This is a well thought out analysis. Just think of what it would be like if the 300 000 or so Mauritians who left the island since independance had not emigrated!!!

What can we expect from a lethargical governance ? Should we anticipate for the worst or even forecast an apocalypse as SGD did when he opposed independance ? Or should we believe in the Mayans calendars ? True is that the world population explosion which will pass over 7 billions in October 2012 will be the main factor for regional disturbances but the earth is big enough for a balanced distribution for those seeking for green pastures. Results count. After 43 years of independance we cannot say that Mauritius has moved backwards. Our leaders are simply still not mature enough to be 100% independant. Help from Singapore could be a rescue as since its independance in 1965 is still like Mauritius being guided by a Westminster-System. First success, reducing a population of 4.8 millions to a birth rate of 1.29 children per woman in 2008. What is most amazing, is the team spirit between gvt and folk as if they have followed what John F. Kennedy said to the Americans : " See what you can do for your country ". If Mauritians can follow this path ?

Interesting article, it reminds me of someone (whose name I dont remember) who once said:
Lavenir de lile Maurice est dans limmigration.

What a statement Nicholas, the title speaks volume; once more you nailed another facet of our beloved Mauritius through this paper. I would like to get back to Jean Bernards comment where some high profile politicians, mainly Ptr, dont accept this historical fate and are very reluctant to promulgate a law authorising Mauritians abroad to vote. We all know which section of the population emigrated massively at that time and are often and openly criticised for having left the country when all resources were needed for development. Some of those who left where considered being great administrateur. Very inaccurate position indeed when we know who lead the fight for independence with which demographic support. Those people needed to be much more considered in every sphere to the detriment of minorities and in a sense the emigration of those 300,000 or so was salutary. On the other side one cant exclude what would be the social impact without this mass exodus. In my opinion Mauritius and Mauritian society will always remain unsorted, unsounded and unsolved.

We all know the impact of that Immigration at that pre-independance time.We also have to see if those people in that country at that period have positively evolved or are they CONSTANTLY SEEKING HELP from housing commission and claiming unenemployment benefits.PLEASE EXPLAIN JACKY?/

practice what you preach -Book a one way ticket to Timbuctoo for you and your family for the Benefit of the Country

Why not stop the influx instead? Have you seen the number of foreigners moving to Mauritius each week??? It is ABSURD! We need to force these people to leave and not renew any residency or occupation permits

The pitch is too high for most readers dear Mr Rainer. Most would never have noticed your well-placed sarcasm!

Hi Nicholas, I wouldn't worry too much ; the Vatican is more densely populated than Mauritius and we are only 17th on the league table. Reunion is half as dense as us - so maybe we should probably send some popes to Mauritius and send one third of us to Reunion island, that could balance things out a little bit? Having said that, a serious point is about how we manage and optimise our resources, reduce waste (cut half of the size of the government and you get twice more efficiency), change behaviours / encourage less individualism, empower the poor and develop the less developed areas, increase green spaces etc etc. Where do we start?

what would the country look like if we did not have this diaspora who has left already.The problem is not only too many many people square mile but how good govertment lessen the impact of bad town planning,unlike Rohinee who is very quick to come with 'riposte' couched in racial overtone.Maybe she should get the boat to India with her family.I like Nicolas'writing though I do not need to agree with everything that he writes.Mauritius could do with more europeans being given citizenship.

If one leaves this island one will still be living somewhere on the planet. Human life on Earth has already reached the point of no return. It has reached the momentum of a Titanic. In another hundred years there will be no place to run to. Why not stay home and let our descendants face extinction in their own country. Death is more peaceful at home than in a foreign land. A quote from an article on the BBC website: "If China were to match, per capita, car ownership in the US (which is falling, incidentally), it would mean more than one billion cars. The planet, in a word, would be fried." All civilisations are programmed to self destruct. Maybe this is necessary to turn mankind's mind towards That which does not know self-destruction.

