Mauritius Blog Tracker » Captain Kirk http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com Tracking Mauritian Blogs Sat, 18 Jan 2014 00:04:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Mauritius: Gone to the Dogs http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/27/mauritius-gone-to-the-dogs.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/27/mauritius-gone-to-the-dogs.html#comments Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:38:00 +0000 Captain Kirk There is one subject that is constantly on the lips of Mauritian visitors and inhabitants, and that is Dogs.


We are plagued by stray dogs.  The sight of them upsets the tourists.  They cause accidents on the roads.  They roam the streets tearing up trash bags.  They bark and fight.  They crap everywhere.  They are a blot on our pristine landscape.  One lunch-time I was walking near the Opera House in Port Louis when a pack of about fifteen dogs calmly wandered past me.  In the middle of the city?


The SPCA puts out an annual request for dog owners to 'be responsible' and sends a van out with a big net for catching stray dogs.  The Government puts out tenders for 'the capture and elimination of stray dogs' and PAWS is a private organisation that sterilises dogs for free.  But still they roam wild, and occasionally cross the road at the wrong time.


And then we had the tragedy of young children being attacked by a Rottweiler and an Alsation.  These dogs were not strays.  They were badly secured.  The dogs were eventually put down.  


Because of this attack which was covered in all the papers, the government decided to put a moratorium on the importation of dogs.  The logic being that both these dogs were imported.   What this means is that any expatriate thinking of moving to Mauritius will have to do so without their animals.  


This is already causing major headaches for companies that have employees they want to bring to Mauritius.  I know of a very large South African pharmaceutical company that was on the point of bringing a senior chemist to Mauritius.  This is now on hold.  Economic growth is going to suffer because companies will not have a free choice as to who to bring to their businesses.


So I beg you please, Mr Mauritius Government, lift the moratorium on dogs.     It is a knee jerk reaction and will achieve absolutely nothing positive for Mauritius.   

UPDATE: It now looks like the government allows dogs but on a case by case basis.


And while you are about it, please increase your efforts and budget on the sterilisation of pets, and the 'capture and elimination' of strays.  It will positively effect the tourist experience in Mauritius and maybe save a life or two on the roads.  


Change your strategy on dogs and you will improve the economy, road safety and tourism!


PS: You can ban Rottweilers if you like.  They, like guns, are very dangerous in the wrong hands.



]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/27/mauritius-gone-to-the-dogs.html/feed 0 Cosmetic Dentistry in Mauritius – Before and After http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/14/cosmetic-dentistry-in-mauritius-before-and-after.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/14/cosmetic-dentistry-in-mauritius-before-and-after.html#comments Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:00:00 +0000 Captain Kirk The journey is now complete.  My teeth are transformed.

Before the exercise this is what they looked like: 

 

And now, two weeks and Rs100 000 later, this is my new veneer enhanced smile.



Damn fine job if I say so myself.  I wish I had done it years ago!

]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/14/cosmetic-dentistry-in-mauritius-before-and-after.html/feed 0 Mauritius Health Services – Part 3 – Cosmetic Dentistry http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/06/mauritius-health-services-part-3-cosmetic-dentistry.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/06/mauritius-health-services-part-3-cosmetic-dentistry.html#comments Wed, 06 Oct 2010 08:05:00 +0000 Captain Kirk
Since adulthood I have had a crowded mouth with my front teeth skewed and overlapping.  I have been self concious about this and as a result have not smiled much.  So, no, I am not a grouch, just a guy who smiles in secret.

Three different times I asked dentists to fix my teeth and they would say no, they don't like messing with healthy teeth.  If I wanted them fixed then six months in steel braces with scaffolding outside my head would possibly solve the problem.  I got as far as going to Curepipe and letting the orthodontists there poke around.  They were about to start when I said no, I would think about it, never to return.

Then when I was visiting Dr C for my root canal (see part 2) I casually asked him if he could do a cosmetic job on my front teeth.  'No problem,' he said, 'It will take about a week'.

I  could not believe it!  Here I have endured this disfigured dashboard for ever and I could have had it fixed in a few days.

Monday 10 am:

I arrive and am warned that this session will take two hours.  The worst bit was the first bit.   Four injections into my front gums, the most sensitive part of the gum department.  Soon my nose and lower face were numb and the grinding commenced.  In an hour, my front teeth looked like your average Redneck's.  Four teeth far apart from each other, all pointing in different directions. 


