PM justified the investments in the Neotown and Tianli

Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam justified the investments in the Neotown and Tianli projects on Wednesday.

He said these projects represented large foreign direct investment, which makes the country more efficient, paving the way for more such projects.

“(That) we received billions from Tianli and Neotown is by no means a scandal. We want economic efficiency, training for everybody and ensure that people stand on their own and help those in need,” said Ramgoolam qualified those who are talking of “mega scandals” as “mega buffoons”.

Earlier in the day, the minister of Housing and Lands, Abu Kasenally, defended the Neotown project too.

In a radio statement he said that the project was done in all transparency and denied that the government has bent the law to lease the land for a period of 99 years to the Indian group.

“It’s all done strictly as per the Civil Code,” said Kasenally.

“As regards the lease, it is erroneous to say that the investors will pay a rent of Rs 1.5 million for a plot of land estimated at Rs 15 billion.”

The minister added that the Indian developer of the integrated township at Les Salines will initially have to pay Rs 90 million as rent.

Thereafter, the amount will be decided upon mutual agreement.

The PM was speaking at a meeting organised to pay cash compensation to workers in the context of early termination of work contracts at Arsenal.

The event was also attended by minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Satish Faugoo who said that the government had invested Rs 6 billion in Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) 1 and VRS 2.

The Prime Minister added that the country had achieved a four-per-cent growth rate which he attributed mainly to the sugarcane industry, one of the pillars of the economy.

Ramgoolam also asked people to show discipline and not get swayed during elections, to avoid a situation such as in Madagascar and to take pride that Mauritius remains a democratic country “as investors prefer us because of our modernism, stability and low-cost labour.”

Ramgoolam urged people to show solidarity and work together instead of waiting for assistance. The government, he said, was doing its best to support people who work hard.

“In Mauritius each time there is flood, people look for compensation, some people even soak their beds with water to claim compensation.

This is an unacceptable attitude and people should change their mentality as the world is changing,” said Ramgoolam.