Contrary to the traditional media, I will use a different approach to write about some main highlights about the 2012 budget presented this evening. Why? Because my main blog audience remains YOU, the young generation, even if I consider our dear friend Mike as a very active member of the young generation 🙂
Some of you won’t probably care if the government is giving loans to Small and Medium enterprises or what are the expenses/investments of the government. So, I will summarise a few points which will definitely be of interest to you :
[Deeply sorry if I left any errors, I will correct where needed]
- +10cents for SMS and MMS (That is gonna surely hurt like someone stabs a knife right into the heart!)
- +10-30% duty increase on alcoholic drinks
- +15% duty increase on cigarettes
- NO VAT on nicotine gums to help smokers quit
- Foreign part time students will now be able to work up to 20hrs per week
- Special classes 3 times a week during summer holidays to help students to catch up.
- Excise duty on 400cc and above motorcycles increase from 45% to 100%
- Removal of excise duty on motorcycles below 125cc
- Installation of fiber optics to Rodrigues Island for a better internet connectivity
- Abolition of the 30 percent customs duty on tyres for all types of vehicles.
- Abolition of the 15 percent duty on perfumes, cosmetics, shavers, hair removing appliances, hair clippers, shampoo, and other preparations for hair
- Abolition of all specific duties on shoes and other footwear
- HRDC will help unemployed youngs to get a job by financing up to 60% while the companies will do the rest.
- Purchase of 25 additional speed cameras (La poule aux oeufs d’or – That’s how the govt will recover loads of money)
- Increase of the medical grant of Rs200,000 to Rs500,000 for those who need to get treated abroad.
- No VAT increase as the rumor which spread a few days ago.
- Initiatives brought forward regarding CSR and measures to help the poor
- Of course, there are many more points announced. Let’s hope that they do not rot in a drawer somewhere.
You can download the official budget speech from here. I wrote this post quite in a haste as I have not really read everything on the budget, nor I am an economist nor a financial expert. Just a Mauritian, like you. I will update this post as I get more details (or to correct any errors on my behalf).
Your comments on this budget? Feel free to add other points as comments. Bon weekend to all 🙂
Yashvinblogs 
Thanks for the update 🙂
LikeLike
As a relatively young person (in comparison to the many centennial citizens in this country) I followed the budget presentation on TV. I was quite amazed at the 10cents tax on SMS, if it had been 1st April I would have laughed but no, it looks like this will hit the young users most of all. Tax on wine and alcoholic drinks has been severly increased, bad news for some. At least VAT was not increased. My impression is that it mainly looks like a budget boosting SMEs and some social assistance packages. Nevermind, at least I will be able to trim my moustache with cheaper clippers.
LikeLike
And give them a black tint? 😛
3 cheers for our famous youngster!
LikeLike
well resumed
LikeLike
The thing which excited me the most was the section on SME. I’m 16. And I believe this is something which is really important for youngsters and the future of Mauritius. Who doesn’t want a Silicon Valley type Mauritius where each day new startups (I don’t like the word SME) with innovative products, which change the way we live, popping in Mauritius? 🙂 Freebies like the above don’t really have long-term positive impacts and I laugh at those teens and even adults who are ranting about the 10 cent increase in SMS and alcoholic drinks. It shows their mentality, way of living and attitude towards their country.
LikeLike
(lol. I nearly did the same thing about the 10 cent on SMS. Fortunately, I do not txt all day long).
Hmmm, then you are probably different from other youngsters if you have special thoughts about SME etc. Definitely a very good thing.
LikeLike
I thought costs on Technology always trended down… +10c on SMS? Seems anti-trend, or is it just me? I thought with smartphones and all, it was high time to have Calls/SMS/Data bundles by now, but no. Not yet.
LikeLike
As mentioned in the speech, it is some sort of tax. On the radio, I heard the host talk praising this increase (though I might be mistaken – was damn tired). The 10cents is gonna put to some good use. Need to confirm that.
LikeLike
“Seems anti-trend, or is it just me?”
it’s definitely you, Inf. You’re crazy enough to think that everything IT-related here is way too overpriced to allow Dodoland to be effectively a cyber-island. Like me and many people reading this blog.
Want to get that feeling of bragging about things that may never be achieved?
Head to the parcel post office to pay for your things bought online: try to pay with a credit card, or cheque…
Or just take a look at the surroundings of the UTM to get what I mean.
Or just pay a visit to the IT lab at the UoM CITS (close your nostrils before your lungs get seared by the reek of unwashed toilets)…
Now you definitely get what I mean!