The second hour was spent fitting the temporary teeth.  Three went over the stumps and the fourth was fitted in front of the stump.  The result was a set of gnashers that would have made Jack Nicholson proud.  And these are only the temporary teeth.


Next Thursday, I go for my fitting of my new teeth.  Cost: Rs 110 000 ($3 600)
I also got a quote for putting an implant into a gap I have had ever since an Air Mauritius pilot (Duncan G) dropped his plane on the runway causing my tooth to fall out.  Quote: Rs 50 000 ($1 600). 

The good news here is that you pay half to have the post put in (plus temp tooth) and the other half six months later when the bone has bonded with the post.  This compares favourably with the equivalent done on my friend in the UK for over £2000 which is almost double the Mauritius price.
]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/10/06/mauritius-health-services-part-3-cosmetic-dentistry.html/feed 0 Mauritius Ranked 9th in World Economic Freedom Report 2010 http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/09/28/mauritius-ranked-9th-in-world-economic-freedom-report-2010.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/09/28/mauritius-ranked-9th-in-world-economic-freedom-report-2010.html#comments Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:26:00 +0000 Captain Kirk The 2010 Economic Freedom Report, produced by the Fraser Institute of Canada, ranks Mauritius 9th (using 2008 data).

So who was in the Top Ten?  The winners are...
  1. Hong Kong
  2. Singapore
  3. New Zealand
  4. Switzerland
  5. Chile
  6. United States
  7. Canada
  8. Australia
  9. Mauritius
  10. United Kingdom

For those with an interest in how the rest of Africa did, it is better to start at the bottom and work your way up.  Yup, I am sorry to say that Zimbabwe gets the wooden spoon yet again.

Top of the African list was Zambia at 48th.  Other notables were Botswana (54th), Uganda (57th), Namibia (71st), Ghana (72nd), Kenya (75th), South Africa (82nd) and Nigeria (110).  Our troubled neighbour, Madagascar came 102nd.

So lets have a closer look at the specifics, both for Mauritius and for those that were better than us:

This year, the score was made up of the following components:  Size of Government, Legal System & Property Rights, Sound Money, Freedom to Trade Internationally, Regulation, Credit Market Regulation, Labour Market Regulation and Business Regulations.

For a more detailed description of what these components are and to read the full report, go to http://www.freetheworld.com/2010/reports/world/EFW2010_BOOK.pdf

Mauritius:  Size of Government (7), Legal and Property (47), Money (42), Trade (38), Regulation (14), Credit Regulation (14), Labour Regulation (24), Business Regulations (25).

Lets look at who came first by category:

Size of Government:  Hong Kong (obviously not counting China)
Legal and Property: New Zealand with Norway and Denmark in 2nd and 3rd place.
Money: Japan followed by the USA and then Taiwan.
Trade: Hong Kong followed by Singapore.
Regulation: Bahamas, followed by Hong Kong
Credit Regulation: Estonia, Kuwait and New Zealand tied first with 10/10.
Labour Regulation: Bahamas, then Hong Kong
Business Regulations: Belize followed by Singapore and then New Zealand.

I wrote a blog about this survey in January.  It must have been the previous year's survey.  You can read it here: http://mauritiusinsider.blogspot.com/2010/01/our-forgotten-right.html
Interestingly they have removed the Freedom from corruption score this time around.  Also interestingly, Mauritius has improved from 12th behind UK to 9th ahead of UK.  I am not implying anything!
]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/09/28/mauritius-ranked-9th-in-world-economic-freedom-report-2010.html/feed 0 Mauritius Health Services Part 2 – Dentists and other Private Practioners (updated) http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/09/27/mauritius-health-services-part-2-dentists-and-other-private-practioners-updated.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/09/27/mauritius-health-services-part-2-dentists-and-other-private-practioners-updated.html#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 08:15:00 +0000 Captain Kirk
As we all know, people are different, and as some of us may know, doctors are people too.  Therefore it will be extremely unwise for me to generalise.  Instead I give three simple anecdotes that hopefully give some idea of private practice in Mauritius.

