馃嚥馃嚭MauritiusEast Africa
Housing Minister Shakeel Mohamed criticizes MSM government over financial losses and pension impact
via Le Mauricien4 min read
Housing and Lands Minister Shakeel Mohamed stated that the context of the 2026-27 budget is crucial, having assessed the financial losses incurred by the MSM government and their impact on the state's ability to maintain the Basic Retirement Pension BRP. He claimed that the MSM's actions, described as "criminal negligence," significantly reduced the government's flexibility regarding the old-age pension. Mohamed asserted that the country faces not just administrative dysfunction but a systemic "State Capture" orchestrated by the MSM, estimating 185 billion rupees in losses over the last decade due to this management. He equated this amount to 14 months of BRP payments, or approximately 40 months of lost pensions. Addressing the sugar tax debate, Mohamed accused Opposition Leader Joe Lesjongard of seeking political points, highlighting that over 20% of the adult population suffers from diabetes, double the global average. He noted that the World Health Organization has recommended a sugar tax since 2022 and criticized the opposition for mocking the sugar content in coconut water, despite the previous government having introduced a sugar content tax in 2022-23. Mohamed also praised the Prime Minister for making courageous decisions. Regarding housing, he confirmed that over 5,200 units would be delivered in the current financial year but expressed dissatisfaction with the current model, advocating for a move beyond social housing to address the needs of higher-income earners an
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Mauricien.
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