<I>Open letter to the Minister of Finance</I>

I am Dr Bheemdev Meetarbhan, 46 years old, and I have lived in Vancouver, Canada, for 22 years. I was until today contemplating returning to Mauritius so that my children could experience the Mauritian culture and spend time with their grand-parents. I have worked hard abroad. I am now financially able to think about moving back and may be give something back to my country.

Your budget today has quickly made up my mind why I should never return or invest any more money in my beloved homeland. I bought a 'campement' in 1993 so that I would some day enjoy my home country. I did so with great sacrifices with my first pennies earned in Canada. I forfeited a lot of business opportunities in Canada at the time that were a lot more lucrative because my country mattered most; despite the appreciation in value in Mauritian rupees, the value in Canadian dollars today is actually lower than what I paid in canadian dollars in 1993. The same goes for all the other real estate and agricultural properties that I have bought since. You also inaccurately point out that you do not collect money on transactions on real estate when the taxes you collect are probably the highest in the world – it is 1% in Canada and approx 22% in Mauritius!

To add insult to all of this, the net rental income from this campement has over the years dropped so much on account of increasing taxes that it now might even start to cost me money to keep it in a reasonable condition. I thought I signed a lease with the state when I bought in 1993 – the lease costs went up drastically in the year 2000 – and I thought I had peace for the 20 year contract that I just signed.

Now you are unilaterally and retroactively changing a contract,which would be an absurdity in a civilised democracy and an act challengeable in court in my opinion.On top of this you have the audacity to ask us fellow Mauritians abroad,that have sent millions in foreign currency over the years, to invest more in Mauritius when the laws change like those of a banana republic with each change of Government. You have just jogged my memory about what is fundamentally wrong with our country – You cannot be trusted ! –The meaning of fairness or the rule of law does not register with any of your governments of any stripe.

Your act amounts to confiscation of property without compensation – it should send a clear message to all foreigners and Mauritians alike who might think about investing in Mauritius just how much your laws mean and how much confidence and trust they should place in your Government when it comes to doing business in Mauritius. If you have no respect for your own countrymen, just how far should a foreigner trust your laws ! and how good is an investment that is always being devalued in real international currency – We Mauritians abroad buy in Mauritius not because it makes good investment sense but because our hearts and emotions still live on in Mauritius and you obviously do not get this. Ask a foreigner to do the same when all that matters to them is the bottom-line, profits if you please! You do not value our contribution to our country and you obviously have not moved on from the colonial mentality, as you once again treat us like second class citizens in our own country and legislate more rights to foreigners that will probably come and haunt us again just like a second Diego!

Mauritians abroad have been and are a steady source of foreign currency, much more than the foreigner with a one time 3 million rupees will bring. A lot of us also pay income tax twice yearly,but most of all, we also have our hearts in Mauritius and most will come back even in death to be buried despite it all, but I for one will be selling and converting back my assets into canadian dollars.

I wish you common sense with your budget endeavours and by the way, do not take it out on our hungry children in our schools and the poor as you slash corporate taxes for the wealthy and priviledged ... And may be some of the missions abroad that your friends and cronies enjoy could be curtailed.

<B>Dr Bheemdev MEETARBHAN</B>