Anecdote One:  Readers of the previous blog will know that I have a bit of medical training - not much, just enough to be dangerous.  Back in March, 1994, a friend and I were preparing our house for a combined 40th and 50th birthday.  I was the younger one.  Keith bumped into a bush that housed a nest of Yellow Jacket wasps.  These attacked him under his shirt and I guess he had about 20 stings in all.  I was worried about an allergic reaction and noticed that his pulse was a bit thready and his skin pasty, but his breathing was OK.  I called our local GP and in less than fifteen minutes she was there, administering anti-histamine and probably saving his life.

Anecdote Two:  I was called by a friend who was having lunch at a seafood speciality restaurant.  She is extremely allergic to fish (spot the mistake).  She called me and said she was having an allergic reaction to her food although it was meant to be a beef curry.  The GP in the first anecdote was not available, so I called another whom I hardly knew.  In no time he was there, administering anti-histamines to my friend.  

Anecdote Three: There is a Paediatrician in the North who is known and liked by all.  In addition to this, he is a very good doctor.  A couple with two young kids who had moved from Mauritius to London returned recently.  When I asked the mother what was the best thing about coming back, she said it was this doctor.

The point I want to make here is that we are a village-like community and our doctors are part of our social world.  As a result, their dedication and attitude to their patients is often at a higher level than you would normally expect.  

Dentists

My wife and I are a dentist's dream.  Together we could keep a team of twenty dentists permanently employed.  My journey down the rocky road of root canals did not start well.

Our offices are based in Port Louis.  In 1995, tooth ache occurred and I needed urgent relief.  A colleague gave me the number of her dentist.  It was just over the road.   My first Mauritian dentist.  I walked into the room which was a surgery with a tiny panelled-off waiting room.  I should have realised something was amiss when I noticed the arm pads on the dentist chair were badly scratched. 

In seconds he had me on my back, mouth agape.  Then the drill started.  I have never experienced such pain.  My fingers clawed at the armrests, removing bits of fake leather and sponge.  Some wood too, I think.  As soon as he stopped, I jumped from the chair and dashed out the door.  I paid later.  It was not a lot.

Back in office, I went to my colleague and asked her why she had recommended this dentist as he was a barbarian.  'Oh, I hate injections,' she said.


I have since had a number of treatments from dentists in Port Louis and Grand Bay.  The Grand Bay dentist did not have an X-Ray, so I never went back.

Apart from the lack of x-ray machines and aversion to Lidocaine, my other general complaint about these dentists is that they never finish the job in one go.  Drill today, fill.  Come back next week.  Remove fill, put new fill.  Measure crown.  Come back next week.  Remove fill, put new fill, fit crown.  Come back next week.  Move on to next tooth.  Drill, fill, come back next week.  I think you get the picture.


It gets worse.  The orthodontists and their preferred dentists all live and work in the middle of Mauritius (Quatre Bornes / Curepipe).  So if add the travel time from the North or West, it is easy to spend half a day a week getting your teeth done.

And now for the good bit...

I never thought I would use the words DENTIST and PARADISE in the same sentence, but I must tell you about the best dentist experience I have ever had, in any country, and yes, this was in Mauritius, and it was close to where I live.

First of all, the practice involves two dentists and an orthodontist and a dental surgeon, and is set in the tranquil grounds of a Colonial Plantation Home near the private schools in the North.  Their rooms are a converted farm building, and they have managed to create the effect of a professional clinic inside the old stone and wood architecture:

They have the best equipment I have ever seen.  Below is their x-ray machine, which to an ignoramus like me, looks very nice.  In addition to this, the practice is network linked.  So the dentist refers to the x-ray on his screen next to the dental chair.  He can also see when his next appointment is due, and when I walk out, my invoice is waiting at reception.
There are three or four theatres all equipped like the one below.  There is also a crown making machine.  This is a high tech surgery.
All this equipment comes at a price, so don't expect to be charged the 'normal' rate when you come here.  This is a five star practice and the prices are five star.  I have an appointment here tomorrow.  I will update this blog with my experience and prices as soon as I can.