LikeLike
Was awaiting you post 🙂 thnx for the highlights!
LikeLike
MT is making huge profit on SMS. Alors bane zen, al pren mtml! Freedom plan. Paye tax zis lot rental laba. Sms unlimited. Pena Traca pu pay tax ou plis.
Wawa
LikeLike
Kozer fini, casse reste pareille. free sms.
LikeLike
SMS ine pi.. calling is way cheaper (when both are from same operator) :p
Mais i think they’re trying to make alcohol and cigarettes less popular among youngsters… become a luxury, instead of a regular drink. Et avec la baisse sur les cosmetiques, they’re trying to make Mauritians more beautiful (most probably to boost tourism :P) xD
LikeLike
“Et avec la baisse sur les cosmetiques, they’re trying to make Mauritians more beautiful”…lol!!! so till now all the man and women around are that damn ugly!?? lol!!! u r so funny…lol!!! 🙂
LikeLike
why isn’t there anything to reduce/prevent water shortage in the budget? they are making as if the problem doesn’t exist
LikeLike
Utterly dissapointed. Nothing that improved my life. Really. Nothing.
LikeLike
Si… +10 cents will make you less dependent on sms haha.
LikeLike
I just hope that this budget is not about making the richer richer, the lazy lazier (especially those who have a dozen kids yet no home, no work and no fixed partner…and expect the govt to help them..of course!!!!) which leaves the hard worker to work harder to pay for the lazy, pay his own loans, educate his kid and try to have a decent life, without any govt support :p
LikeLike
Excuse me??? One has the right to have as many partners as he/she wants, that certainly doesn`t make one a lesser person. We live in a free world and one has the right to have the personal life of his choice as long as he`s not killing anybody(Democracy).
Some of the jobless people have actually no choice, and by the way, we have the choice to do what we want to do and have a dream job, specially if you have worked hard for it … personally i`d be extremely frustrated of I had to do a job that I don`t really love. … it certainly doesn`t mean i`m lazy.
Everybody wasn`t born with rich parents and a house … and for a decent house in a decent place(we would all like to live in a nice place) … count at least 3 Million Rupees … now Imagine how the hell will a poor guy having Rs10,000 per month will afford a house?? even if it costs 1 Million… don`t forget that the guy in question has personal expenses as well.
I don`t think that those people are extremely happy to have 12 kids … they just lack education and good information. If only the TV warned people about it instead of making people more stupid with stupid programmes…I think there would be a change.
The hard workers don`t pay for the lazy ones… hard workers pay to have a high standard of living, security and development … but actually does the government use OUR TAX MONEY in the best way possible ???? Just look around you and see what has changed in 10 years ???? Huge shopping malls??? then what ????
“”””A minute sum of money is spent on poor people”””” compared to the the huge amount of money mis-used by the government. All the BMW cars + chauffeurs they have is YOUR MONEY…and this is the tip of the iceberg.
So WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE YOUR MONEY SPENT ON BMWs and Chauffeurs or on helping poor people ??
As a young person I wonder if this budget will have any good impact on me … hmmm don`t think so, having more shoes or beauty products will not change my life … but that`s just me 🙂
But I do appreciate the effort to help the poor.
Thanks a lot for the post Yashvin!! 🙂
LikeLike
EXCUSE ME too…in a democracy I also have the right to say what I see 🙂
For example, when I mean the lazy poor, am referring to genuine cases of people who do nothing than sleep, fuck, have kids, don’t work coz THEY DONT WANT TO and have dozens of kids all around the island AND EXPECT the govt, to help them with a decent house, educate their kids and pay them social aid stuff etc…
I am not rich and I toil day and night to meet the ends…then i see some ass hole who does nothing but yet the govt gives him a roof, etc…
My opinion bcoz i have seen so many cases….
LikeLike
Yo!
Your photo is 200% Gangsta Rap, bro.
Keep it up, yo! Next time, bring in the picture some spiky dreads, oversized golden/crystal necklaces, rings, golden teeth and what not, and some semi-naked chicks grabbing you by the neck, and it’ll be perfect…
😀
And I see many many foreign currency notes too (except one old Rs50 note, the blue one, isn’t it?), so you’re planning to open a forex trading booth somewhere any time soon?
LikeLike
No trading but can think about reselling them in some years 🙂
I should try the same picture with the rings etc 😛
LikeLike
I hope you’re not hoping that Xavier’s measures will further depreciate the Mauritian rupee…
LikeLike