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Mauritius-Singapore: two islands, two stories
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Mauritius-Singapore: two islands, two stories
?Since independence, while our aims were similar, we have taken different paths to development. The choice, in each case, was pragmatic and dictated by differing social, political and geographic realities?, said Prime minister Navin Ramgoolam at an official dinner hosted by the Prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, on Wednesday for his official (and second) visit to Singapore.
The paths have indeed been different. And yet, there is still a lot in common. The two countries became independent within a few years of each other and both are former British colonies ? in 1963, Singapore merged with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia. Two years later, Singapore seceded from the federation and became an independent Republic on 9th August 1965. For its part, Mauritius achieved independence on 12th March 1968.
The two countries are also made up of an ethnically diverse population but as opposed to Mauritius, where the Chinese population makes up a minority (3%) of the population, Singapore?s Chinese population forms the majority of the island ? they make up 76%, 13.7% are Malays and 8.4% are Indians.
Does this explain the difference between the two countries? Another element might explain it ? Prime minister Ramgoolam probably hit the nail on the head when he said in his speech: ?We in Mauritius are proud, sometimes I think inordinately proud, of our democracy and our political system. Yet I must admit to a certain envy of the political continuity your country has enjoyed and of the resulting consistency of policies.?
Indeed, the People?s Action Party (PAP) has controlled politics in Singapore since self-government was attained. In consequence, according to Wikipedia, foreign political analysts and several opposition parties like the Workers? Party of Singapore and the Singapore Democratic Party and the Singapore Democratic Alliance have argued that Singapore is essentially a one-party state.
Different circumstances</B>
Many analysts consider Singapore to be an illiberal or procedural democracy rather than a true democracy. The Economist Intelligence Unit describes Singapore as a ?hybrid regime? of democratic and authoritarian elements. Freedom House ranks the country as ?party free?.
Mauritius on the other hand ? as has said PM Ramgoolam ? is a vibrant democracy. And if one reads in between his words, because there hasn?t been political continuity in the past few years, there has been no ?resulting consistency of policies?.
In any event, the policies have been different but according to PM Ramgoolam, ?the means to these ends we have both chosen are expanded education access, broadening the circle of opportunities and economic empowerment so that growth benefits the greatest number?. And he adds: ?While realities and circumstances are different, I do believe that there is much inspiration to be drawn from Singapore.?
Singapore has indeed been rated as the most business friendly economy in the world, with thousands of foreign expatriates working in multi-national corporations. The city-state also employs tens of thousands blue-collared workers around the world.
Mauritius, on the other hand, is now opening up its economy to the world and has been recognized, as the African country where doing business is the easiest. ?We have also a few days ago, been hailed as the best country in Africa for good governance by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation?, added Mauritian PM Navin Ramgoolam, in his speech.
Singapore is miles ahead, as Ramgoolam readily acknowledged ? ?You have had the good fortune also to have had at the helm of affairs over the past 43 years, men whose personal integrity and motivation was never in question.? What?s more, Singapore has consistently been rated, as the least corrupt country in Asia and among the world?s ten most free from corruption by Transparency International.
The news is less good, however, in the Human Rights department ? an area that shouldn?t inspire Mauritius; Amnesty International has criticized Singapore ?for having possibly the highest possible execution rate in the world? per capita. Laws restricting the freedom of speech are justified by claims that they are intended to prohibit speech that may breed ill-will or cause disharmony within Singapore?s multiracial and multireligious society.
Mauritius? motto is the ?Star and Key of the Indian Ocean?. Singapore?s is ?Onward, Singapore?.
Navin Ramgoolam believes that ?by leveraging its privileged relation with Mauritius, Singapore can use it as a springboard for doing business in Africa, especially in Eastern and Southern Africa? and that ?by leveraging its privileged relation with Mauritius Singapore can be a significant intermediary between Asia and Africa?. Who knows? It might just work, after all?
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