.

Anonymous said...

.....besides paying 150 millions for laptops will not mitigate the 5 billion loss you talk about.

They know well why they've put a political nominee in the FS chair. There's a reason for that!! Stimulus Sauce and all the rest like rewarding Suzanne because he called the whole nation on their phones to remind them they they needed to vote for someone!

I'm not a pessimist but I can't see it getting any better- I am worried seeing PJ's reasoning when I think that one day he might be PM!!

Sanjay Jagatsingh said...

Nope. My point is that we just need to cut wastage by 3% to pay for the laptops -- not a big feat, really.

We could do a lot lot better for sure but things have improved a tiny little bit. They could improve by a lot more once Mansoor is shown the door because the guy is probably the most incompetent FS we've ever had -- at least as far as I can remember.

Anonymous said...

OK now it makes more sense, in any case you've (and the whole nation actually) talked about cutting the waste down in past on this blog......but as you know they couldn't be bothered!

There are many Mansoor-like specimens active here in Mauritius - don't want to name them - on n'est pas sorti de l'auberge mon ami.

Sanjay Jagatsingh said...

True. But we need to keep the pressure on them.

Vik said...

Few ideas to Navin Ramgoolam about freebies he can promise for during the next 3-8 general elections:

(as you can see these ideas are free, at no charge to Ramgoolam)

Free Books, free e-books of all textbooks - lets throw the publishers out of business!

Free spectacles (can give FH Ltd a good contract for that)

Free uniform allowance, free shoes

Free pen drives

Free high speed Internet

Free Tuitions vouchers teachers can cash

Free meals for all students(doesn't matter if your dad earns a good salary).

Free paid TV educational channels(can get a good deal with private providers, forget the MCA with its uncreative chairman who doesn't know what he is doing even at his full-time job having never worked in the private sector)

Free Cinema tickets for holidays

Free Ptr history CD's for social studies, emphasis on Anjay tragedy- this doesn't occur anymore now all is fine - forget infinity that was dream!

Free Mobiles that have TV applications to watch Live Parliament

Free medical check-ups - good ones eh not the MOH ones - ask BAI hopsital about it- good deal to be made.

Free condoms- don't be shy , the MFP is doing it already.

Free calculators for maths.

Subsidized air tickets for students during holidays

Free printers

........................................

Gateau Piments said...

Talking about past promises, on a different note -

Proof that Sithanen's political engagement was just an egoistic spell for a job well paid - Journalists haven't been able to quiz him on our economy after he left politics(or after he was kicked out like filth). I keep looking at all the papers just in case I could see what he thinks about his infamous stimulus package now.Nothing to be seen!!

If he were a true politicians he would have come forward by himself.

Rama Sithanen - considered as a great guy by JEC, MEF, L'express and Democracy Watch(they think the vice presidency is vital and think medpoint was cheap)

Burke!!!!

Le Pep Admirab said...

The list above should include Free rides in the PM's car too. Once at Le Monde celebrating abolition of slavery, the PM invited someone to have a seat in his car - this was filmed with all the attention if deserves by the BBC, ahem MBC.

This occurred when Minister Gowreesoo was dancing the sega with the PM- remember?

Prends ca pou Premier Minsitre mo camarade?? So l'esprit trop frivole ca - and this comes out well when he gives a speech! Don't believe me, watch him talk today on TV as he celebrates new year Ougadi.

Anonymous said...

Important addition to the list above:

Free Mobile phones to parents so they can be informed via SMS about school presence of their unruly kids. Note - the phones can be useful when PM will call them one-by-one 2 days before elections to remind them about voting for him.Very Important eh!

PS - the PM can make Unsolicited Calls but you cannot write to him by CC in your emails or faxes, he will get upset and not read it!

PPS - Will he introduce the phone restrictive red list as we have it in other countries so no retard malelver can call us for silly advertising or political campaigning? I think he will need a select committee for that.

Le Pep Admirab said...

Ramgoolam has just said, as reported a few minutes ago on MBC TV, that people should not ‘politicize’ the cultural centres. Wise words by a Politician who was attending a religious and cultural event!

Does this include or exclude politicians attending these events?

Anonymous said...

Once upon a time, people wrote good speeches and were very efficient.As an example read what SSR (or his speech writer) sent as goodwill message on the disk that was left on the Moon by Apollo 11.

"Your bold venture commands admiration of government and people of Mauritius wish you god's speed and happy perfect
landing. Safe return."

Seewoosagar Ramgoolam
Prime Minister

see more on

http://history.nasa.gov/ap11-35ann/goodwill/Apollo_11_material.pdf

Those days are gone, now we are faced with boring gibberish.

Anonymous said...

No need for (free) laptops, use your backwindow.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/03/26/12-year-old-genius-expands-einsteins-theory-of-relativity/#echoComments

Anonymous said...

We need a new FS.Will my Uncle Darga fit the bill? He's a good man, he even went on TV to discuss economics stuff with Prof Ridiculous and explained the Stimulus was given to protect jobs(full stop).

Anonymous said...

Helpful note to Gateau Piment

Democracy Watch Mauritius: li normale ki zot dire vice presidency vitale - un de zot ban membre is called Mr Raouf Bundhun.

Si mo rapelle bien cest Yvan Martial ki ti vinne explique ca lor radio ki nous besoin enan un vice president, as if our lives depend on it.

..//.. said...

Laptop promise annoucement might have been made in front of excited youth who pledged allegance to the PM at Vivekananda in Pailles before the elections.

Good they are quiet and well- behaved now, otherwise we would have the Laptop-Revolution here. Or maybe they knew something we didnt since they were all Ptr die-hard, think-and-thick fans!

Anonymous said...

Pas tracasser, govt pou recevoir beaucoup l'argent la avec rental pou Neotown. Ca pou paye banne laptops la!

Anonymous said...

These deals are state secrets:

Mangalore - Petrol

JeinFei - China

IPP- with CEB

and many others.

Neotown was secret too until the Brilliant CEO or manager or owner stupidly boasted about it.

Anonymous said...

'assez ca mentalite gagne cadeau la'

Navin Ramgoolam lor televizion