Update 28 September 2010

Met with Dr C (I waited exactly 2 minutes) who x-rayed my fangs.  We then compared this x-ray to the one he took two years ago, zooming in on the offending tooth that has been quietly harbouring an abscess for the last two years.  He also noted a broken crown.  Then it was off to his room (what do you call it?  Theatre, Surgery).  Anyway, it looked like the one in the picture above.  As I reclined myself in the chair, I could see my x-ray of the offending tooth above me on a flat screen.  On my right, Dr C showed me a computer generated 3D model of the broken crown, which he studied to see why it had broken.  Perhaps he had ground the wall on the one side too thin when fitting it, he mused.  I was suitably informed.  His crown machine would make another to the original design ready for me tomorrow.

Then it was time to open my mouth and endure drills, crowns being forcibly removed and almost no pain (he hit a nerve at the end). No injections this time.   No prices yet, and I must come back tomorrow, for part two of root canal and crown replacement.   The antibiotic prescription and appointment card were waiting at reception on my way out.

29 September 2010

My face is numb.  At least four injections into the tooth and its surrounds have turned my face into a lump of putty.  What was left of the nerves were deleted from the canal, and a lot of cleaning was done.  Lazer sterilization complimented the mechanical scraping.  Then neat plugs of gunk were piped into the now vacant canals.  Two on site x-rays confirmed all was well.
All the time, I knew what was being done.  Dr C kept me briefed, and I could see the x-rays on the screen above me as they recorded the progress.

The broken crown was replaced free of charge as Dr C felt it was his fault the first one had failed.  My bill for yesterday and today was Rs16 000 (about $320).    You can get this done much cheaper in Mauritius, but not in the same way.

Forthcoming Attractions:

Starting next Monday, I will get four caps put on my front teeth.  I have had a crowded mouth the last 40 years and would like to smile with confidence.  Quote:  Rs110 000 (about $3500).
]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/09/27/mauritius-health-services-part-2-dentists-and-other-private-practioners-updated.html/feed 0 Health Services of Mauritius – Part One http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/07/21/health-services-of-mauritius-part-one.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/07/21/health-services-of-mauritius-part-one.html#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:17:00 +0000 Captain Kirk
To summarise, for those in a hurry:

Mauritius had a third world health service seventeen years ago, but now in some places, it is as good as many first world countries and constantly improving (unlike some countries nearby that I could mention).
___________

Here follows part one of my random wander through the health services of Mauritius:

My first exposure was in August 93 when I needed a medical check-up to get my work permit.  I was sent with a personal letter of introduction to the City Clinic in Port Louis.  I walked into a fairly Spartan medical facility where I was efficiently processed.  My blood was taken, my rays were x'd and my bottles were handed in.  Unremarkable.  Afterwards, I was informed that these guys were the only ones in Mauritius with an MRI.

My second exposure occurred when I was called from our bungalow on the beach in Grand Bay to attend to an injured man.   I worked as a volunteer paramedic in South Africa before moving to Mauritius, and had brought my spine-board with me.  The man had been stabbed and had fallen into the sea from the road, hitting his head.  We loaded him onto the board, and flagged down a truck.  In those days an ambulance was too far away.  If it had happened today I could have called on two ambulances less than a kilometre away in either direction.

The truck took the patient and myself to SSR Hospital near Pamplemousses.  SSR (Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam) is famous for its cardiac unit.  It is not a private hospital, and is not going to win any inter hospital beauty competitions.  We carried him into the emergency ward and after giving the doctor my assessment, we left (with my spine board and without my patient).

The injured man came to our house a few days later to thank me.  So the hospital worked.

A number of private clinics have popped up over the years, and many expatriates have visited them.  There are three in the north.  The only criticism I can give one of them is that they tend to go overboard with their diagnosis and  treatment.  My wife's sprained wrist was put in plaster, for example, when a bandage would have done the trick. 

The worst example was when the same clinic diagnosed a young girl with a brain tumour causing incredible stress to the family, who went to South Africa for a second opinion.  The clinic's diagnosis of a tumour was in fact a bone.

Over-diagnosis is a constant problem and I think it is part of typical Mauritian conservatism.  We use up our capacity for risk taking driving to work, so the rest of day is spent being very careful, restocking our bravery bank for the drive home.   Erring on the side of caution is better than the opposite, I suppose.

I have stayed overnight in a private hospital once in Mauritius.   Seven years ago, I was put into a private ward.  This had one bed and a shower / toilet en suite.  No extras.  My wife had to bring me a decent pillow, toilet paper, shampoo, food and water. 

