Economic success has consolidated the power of Str Anerood Jugnauth, the Prime Minister of Mauritius who swept away the old guard of politicians nine years ago. In a general election, he has Just won 57 of the 62 scats in the Legislative Assembly.
Mauritius has diversified its sugar economy In a remarkable way. Standards of living in the small Indian Ocean island, which has a population of Just over one million, are high compared with most other Third World countries. And unemployment is down to 2.5 per cent.
In 1990, the economy grew by 6.8 per cent. Gross National Product was the equivalent of $2,000 per capita. The country's free zone has been a great success, bringing in a revenue of $263 million in 1990 — up nine per cent.Tourism is booming, with 85 per cent hotel occupancy, and investment and savings are at a high level.
Elections In Mauritius are full-blooded affairs, but thoroughly and falriy carried out. At huge rallies, politicians attack their opponents in colourful' language, and lurid stories appear in the party newspapers.
This time there was a shift towards radio and television coverage as Mauritians settled to a political pattern a little more in the European style. The two party groups fighting the election had the same basic economic policies and so
voters knew that a change of government would not markedly alter their way of life.
Apart from two attacks on officials of the national broadcasting corporation, who arc appointed by the government and therefore open to charges ‘of bias, It was a clam election.
Unlike most ex-colonlcs. Mauritius stuck to the institutions it Inherited at independence in 1968. Its mixed French and British past means that parliamentary debates are conducted In English, French and Creole, despite the presence of a speaker and a parliament that is based on the one in Westminster.
The legal system is still based on the Napoleonic code, while the education system stems from that of Britain, which won the island from France in 1810.
Since Independence, politics tn Mauritius have been dominated by two men — Str Scewoosagur Ramgoolam, leader of the Labour the Labour Party, and Jugnauth.
After 14 years, Ramgoolam was defeated at the polls by a group of younger politicians led by Jugnauth and became for two years the country's first President after it ceased to be a monarchy. He died in 1985 at the age of 85.
Jugnauth first led a coalition dominated by the radical Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM). When this collapsed he adroitly kept himself in power by forming his own party. An alliance of his Movement Socialist Militant (MSM) with the MMM has now produced a sweeping victory.
Only three seats went to the Labour Party, now led by the inexperienced son of Sir Scewoosagur, Dr Navin Ram-goolam. The government's economic record and the coalition’s better organisation were too much for the union of
the Labour Party and Str Gaetan Duvla's Parti Mauricien Social Democrate (PMSD). which are both trying to reclaim something of their former glory.
Two MPs elected by the small island of Rodrigue* arc expected to vote with the government. Under the constitu-
tion. four "best losers have to be elected by the Electoral Commission. Even so, Jugnauth has a massive major ily
Mauritius is one of the most racially mixed small countries In the world. It was on< • an uninhabited island, so all it- ■ ■ tizens are descended li, :
immigrants. Sixty per cent are Hindu, with Creoles. Muslims. Chinese and Franco-Mauritians making up most of the rest.
The dominance of the Hindu population, whose ancestors were brought to Mauritius to work as indentured labourers in the sugar cane plantations after the end of the slave trade, means that prime ministerial candidates are always Hindu, and that caste ts Important in the balance of political power.
— GEMINI NEWS
GEORGE BENNETT was formerly head of the AJrican Service of the UUC World Service.