The above chart shows the weight of sugar in our economy over the last 39 years. Can you identify the three events?
8 comments:
Anonymous
said...
We no longer benefit from preferential regimes, which we enjoyed as former colonies, with the steepest cuts as from 2006. Sugar is still a net foreign income earner (though loss making in economic terms). We should take into account byproducts of the "sugar industry" in the economy (IRS projects, molasses, bagasses, rum production, cattle rearing and vegetables production,...)and finally do something about this sugar industry that politicains love to talk about.
The sugar industry has been joyriding on two subsidies for decades: preferential regimes (basically European taxpayers money) and cheap rupee (de facto money of Mauritian citizens). Akin to the massive funds injected for the end of slavery. In spite of that they have been begging for more. And their political cronies have always obliged (end of protocole money, stimilus package etc.).
True to their rent-seeker status they have been gifted more freebies in the form of property development (IRS, Smart Cities etc.). They boycotted Roland Maurel's ethanol initiative while shamelessly lobbying (jointly with their mouthpiece l'express) for another rent on... ethanol at rates fetching higher than global benchmark. Bear in mind that la Reunion, with higher labour costs and infinitely more generous rewards for planters, can produce sugar more efficiently.
If we were to believe the accounts of the sugar industry, the latter has never been profitable. Ironically, they are eager to point out that they have funded the hotel industry without confessing that they have also milked the country big time to invest in Africa.
I therefore submit that only morons and colonised minds and souls could condone the greatest siphoners the country has known. Only the reconciliation the Truth and Justice Commission is expected to deliver and a New Labour (revival) shaped with the values of their honourable founders Maurice Curé, Jean Prosper, Mamode Assenjee, Hassenjee Jeetoo, Barthelemy Ohsan, Samuel Barbe, Emmanuel Anquetil, Godefroy Moutia, and Pandit Sahadeo can bring some sanity and, deservedly, hope and rewards, for lepep.
The figures do confirm an end of product life cycle. But this is visible only to those who are not connected in any way to this industry. Forget about the traditional politicians - they have no interest in letting this old tree dry out completely.
I may have to bear, as all post-colonial subjects I guess, with my partially colonised mind (although I strive to rein it in!), I may be a retired accountant/economist (I know of the prejudice!) but what I can ascertain is that moron I am not!
That said, your comments are as insightful as they help the less insightful to see things clearer. That is well beyond what has been drilled into our brains by the pervasive propaganda of the business and political oligarchies.
Regarding the published accounts of the sugar dons, as a former DCDM auditor, I am sure any normal individual would have equally concluded too, they are a big joke, to say the least. There was an interview (http://mauritiustimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2305:interview-feroze-bundhun&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50) where the interviewee states "In my experience hotel chains are not making losses if their accounts are correctly reported". It equally applies to the sugar sector. And others too!
On another note, while I share your views about the ever-crying siphoners, I am not sure that sugar cane growers in la Reunion do not benefit from State subsidies too. Anyway, they are surely more transparent and efficient on all counts!
Now relying on India to assist the sugar insdustry? What the heck: yesterday another one caught at 49:20 equating agriculture to sugar, praising the increased production, bla, bla, bla... will this ever end?
8 comments:
We no longer benefit from preferential regimes, which we enjoyed as former colonies, with the steepest cuts as from 2006. Sugar is still a net foreign income earner (though loss making in economic terms). We should take into account byproducts of the "sugar industry" in the economy (IRS projects, molasses, bagasses, rum production, cattle rearing and vegetables production,...)and finally do something about this sugar industry that politicains love to talk about.
The sugar industry has been joyriding on two subsidies for decades: preferential regimes (basically European taxpayers money) and cheap rupee (de facto money of Mauritian citizens). Akin to the massive funds injected for the end of slavery. In spite of that they have been begging for more. And their political cronies have always obliged (end of protocole money, stimilus package etc.).
True to their rent-seeker status they have been gifted more freebies in the form of property development (IRS, Smart Cities etc.). They boycotted Roland Maurel's ethanol initiative while shamelessly lobbying (jointly with their mouthpiece l'express) for another rent on... ethanol at rates fetching higher than global benchmark. Bear in mind that la Reunion, with higher labour costs and infinitely more generous rewards for planters, can produce sugar more efficiently.
If we were to believe the accounts of the sugar industry, the latter has never been profitable. Ironically, they are eager to point out that they have funded the hotel industry without confessing that they have also milked the country big time to invest in Africa.
I therefore submit that only morons and colonised minds and souls could condone the greatest siphoners the country has known. Only the reconciliation the Truth and Justice Commission is expected to deliver and a New Labour (revival) shaped with the values of their honourable founders Maurice Curé, Jean Prosper, Mamode Assenjee, Hassenjee Jeetoo, Barthelemy Ohsan, Samuel Barbe, Emmanuel Anquetil, Godefroy Moutia, and Pandit Sahadeo can bring some sanity and, deservedly, hope and rewards, for lepep.
The figures do confirm an end of product life cycle. But this is visible only to those who are not connected in any way to this industry. Forget about the traditional politicians - they have no interest in letting this old tree dry out completely.
@ Vox
I may have to bear, as all post-colonial subjects I guess, with my partially colonised mind (although I strive to rein it in!), I may be a retired accountant/economist (I know of the prejudice!) but what I can ascertain is that moron I am not!
That said, your comments are as insightful as they help the less insightful to see things clearer. That is well beyond what has been drilled into our brains by the pervasive propaganda of the business and political oligarchies.
Regarding the published accounts of the sugar dons, as a former DCDM auditor, I am sure any normal individual would have equally concluded too, they are a big joke, to say the least. There was an interview (http://mauritiustimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2305:interview-feroze-bundhun&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50) where the interviewee states "In my experience hotel chains are not making losses if their accounts are correctly reported". It equally applies to the sugar sector. And others too!
On another note, while I share your views about the ever-crying siphoners, I am not sure that sugar cane growers in la Reunion do not benefit from State subsidies too. Anyway, they are surely more transparent and efficient on all counts!
Ala enn lot ki pe dir ki nu bann chou-crier tro plingne.
Pe rod kas pu asir perenite enn lidistri ki vo 1% (u mwins) nu lekonomi e anmemtan pe rod bann kondisyons travay dikte par marse. Pa komik sa?
Now relying on India to assist the sugar insdustry? What the heck: yesterday another one caught at 49:20 equating agriculture to sugar, praising the increased production, bla, bla, bla... will this ever end?
It always ends :)
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