Mauritius holds election with cost of living on everyone’s mind By Reuters
by Villen Anganan
PORT LOUIS (Reuters) – Mauritius held parliamentary elections on Sunday in which Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and his main rivals all promised to tackle the cost of living on the Indian Ocean islands.
Polling stations opened at 7am (0300 GMT), and a small number of voters were seen moving to check their names in the register before casting their ballots, Reuters witnesses said. Voting was expected to end at 1400 GMT.
The country of about 1.3 million people markets itself as a link between Africa and Asia, deriving much of its income from a thriving offshore finance, tourism and textile sector.
It has predicted economic growth of 6.5% this year compared to 7.0% last year but many voters are not feeling the benefits.
Jugnauth’s Alliance Lepep coalition has promised to raise the minimum wage, increase pensions and reduce the value-added tax on some basic goods.
It says it will use payments from the UK under an October deal for Britain to give up the Chagos Islands while keeping the US-UK Diego Garcia air base.
Mauritius also receives aid from China.
“The coalition led by the prime minister is selling the card of economic success, and has promised a lot of money to different groups of people,” said political analyst Subash Gobine.
The opposition party also pledged to increase pensions as well as introduce free transport and internet services and lower fuel prices.
The Alliance du Changement coalition led by Navin Ramgoolam and the other two parties that entered the Alliance Reform, whose leaders, Nando Bodha and Roshi Bhadain, have planned to exchange as prime minister if they succeed, are very crowded.
“It’s the youth that will make a difference in this election,” said voter David Stafford, 36, in the capital Port Louis, explaining that people want economic development and job opportunities such as financial reforms.
A little over a million people are expected to elect legislators for 62 seats in the parliamentary islands in the next five years from a list of 68 parties and five political alliances.
Last week, Jugnauth’s government shut down social media until the day after the election, when the results are expected, citing national security concerns after leaked communications between public figures. It lifted the ban a day after opposition groups criticized the move.
Any party or coalition that gets more than half of the seats in parliament also wins the position of prime minister.
