Arvin Boolell: “the middle class is being left behind in this disjointed and disappointing budget”

At a press conference at the office of the leader of the opposition, Arvin Boolell, the PTr/MMM/PMSD alliance did not fail to highlight the inconsistencies of the 2024/25 Budget. “It is an electoral budget, disjointed and disappointing which does not address the fundamental problems. The middle class is being left behind as inflation hits those at the bottom most,” said Arvin Boolell.

According to him, “inflation will continue to heavily affect the population”. He deplored “the absence of measures” to reduce the price of medicines. “There’s nothing about the drug problem or Law & Order. »

Arvin Boolell also denounced the “mismanagement of the economy” and cited the dismantling of the BAI and the compensation paid by the State to Betamax for breach of the oil supply contract and to Patel Engineering for the termination of the lease in Les Salines, Port-Louis, for the Neotown project, which cost Rs 20 billion, more than Rs 6 billion and Rs 1.9 billion respectively.

From 2019 to date, Arvin Boolell pointed out, “purchasing power has fallen enormously, while public debt has increased. When we examine the figures presented by the Minister of Finance, we see a camouflage of the reality regarding debt and growth. Life will become even more expensive. Who will pay the consequences? »

For the leader of the opposition, the government “is badin with the future.” You are thoughtful and irresponsible for your future.”

Reza Uteem, president of the MMM, will say that the budget is disappointing because there is “nothing new”. “For five years, this Minister of Finance has been feeding us the same dish. The iron work that gave me an oken mezir to create krwasans, caused me inflation and depression rupee. Its measures are financed by inflation, depreciation and borrowing.”

Reza Uteem specifies that the Minister of Finance expects to collect Rs 182 billion in taxes compared to Rs 156 billion previously. “Li donn enn kote e li repran lot kote,” lamented the purple MP. And added that another way of financing is “through the public debt which will increase by Rs 42 billion to reach Rs 567 billion. These are even more debts that the population will have to repay.”

According to him, “many people are disappointed” and this, among other things, because of “the absence of the long-awaited salary readjustment”. Compared to the drop in the price of gas, he recalls that “on April 18, 2022, the cylinder sold at Rs 180, then the price increased to Rs 240 to now bring it down to Rs 190. This is more expensive than 'in 2022'.

Khushal Lobine, of New Democrats, for his part, argued that it is “a defeatist budget from a government at the end of its reign which knows that it will lose power in a few months. There is no “wow effect”. Zot inn donn disik me li fad”. Important themes, such as the blue economy, or measures to curb the exodus of Mauritians, have been forgotten, according to him.