I left in 1975, but it was only because I wanted more space for myself. Mauritius does not need to be de-populated nor do the pressures on its living space and infrastructure lessened: Its inhabitants, "The Mauritians" need to start multiplying and start taking over the territory of other less-performing nations. First target to be taken over will be Singapore. It's sort of a bite-size undertaking. I hear they make magnificent crab-curries there! Come on Special Mobile Force, with with some blue pills in your diet, you can do it! Malthus can then turn in his grave: We will show him how to sort our resource problem out by taking over the world. Nice W/E to you lot.

Yes you are right Nicholas, I left the Island 40 years ago and don't regret it at all. The system in mauritius is like a Pig's Tail, no matter how long you leave it in a rigid steel tube, when you release the tail remains the same "curly". When I was interviewed 40 years ago by one of the governmental officer, I was told not to return to Mauritius as there is no future here. I am glad I followed his advice and today I can say that I am a successful businessman, enjoying my retirement and looking back at my colleages who I left behind, they are still scatching the surface to make a living. Mauritius,...... There Is No Future, unless you are a crook or a drug dealer. There is still time for younger people,, so dont lose hope. Good luck.

@Jonathan : "Mauritius,...... There Is No Future, unless you are a crook or a drug dealer", then leave those 1.2millions crooks and drug dealers alone and go to hell.

On a serious note.... The Commission for Justice and Truth should be given remit on the issue of land appropriation ( or misappropriation). How can any body in the 21st Century justify the occupation of about 80 % of our land resources in the hands of 5 or 6 families , dating colonial times. Emigration is suicide. There is place on this Island for every body. We can even build dwellings in the sea if required, but let us have JUSTICE.

I have been a fervent opposer of Navin for his complex to copy UK or Singapore, fight his country of adoption (with nationality in pocket) on Diego issue, lowly twists in political alliances, nomination of incompetents above by himself, degrading law and order (common ones like we read on paper everyday & majors ones like Feb 99 or L'Amical), failure to introduce death sentence after promise of same and the list goes on indefinitely. For me, he will enter history as the one having achieved nothing major in contrast we remember SSR for his contribution to independence, SAJ for economic success & development, SGD for textile & tourism, ... Yet, I must point out that I do not agree with all the critics against him not for the sake to support him but for the sake of logics! 1. Why on earth must we copy here and there don't we have any brain for reasoning on our own? 2. When population density is to be compared, it is unacceptable for climatic factors not to be taken into consideration. France for example, is considered as reference by many for being a standard country with population density of about 100/km sq. This cannot be compared with the countries in tropics simply because the climatic factors are such that tropical countries can produce more food to feed their population. 3. Some people have the tendency to repeat that Mauritius is deprived of all resources and that overpopulation is an additional burden. Very few do know that the marine territory of Mauritius is about three times the size of France in the tropic, this has a great significance as the resources are more abundant because of the warm waters and can be exploited the wholel year round again because the waters are never frozen! With such size & territory, Mauritius should have been a more prosperous country. Pity that we are not exploiting our marine territory for minerals & petroleum even the fish that is exploited is only minim for the size of our territory. The critics are limited to weak arguments!

To GuruJosh: There are enough elements in my comment to determine which sections of the population were involved in this massive emigration and those who supported the fight for Independence. If you came forward admitting We all know the impact of that Immigration at that pre-independence time., then the existence of this gap was deeply felt at that time. Thats one point. On the other hand the pro-independence section of the population needed to be considered much more, for political reasons, to the detriment of minorities was legitimate with or without this mass exodus. Thats a second point. When coming to your point whether the people youre talking have positively evolved is a question of interpretation where I can undoubtedly assert that Mauritian society has evolved technologically, materially and educationally. Hope Ive been cellophane in educating your curiosity and would like you to elaborate who are CONSTANTLY SEEKING HELP and claiming unemployment benefits. Will wait for your response. If you mean Mauritians of African origin I'll refer you back to the interview of an eminent South African anthropologist (cant remember his name) conducted by Deepa Bookhun for lExpress Dimanche some years ago. May be you should highly consider contacting her or lExpress archivist to access the article.

why have you settled here then if this is your advice ???????