My heart was 'racing away', as my cardiologist described it, so I was hooked up to a heart monitor.  This 'private ward' had a huge glass window in it facing the nurses station (which was fine) and the lift lobby (which was not fine).  Visitors and mobile patients walked past the window, peering in at me lying in state, plugged into the machine that goes 'ping'.  They would call their friends and gaze at me and the machine through the window.   I would chase them away by moving my hand up and down under the sheets.

The next morning a crowd of nurses came to tend to me.  One of them tried to take my blood using a very thin needle.  Blood is thick and needs a reasonable gauge needle to effect extraction.  All she did was poke around like some blind mosquito until I chased her away.  I don't know who trained her, and none of those with her helped her.

I suppose this was a good hospital in retrospect, as it made me determined never to get sick again.

The Grand Bay clinic recently treated a friend over two nights with a kidney stone.  They were fast, efficient, well equipped and reasonably priced.   And it was an emergency admission.  The friend was impressed.  I was treated there once two years ago by a podiatrist who injected my foot with cortisone.  I hardly waited, it was cheap, and most importantly, it worked.

And now, finally, what I have been building up to in this blog, is the pinnacle of Mauritian Medicine...The Apollo Bramwell Hospital.  This is a new private hospital on the grand scale and we gave it a test drive yesterday.


The Apollo Bramwell Private Hospital in Moka

My wife went went in for a surgical procedure requiring anaesthetic.  

Registration went without incident and twenty minutes later, she was in her private room (Rs4 500 per night but included in the package).  It had its own cable TV (hotel bouquet of channels), shower/toilet complete with soft fluffy towels, two-ply toilet paper and a welcome pack of toiletries and slippers.  A very large arm chair which converts into a bed for visitors (great idea), three remotes - TV, Nurse Call and Bed Adjust, a programmable safe, a telephone and adjustable airconditioning.
 
Areas to improve:  No Wifi and the north facing wards get blasted by afternoon sun.  The blinds are ineffective.

The operation package (two and a half hours of anaesthesia) cost of Rs140 000 compared to the same quote from an SA day clinic of Rs170 000 (verified and excluding air fares), and from Reunion / France Rs360 000 (not verified).  We were tempted to go to Reunion or South Africa but chose Mauritius, and Apollo Bramwell instead.

The staff were plentiful, attentive and professional.  There were lots of trainees taking blood pressures and temperatures and I saw from their badges that they were attending the Apollo Bramwell Nurses College, so consistent training of nurses is to be expected at last.  There is a healthy dose of staff with experience from India or the UK.  

Many of the doctors in Mauritius are trained in France or India, and I rate the French medical system as one of the best in the world.  The Indians have the advantage of getting lots of practical experience, plus a good education.  Nurses in Mauritius are a different kettle of fish and I have seen a broad spectrum of nursing competence.  I am sure this is improving, having seen what Apollo Bramwell are producing.

The dinner menu last night was:
Vegetable Soup
Green Salad
Roast Chicken in honey with vegetables and rice / stir fry beef / vegetarian option
Fresh Fruit Salad with Yoghurt.

Not bad! 

The only unsettling thing was the sign saying 'Basement:  Mortuary and Kitchen'.

That was a joke.  It just said Mortuary.  I don't know where the kitchens are.  Still unsettling.

Please take this blog with a pinch of salt.  It was a personal survey taken over seventeen years, and I have left out one of the best private hospitals in Mauritius - Clinic Darne.  I have not experienced it in its newly renovated state, except to have an X - Ray (which was fine, and I liked the aquarium and the short wait in the waiting room).

Part Two will cover Dentists and Private Practitioners.







]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/07/21/health-services-of-mauritius-part-one.html/feed 0 Residence in Mauritius – The Whole Revised Picture http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/07/19/residence-in-mauritius-the-whole-revised-picture.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/07/19/residence-in-mauritius-the-whole-revised-picture.html#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:55:00 +0000 Captain Kirk
To save you having to read this whole blog, and to keep pace with the ever changing rules, please contact our office or click here to go to the Board of Investment's latest update.

In the budget of 2007, the Government announced 'eligibility for Permanent Residence Permit and the right to purchase property to foreigners having at least three years' working experience in Mauritius and earning a minimum monthly basic salary of Rs150 000'.

