Statistics Mauritius boss resigns amid pressure to amend growth forecast

MCB Group’s Chief Strategy Officer, Gilbert Gnany, has resigned as Chairman of Statistics Mauritius after the State-controlled entity revised its initial prediction of the country’s growth rate at 4.4% to 5.4% within 48 hours.

Gnany reportedly submitted his resignation to the President of the Republic, Pradeep Roopun.

“After announcing, on June 28, a growth rate of 4.4% and 160,000 tourists for the year 2021, Statistics Mauritius withdrew its document the next day and, on June 30, it published a new version of the national accounts to declare 5.4% growth, counting on 325,000 tourists,” l’Express reported.

A few days earlier, Opposition MP Paul Bérenger (also leader of the MMM) had criticized the Ministry of Finance for allegedly putting pressure to amend the predicted growth rate. Statistics Mauritius operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development. 

Bérenger said he was “sad” that Statistics Mauritius, “being the only independent institution left”, was being “subject to such pressure”.

Gnany has reportedly refused to comment on the decision.