Your solution to limit population growth is not correct. This is what planners have usually recommended

when they could not handle population growth. It has been tried around the world and has resulted in

failure. Please, have a look at what they tried in Jakarta in the 1960's. Limiting population growth

limits the economic growth of a country. The only situation where this may recommended is when a country

is in extreme poverty. Yet Mauritius has benefitted from a generally healthy growth for the past 2

decades.

Singapore did adopt this policy after their independence as they were in extreme poverty and had to

rebuild the country. However, because of this policy and its repercussions, today, they find themselves

in dire need of people to sustain their economic growth. You mentionned that they are one of the most

densely populated areas, however they are seeking to almost double their population. They have

understood long ago that people are their only resources.

ON URBANISATION AND POPULATION GROWTH

Population growth should never be seen as an ill. Lack of adequate planning is the issue here. The ideas

you raised on the shortcomings of transportation and lack of resources are planning related. The lack of

clear vision and the ability to foresee realistic growth is what has hindered development in Mauritius.

We are unable to define priorities. And so far, this together with our political situation has caused us

to progress in a piece-meal manner with no coherence.

I am not sure if our Prime Minister understands how Singapore achieved to build a world class city. But

the secret of Singapore is planning. Long & short term realistic planning. Realistic is a key word here,

especially on the forecast of population growth. Singapore has a clear vision where they want to be in

the next 50 years, and concrete plans of what to do every 4-5 years to achieve that vision. Quick

decision making and action are the key elements to achieve this vision. As such, various authorities

have been created to manage all aspects of planning and they are given immense power to make decisions.

They have also streamlined the decision making process between the government and these authorities. Do note that there are strong ties between the government and planners. Once these decisions are approved, these agencies coordinate with extreme efficiency to make sure that these projects are realised. Through adequate planning and forecast, Singapore has achieved a balance between the provision of infrastructure and population growth. And year after year, they review their plans to uphold that balance.

WITH REGARDS TO LEARNING FROM OTHERS (COPYING)

This is how cities have progressed all along. Singapore itself has copied methods from all over the

world and adapted them to its needs. However, we should not copy others blindly. Copying is healthy as

long as one first studies, understands and adapts these ideas to one's own problems and constraints. The

adaptation part is where one's creavity comes in. I, personally, do not like to call that copying, but

learning from others. This is how ideas evolve. And later, others will copy from us too, especially if

we get things right.

Then, an Intellectual Revolution is called for. Lee Kuan Yew, a no-nonsence Leader, loathed Intellectual Mediocrity.

I visited the Island recently. Lack of Management and Leadership prevail.

Lee Kuan Yew could relate to his audience. Hence LEADERSHIP is a way of thinking and behaving effectively.

Hey Tonyboy," If the Hat fits Wear it"

has anyone ever wondered what MAURITIUS would be like today if it had been governed by professionals from the private sector instead of incompetent or communal politicians???

The P M and his cohorts aren't reading the writings on the wall, but stubbornly prefer to preserving power.

1550 square metres of land per head hardly makes this island overpopulated. The problem is simply that the sugar barons occupy too much land forcing about 1,200,000 people to jostle to live on only about 10% of the island. Apart from being ridiculously unjust, unfair and inacceptable, this weird arrangement puts the population at greater risks than what exist in major world cities. Our roads have not considerably increased in length or breath over time. Traditionally meant for ox carts, they have proved to be inappropriate and very hazardous for use by modern vehicles, the numbers of which have increased on the island. No wonder there are so many deaths by RTA. Our housing is lamentable. Families live on top of each other, and neighbours are just too close. The constant raging fights over parking space has become cultural, a way of life. We cannot carry on like this. Something has to give. There must be a reform in the way land is used. Whether it is a legal or moral debate, the state has a duty to interfere , not only to reduce risks, but also to improve the quality of life of its citizens.

