We should do it now otherwise it will cost more later I hear you say. The correct yardstick is its share of GDP otherwise we're blindsided by money illusion. Besides there are better choices. The first one is obviously to beef up the number and quality of buses -- fitting a number of them with catalytic converters will also improve air quality -- on our roads. And improving their schedules. Plus letting congestion pricing do a little bit of its magic. After making cars more expensive. Especially the larger ones. While making the smaller hybrid ones even cheaper. This should improve flow. And GDP. But not as much as restoring progressive taxation. Which should be the topmost priority.
Not sure whether a metro should run between Port-Louis and Curepipe. When it will be the right time to do it we might find it obvious to exclude these two cities.
Correct, R.S also said the same thing today in L'express.
ReplyDeleteThat progressive taxation would improve GDP? He's been an unmitigated mess as MoF. And we haven't even started talking about his fake simulations :)
ReplyDeleteHe (R.S) didn't say that (progressive taxation improves GDP! He just said we don't need the Metro ...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 2
Stumbled on this. 6 billions 25 years later at let's say 6% inflation is worth about 25 billions. Not the first example of money illusion.
ReplyDeleteCongestion pricing reduced traffic in Stockholm by 20-30% while bus use increased a lot in London. In Singapore car ownership has been made very expensive. Which was the case in Mauritius at one point in time. Now wouldn't we have had a very manageable situation if congestion pricing was properly done let's say beginning 2006?
ReplyDeleteTann sa bann eksplikasyon la enn ku. Parey kuma so depresyasyon konpetitif indolor.
ReplyDeletePay attention, Dodoland: France aims at killing off the internal combustion engine in 23 years from now, while others are planning a softer demise - some are going at it two wheels at a time.
ReplyDeleteBreaking news: India ups the challenge by aiming at 2030 for an all-electric vehicle pool.
ReplyDeleteBut when you find our PM finding it necessary to order an Rs 18 million carbon-behemoth, you have to admit that priorities are elsewhere, certainly not leading by example like Pepe...
While some still firmly believe that diesel engines cannot be replaced in the short run and that nothing beats their 'cost-efficiency', let's be realistic: it must simply be abandoned as quickly as possible.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you still can't get out of the pro-diesel delusion, these thousands of deaths will give you a badly-needed wake-up call. And they're not yet speaking about the effects of exposure to PM10 and PM2.5...
ReplyDeleteIf we are to be proactive, despite the delays expected in koup-riban, we need to educate our people to be wary of the safety signage to be aware of (and practice) when a metro operates at street level. Or face gruesome, fatal consequences...
ReplyDeleteSo, reality is biting back...
ReplyDeleteWay too many cars and too few buses. Should have air quality data in daily weather reports.
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