‘Much worse than we thought’ is how the new prime minister describes Mauritius’ economy

The new prime minister of Mauritius declared that the country’s economy was “much worse than we imagined” as the results of an audit he had started into the public finances of the Indian Ocean archipelago arrived.

Days after his coalition won a landslide election victory in November, Navin Ramgoolam announced the audit, claiming the previous government had falsified statistics to inflate the nation’s economic prospects.

Since the audit began, inquiries concerning Ramgoolam’s claims have not received a response from Renganaden Padayachy, the former finance minister.

Additional calls and a message requesting comment from Padayachy on Monday were not answered.

“Our audit of the economy is nearly finished. The sight we have witnessed is startling. It’s far worse than we thought. Ramgoolam stated in remarks aired on Mauritian radio and television stations on Saturday that “Mauritians will soon discover the exact situation of the economy.”

The new finance minister, Ramgoolam, did not cite any statistics to support his remarks over the weekend.
The 1.3 million-person nation is regarded as one of Africa’s most stable democracies.

Mauritius promotes itself as a bridge connecting Africa and Asia, and the majority of its income comes from tourism, textiles, and a thriving offshore financial industry.

Although the economy grew by 7% last year, voters’ perceptions of the previous Pravind Jugnauth-led government were swayed by the rising cost of living, which was a major issue in the election.