Mr. Rainer, I have an example of learning from others. Please have a look at Singapore's housing typology. It has been basically copied from France's first typology of high rise housing designed by architect Le Corbusier (an example is Unite D'habitation at Marseilles). While this has not been successful for France itself, it is today the basis of Singapore's highly successful housing system, which is recognized around the world. The technology has been studied, understood and applied to solve housing issues in Singapore. Learning from others is a better term to use. Why Singapore? We share some similar constraints in terms of our colonial background, our multi-racial & multi-cultural societies, our climate etc... However, I agree with you that Singapore is not the only successful examples out there. There are other success or even failures out there which Mauritius could learn from such as the city of Curitiba, especially their transportation and low-cost housing system.

goodness, this column sure has kicked up a fuss. excellent. for those who seem to have missed the point, i would simply like to add that it isn't meant to be taken literally. rather, i wanted to highlight an issue that's rarely evoked. the leaving mauritius part is just a way of illustrating that point. and to those asking me why i've settled here, the answer's very simple: i'm mauritian. that's right, just like you.
thanks for your attention.

There's a mood of hatred and violence on the island. Try controlling your Political Rhetoric, and concentrate on the socio-economic well-being of the people.

He is right! Every country has a limit to the number of people it can support. Can Mauritius or Singapore support say 25 million people? Can this Planet support 1 trillion people? A wise nation knows its limits and sticks to it. Mauritius' problem is that it refuses to face its limits. For us the sky is the limit! We are starting to face the painful consequences of this.

@Kamal It would surely be like it had been during the colonial & slavery period when the code noir was applied on our soil !

If you're patriotic Nicholas, stay then in your country. I read in National Geographic lately that salt water is getting deeper into mainland Bangladesh which affects its rice plantation, its breadbasket. Yet the article speaks of human resilience; stay in water-clogged Bangladesh, keep moving and adapting and accept living where you stay. Raj Kapoor's movie Mera Naam Joker spells it right; live here, die here and ask where else can you go! Try to listen to this song, you'll like it, Nicholas.

I want to congratulate you on this article - you speak out, what is more than true. but as it is with the truth - nobody wants to hear it and - moreover, nobody really wants to take steps to change things.

Loll I like this article - and I suggest that whoever doesn't is an unpatriotic simpleton who doesn't understand the underlying undertones and blatant truth that this article espouses. Open your eyes mo ti zil Finn ler pou evoluer. Mo ti zil a vie.

Nicholas, I say, if you love your country, live it! However, i sense the sarcasm in your article and perhaps sarcastic journalism MIGHT have an impact for someone to do something....but sarcasm is the cheapest.....

Very good article with some extraordinary vocabulary... Are you really Mauritian? I don't think so!

Mr Dugharee how would you label someone watching Mauritius crippling from abroad through distorted and quixotic lenses?

Perfectly true!!! Mauritians are leaving Mauritius by boat loads at the moment. Biggest destination : Austrailia. Have a look around and please see for yourself. Its just a small % of the population that can afford luxury at the moment. Besides Maurtiaans are a nomadic race as all of them come from somewhere. So it is perfectly natural to let history repeat itself!!! No hard feeling.

your reply implies that all professionals from the private sector are descendants of colons...
i would never say that my friend
my dream is only to see our country well governed by competent leaders like singapore is for example.

Where to go Sir? Do you think that you can just pack your suitcase and move anywhere you want abroad?The only place Indo -mauritians can move freely is India but nobody wants to settle down there because of extreme poverty and very poor infrastructures.

wow1! Again Singapore? Are you living a dream mate or do you believe in father Christmas? since 1985 Mauritius is aspiring of becoming like Singapore and 1 generation has already gone by. Should we wait for another generation or 10 more generations? Make your choice. At the moment we have more than 100,000 overseas workers in Mauritius. So if these workers may come here, why should we not take the choice of going overseas? The world is a global village isn't it. And you mentioned 'competent leaders'. Ha , let me laugh, since independance how many of those leaders we found? I wait for your answer!!

