● POLITICS

General elections should be held in September. In his press conference, the prime minister said he didn?t want to start the electoral campaign yet but there is already an atmosphere of hostility between the government and the opposition. While the alliance in power congratulates itself for its excellent team work, which has led to a good overall situation in the country, the opposition runs down the government and says the economic situation has never been so bad. The prime minister has guaranteed that there will be more women in the next Cabinet.

● ECONOMY

Sugar ? The proposal of the European Union was announced quite a long time ago. The final version should be made official in mid-2005. The first decrease in the price of sugar for export was announced as 37% but the African Carribbean and Pacific countries have asked the EU to review this drop. The ACP countries hope that the reform will start in 2008. They have also asked for a compensation fund. Small planters fear for the future if the reform is applied this year. The state is working on a plan to enable them to adopt more modern techniques. They should group in cooperatives to cut costs. Jayen Cuttaree, if he is elected as director of the World Trade Organisation, is expected to defend the interests of small countries in such cases.

Textile ? the Multi-Fibre Agreement doesn?t exist anymore. As a result, Mauritius expects to suffer from the tough competition coming from China. The list of closures and lay-offs will probably go on this year. The unemployment rate is already worrying for the government. The statistics are unlikely to drop unless there is economic growth of up to 7%.

● CHAGOS

The Groupe Réfugiés Chagos will continue its fight to obtain the right to go back to the Chagos archipelago as well as a financial compensation from the British government. The verdict should be obtained at the end of the year. The Chagossians will be defended by the British lawyer, Lord Anthony Lester.

● CYBER-ISLAND

After the first cyber tower, the construction of the second one has already started and should be ready mid-2005. This is a sign that Information and Communication Technologies should play a great part in the Mauritian economy in the future. A law to regulate the working conditions of ICT employees should also be voted this year, thus putting an end to abuses in the field.

Online government will be effective this year. All departments of the government are to be grouped together on a network to facilitate administrative procedures and the lives of all citizens.

● EDUCATION

The most important step for education this year ? the biggest since primary education became compulsory ? will be compulsory attendance in school until the age of sixteen. Elitism in Catholic colleges will also be a thing of the past as from the beginning of the term on the 17th of January. Children with more widely varying CPE results will all be in the same class.

Mauritian Creole will be used as a medium of teaching through two pilot-projects in state colleges whereas the Bureau of Catholic Education will implement it fully in its prevocational schools (see page 11 ? interview).

● TOURISM

The industry has targeted a growth rate of 10 % for the sector this year. Mauritius should thus be able to welcome some 775,000 tourists. Promotion will be more aggressive. Two new hotels will open soon: the Club Med in Albion and the Shanti Ananda Spa in St Felix.

● AIR ACCESS

As for air access, the report will be published in mid-January. The decision whether to make it full or controlled opening will be taken. Air Mauritius will also give its final decision concerning the replacement of its Boeing 767. Airbus or Boeing?

● IRS PROJECTS

Médine, CIEL and the Société du Morne Brabant (SMB) expect to embark on the development of hotels, luxury villas, marinas and golf courses. They?re only waiting for the permits to start. The project will be done in three steps and will extend over six to eight years.

● TUNA PRODUCTION

In the context of the seafood hub, the factory for tuna processing built by Thon des Mascareignes in Port-Louis will be operational in April. It will employ 1,000 people. 400 Indians and Bangladeshis and 200 Mauritians have already been taken on.