One of the major upcoming events in the socio-political landscape at the end of this year remains the announcement of the quantum of salary compensation that will take effect from January 1.
Some assert that the December 7 step, with the conclusion of the next tripartite consultations and the subsequent announcement by the Minister of Finance, Renganaden Padayachy, of the amount aimed at compensating for the loss of purchasing power due to the insidious rise in prices, will set the tone for the countdown to the upcoming electoral deadlines.
The government of the Alliance Nationale, led by Pravind Jugnauth, is irreversibly engaged in the fifth and final year of its mandate.
In the current context, media reports say indications on the political front suggest that the formal procedures leading to the next general elections could be triggered between April and June of next year.
More than 250,000 voters, almost one in four, are reportedly awaiting confirmation of the “magic figure” of Rs 13,500 for the Basic Retirement Pension (BRP) – as promised in October 2019.
In the meantime, and in the immediate term, over 553,000 employees remain suspended awaiting the government’s decision, through the Minister of Finance, regarding the next salary compensation.
The first step of the tripartite consultations is announced for Monday, December 4, with the Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations, Soodesh Callichurn, acting as arbiter between unionists and the private sector regarding projections of the cost of living index (CPI) until December 31, a key factor in salary compensation.
Source: Le Mauricien