BOTH MAURITIUS AND SINGAPORE TOP THE WORLD'S HIT-PARADE IN POPULATION DENSITY. BUT WHILE SINGAPORE IS COPING WELL BY MAXIMISING ITS SPACE AVAILABLE I AM AFRAID TO SAY THE CONTRARY ABOUT MAURITIUS.
HOW CAN WE WHEN THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP ARE GIVING THE BAD EXAMPLE.JUST THINK OF THIS.THE PM GOT HIMSELF A PLOT OF LAND OF 5505 METRES SQUARE 'ON BAIL'. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY POOR MAURITIAN FAMILIES COULD HAVE BEEN LOCATED ON THIS LAND?

I think you got it wrong mate.Without India, your island could be without bread to eat. Calling India poor in infrastructure now - well give it a few years we can talk about Neotown .

Well Mauritius in itself is a bad planning. Has anybody seen Port Louis during office hours? The place looks like anything else other than a capital. Come on ppl, do yourself a favour : you can go and lead a good life elsewhere. At the moment 1000's of young Mauritians are willing to go overseas. Many do not want to come back. Please ask anybody overseas and we will know.

@Sunny Mauritius and Mauritians are much better off than Indians and India.Well your few years might be 1000 years,As an old sailor, I've been in India over 4 decades ago and it's really the very worst place I've ever been. Millions are still sleeping on the sidewalks. India will never make one step forward because of your overpopulation is the biggest threat to our planet.Please stay home in your own country and leave Mauritius for Mauritians.

Well you said it all : you have been to India but then if you bother to read about Economics Indicators you will see that India is surpassing all economies nowadays. After 4 decades, you have not seen modern India. May I suggest you visit modern India to see how Mauritius is still behind. Besides you are importing workers from India nowadays. Without Indian investment in Mauritius, possibly you would still be behind!! Also everybody can become Mauritian : your identity is not a 'reserved' one.

@Elvis It's true that in India there are still people sleeping on roads but that is just one facet! Such street dwelling will never change their mentality nor will their government do anything efficient. Yet, look at which countries are leading BRIC nations, which country buys most of gold in the world market, feeds most of humanity, withstood the economic crisis (which brought western nations to knees) while maintaining economic growth at about 6-7 %. These up to date data will surely wipe away your four decade old image of extreme poverty!

@Elvis
Another person criticising India at the moment. I guess these people should leave mauritius and probably find refuge somewhere else. If you are not happy about mauritius then you should go and let people leave in peace here. For your information, mauritius and India have got a solid bonding and its citizens like India.

Chose Carefully Where TO GO:
Not all places on the surface of the world are welcome to everybody.
Apartheid still exists in many countries. The best example: in the Cities of Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia, only Muslims are allowed. Non-Muslims cannot enter or travel through lest these non-Muslims face violent and severe penalties, even death. This restriction has caused problems for Western companies providing services in these cities, as they must hire only Muslims to perform work within the city. Bell Canada, which provided telephone service to Mecca and Medina in the 1980s, could have offices only outside the city limits to house its non-Muslim employees, and so was brought before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for discriminating in employment on the basis of religion. This apartheid system is meant to: (i) securely keep the people under religious bondage (as those who would leave that bondage may find themselves kicked out of these cities and even killed for apostasy, (ii) to exploit the lucrative business of selling pardon and salvation to these ignorant nomad people who have been made to believe in a supposedly immutable religious duty to go to these places at least once in their life time, pay fortunes for travel and lodging. Only Ben Laden knew how much of these profits went to the U.S Army for protection of these cities against Iran, but his anger and his exceptional knowledge are now buried in the sea. Be careful where to go, my friends.