This might sound crazy to most scientists. And yet, some of them have been making serious experiments to try and measure what made people happy. A TV programme of BBC World titled The happiness formula over last week-end and the editorial to Times of India of 30th December both refer to those findings. Instead of measuring a nation?s wealth through its gross domestic product (GDP) ? or any such serious index ? the new trend ? that is not so new ? tries to assess how far citizens around the world are satisfied with their lot and happy with their lives.

Although some down-to-earth people or cynics would argue that no one can quantify happiness or train people on how to become happier, some countries have tried it?

Bhutan was the first one to come up with the idea. The Gross National Happiness index ? officially listed in the now famous free online encyclopaedia Wikipedia ? is said to rest on four main pillars : ?the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, the preservation and promotion of cultural values, the conservation of the natural environment and the establishment of good governance.?

Others have followed the lead and the Happy Planet Index appears as one of the latest discoveries of researchers. Its criteria for measurement in that case are consumption level, life expectancy and happiness level.

Although both indexes hardly managed to make me smile at first, I then started thinking about most serious issues. If such indexes were to be applied in Mauritius, how happy would most of us be? The Happy Planet Index gave me a beginning of answer, as it ranked Mauritius 55th among the 178 countries present in the table dating from 2006... After all, this position is not so bad.

But would it be the same if the criteria of the Gross National Happiness were applied? I am quite sure that we are still in quite a good position compared to many other countries that have already lost most of their values and principles? But we may well be on a slippery path. People may feel less happy today than they were a few years back because they are anxious about their future!

Let?s take the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio economic development. Although the prime minister?s New Year message wants to be reassuring, we must admit we had a nasty fright. Equitable development does not mean that everyone should be granted aid from government because of increasing prices on the world market. Sustainable development is actually just the opposite? Granting subsidies to those who really need them is just the best way of making sure they benefit from greater and longer help from the government. The PM appeared sincere and we only hope he will stick to what he said.

What about our cultural values? This period may be the golden opportunity to measure how far we have been preserving such values. Mauritius is still very lucky compared to other modern countries where there are absolutely no traces of any principles? However we can?t afford to compare ourselves with the ones that are showing the bad example and should strive to preserve such richness. But looking at newspaper headlines those days hints at nothing good in view of the number of attacks, crimes and murders throughout the island. How can people feel happy if they do not feel safe?

Our natural environment is still a source of dreams for those living abroad but it has already started being a cause of disillusion for us? Going diving used to be a pleasure in magically colourful places a few years back; now the same are nothing less than a place of despair. We have to be careful if we want to continue living in a pleasant environment that once made ? and maybe still makes ? our pride!

And, last but not least? good governance! More arrests and start of legal procedures against people at the top are in the news and it could be a healthy sign that the authorities concerned are doing their jobs in hunting down those who are corrupt. But even if the proper legislation exists, its implementation remains difficult and still constitutes an obstacle to an effective fight against fraud and corruption.

Although we may not be the unhappiest people on the planet, there is still room for improvement in our standards! So may I wish you a happier 2008!