To see where I got this, click on http://www.deloitte-mu.com/NewsRoom/Budget2007/Budget2007.pdf

So three years ago, many expatriates and potential expatriates got excited by this budget promise.  And what do we have to show the patient foreign investor / resident three years later?

Nothing.

The Board of Investment tells us it is 'with the Prime Minister's Office'.  While this is correct and is where it should be, it has been there since 2007.  The PM's Office is not receiving applications for permanent residence because the guidelines have not been finalised yet, they tell us repeatedly.

Regular readers of this blog know that I try to put a positive spin on as much of Mauritius as possible, but in this case, I have to tell it like it is.

Permanent Residence is an unfulfilled promise.

Ahhh, but what about people who buy in an IRS or RES scheme?  Are they not Permanent Residents?  The estate agents selling you these homes will be quick to say that yes, you are.  Well sorry to disagree, but in my book, a Permanent Resident gets the right, subject to PM's approval, to buy (and build) residential property anywhere, not just in some fancy enclave.

In addition to this somewhat skittish approach to attracting foreign investment, we have had a bit of a negative reaction to the inflow of foreigners to Mauritius, particularly South Africans.

Emotions are high on all sides.  Rumours, some justified, most based on fiction, abound.  The bottom line is that across the spectrum, Mauritians are a bit uncomfortable with certain types of South African.  Some don't like the loud short tempered types, some don't like the senior executives hired in to streamline organisations, some don't like the restaurant owners who offer something that attracts foreigners, and some don't like South African expats because they are white.

This anti foreigner reaction has had the effect that the requirements for a residence permit have been tightened.  I must personally agree that the door was opened a bit too wide.  Every country has the right to set its entry standards to a level that will not threaten their social or economic future.

Therefore, the new revised menu is now presented for your enjoyment:



The Mauritius Menu of Residential Options

Starter

  • Occupation Permit without the option to convert to Permanent Residence (yes I know, none have the option for the time being, but in case the guidelines do come through one day, I must assume that the Government will deliver on its promise).
Main Courses
  • Occupation Permit with the option to convert to Permanent Residence
  • Retirement Residential Permit with option to convert to Permanent Residence
  • Right to Occupation Permit due to ownership of an IRS unit.
  • Permanent Residence (currently not available).
Desert
  • Citizenship
  • Tax residence
Occupation Permit without the option to convert to Permanent Residence

This is the closest thing to the old combination work and residence permit. It is issued for a period of three years, and can be renewed on application, indefinitely. The minimum requirement is that the bread winner  earns a salary of more than Rs75 000 per month (up from Rs30 000). This is about $2500 per month.

UPDATE:  This threshold has been changed (yet again) to Rs45 000 per month.

In view of the constantly changing of requirements, I recommend that any serious applicant contact our office, or the Board of Investment for the latest updates.

The breadwinner and his dependent family may work and live in Mauritius. As soon as a child turns 18 and is not a student, they need to get a job, get married to a Mauritian or get out. That job also has to pay more than Rs75 000 (now Rs45 000) per month.  This is called the Professional Occupation Permit.

Other ways to qualify for this permit are
  • As an Investor and have a company with an annual turnover of Rs4 million with an initial investment of $100 000 (plus Rs50 000 guarantee).
  • As a Self Employed person and earn Rs600 000 p.a. ($20 000) with an initial investment of $35 000 or equivalent (plus Rs50 000 guarantee).
Occupation Permit with the option to convert to Permanent Residence (not official)

The guidelines below have not been confirmed and while we wait for the Prime Minister's Office to issue these, we cannot guarantee that they will apply.  We have kept them as an indication of how the government was thinking in 2008.


In order to have the option to convert to Permanent Residence, the holder must achieve the following minimum levels for three consecutive years and then apply:

  • have a salary of over Rs150 000 per month ($5, 500)
  • have a company with turnover of at least Rs15m p.a. ($555 000)
  • be self employed and earn at least Rs3m p.a. ($111 000)
Retirement Residential Permit with option to convert to Permanent Residence

A retiree may acquire a residential permit (that does not permit him to work, obviously because he is retired!) by depositing $40 000 per annum into his personal rupee account in Mauritius. He may then spend this amount as he sees fit. This requirement refers to only one individual in the family.

After three years, the retiree may apply for Permanent Residence once the guidelines for permanent residence have been issued.  Until then, renewal of the permit will be required.

Right to Occupation Permit due to ownership of an IRS unit

The owner of an IRS (Integrated Resort Scheme) unit may acquire an Occupation Permit that entitles him to live and work in Mauritius for as long as he holds the permit. After three years there is no clarity as to whether this may be converted to Permanent Residence - this is a common misunderstanding. If the IRS is owned by a Company, then this company can nominate one individual to be the 'resident' who then gets the occupation permit.

Permanent Residence

What's so great about Permanent Residence? The main benefit of being a Permanent Resident is that you may apply to purchase a home anywhere in Mauritius. This is a much cheaper option than purchasing a home in an IRS, unless you want a house on the beach. In this case, I refer you to my blog on property.

The other great thing about permanent residence is that if you have built a business or career in Mauritius, it does not hang on the thread of permit renewal.  I have been in this position, and it can be very scary to build a business over the years and have your livelihood subject to the renewal of your occupation permit. 

The finer details of permanent residence are still being thrashed out by the government and we eagerly await clarification on a number of issues. Of particular interest is the the question of how long this 'permanence' is. When the dispensation was first described, it set the term for ten years. Some have said that implicit in this ten year threshold, is the ability for the permanent resident to apply for citizenship. Watch this space.

Citizenship

A person may apply for citizenship by Naturalisation if one has lived 'continuously' in Mauritius for 5 years. The law is vague and the application thereof highly discretionary. The Prime Minister administers this and citizenship is a privilege. If someone has been living in Mauritius for over five years (aggregate having subtracted all the times of absence) they may start the application process. It may be declined or it may be successful. I don't know of any magic formula that can guarantee success. Perhaps it will be easier for permanent residents to apply for citizenship in the years ahead. I hope so.

Tax Residence

Tax residency has got nothing to do with any type of permit or citizenship or residence status.

You have to reside in Mauritius for 182 days per year in the first two years, and 91 days each year thereafter to qualify for tax residency. When you have stayed in Mauritius for the first 182 days that year, you may apply to the Mauritius Revenue Authority for a tax residence certificate. Once this is in your possession, it is possible that you may not be taxed in other countries that have tax treaties with Mauritius (including UK and South Africa).

Extinct Scheme for Residence

Please note that the Permanent Residence Scheme whereby an investment of $500 000 in Mauritius gave one permanent residence status is now, like the Dodo, extinct.

For more detailed information on any of the above schemes please go to http://frontfin.com/prs
]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/07/19/residence-in-mauritius-the-whole-revised-picture.html/feed 0 Throwing the Baby out with the Bath Water http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/05/13/throwing-the-baby-out-with-the-bath-water.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/05/13/throwing-the-baby-out-with-the-bath-water.html#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 10:10:00 +0000 Captain Kirk
The reactions of the Government have been understandable to a point.  But now it's time to have a hard look at all this nonsense, and the damange we are doing to ourselves in the long run.

Mauritius opened its doors to foreigners about three years ago.  In fact, it almost took the doors off their hinges making it easy for almost anyone to move to Mauritius and get a permit for three years.

The result of this relaxation was that a broad spectrum of hopeful settlers arrived en masse and started setting up businesses, opening restuarants, acquiring board positions on local companies, entering into joint ventures with locals, putting their kids in private schools, saving dogs, teaching sports, donating to charity, soaking up the top end of the rental market in Black River and Grand Bay, developing property, and occasionally acting in a loud and uncouth manner towards locals.

And what have we locals done in response?

We have gathered in huddles within each of our communities and pointed our fingers at them for failing to integrate.  That they cluster in Grand Bay and Black River because they don't like Quatre Bornes or Suillac.

As a result of our outcry, the Government then raises the entry levels for expatriate employees from Rs30 000 to Rs75 000.  And adds a bit of discretion (and uncertainty) to the exercise by creating a panel at the BOI to evaluate who should come in and who should not.

The net result of this is that South Africans in and out of Mauritius have got the message.  They are no longer welcome on this island.   So not only is Mauritius missing out on South Africans with great skills, business ideas and fat bank balances, but it is also chasing the ones they have here out of the country.

For example, I met a lovely lady yesterday.  Her application for a work permit was turned down because Mauritius does not need people with her artistic skills.  So she must stop doing the things she is good at and lives for, and at the age of 35 must remain at home, looking after her children.

The problem is that her husband sits on the board of a major Mauritian financial institution and has his own job of looking after a portfolio of funds in excess of Rs4 Billion.  They are both now going to return to South Africa.  Obviously their feelings will not be that warm to this country in the future.

Maybe Australia or England will be lucky enough to get them if they decide to move to another place that promises a good future for their children.

So listen to me please, fellow Mauritians.  Open your hearts before you open your mouths.  Consider what it must be like to arrive in a foreign country where you don't understand half of what everyone says, where you have no constitutional rights, where everything is new and strange.  Consider what it must be like to move here three years ago with promises of permanent residence and the ability to purchase your own home, only to have your wife denied a work permit, the promise of a home of your own broken.  And to be told you are not really welcome anyway.

I sadly fear that we have thrown the baby out with the bath-water.

PS  I got a comment from the lady I describe above.

Thanks Captain Kirk, how funny to see my story : ) I have really loved my three odd years here... In fact, because I so enjoy the culture and the different life here, I have gone all out to get local! I have taken weekly French lessons, and can now follow a conversation in French, and basic Creole. I shop at the Vacoas market every week with relish. I have moved away from Grand Bay and Black River, and live in the middle of the Island, which I love. And my best friend is a local Hindu Mauritian. We have donated generously to PAWS, which is fantastic and I have used my newly learnt creative skills to raise funds for the poor. I have put my heart and soul into Mauritius, and have loved being here. It's a very special, and beautiful place with awesome spirit and joy. All we need to do is look. 

Boy, did we mess up with this one! 


]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/05/13/throwing-the-baby-out-with-the-bath-water.html/feed 0 Ghettos and Aliens http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/02/02/ghettos-and-aliens.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/02/02/ghettos-and-aliens.html#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:15:00 +0000 Captain Kirk When I read the steady stream of anti-expat articles in the press, usually levelled at the South African community, I notice one of the common threads is that South Africans live in enclaves, or ghettos. 

Let me address this.  

On Sunday evening, we were entertained at the home of an expat.

Now before you read on, test yourself:  Guess where this expat lives and from whence he came?

Most of you will probably guess that he lives somewhere on the north or west coast, and that he is South African.  Well you would have been wrong on both counts.  He is an expat from India and he lives in Quatre Bornes.  


Now let's have a look at this argument from the other side:  How many expats from South Africa do you know that don't live in Blue Bay, the West Coast (Tamarin / Black River) or the North - within 15 minutes of Grand Bay, on or near the beach?  

Very very few, we will all agree.  

Why is that?  

English Schools and Near the Beach are the two principal requirements of most South Africans arriving in Mauritius.  

What about Moka?

Moka is inland from Port Louis and sits at the base of Le Pouce mountain just off the freeway.

Moka has a junior and a senior English private school.  It is close to Nandos, Milky Lane, Game, Shoprite, hospitals, VW and Audi and is only 30 minutes from Black River, or Blue Bay.   And my Indian friend lives about ten minutes from Moka.  So why do no South Aficans live in Moka?  Is the beach really that important?


For the new arrivals, the beach is usually a non negotiable aspect to their choice of abode. They have chosen to come to Mauritius, tropical paradise.  White sand, blue water, pretty boats, a tourist lifestyle. So yes, the beach is that important.  And then the fact that there are so many other South African's living nearby makes the choice easier.  

Any expat arriving in a new country feels alienated.  They are Aliens after all.  To be close to others in the same boat is a comfort, and also a confidence builder as the longer serving expats show the newbies the way.  

Hopefully this explains why the SA expats live in enclaves or ghettos.  It is not that they shun everyone else.  That does not cross their mind. 

Moving onto my next point about Expats:


The huge adjustment for every single expat is coming to terms with being an Alien.  You can't just dump your suitcase in your new house and get on with life.  

No, there are many stumbling blocks.  Here is a short and very incompete list of nasty surprises:


  1. You put 'holiday' on your entry form, and yet you came to live and work here.  That will take a morning at the passport office to fix.
  2. You did not bring your UNABRIDGED birth certificate with you.  That means another slow dance with SA Home Affairs.
  3. There is a deposit or guarantee of Rs40 000 per person applying for an Occupation Permit.  What's this for?  No one tells you.  Let me tell you, then...It's so the government will not be out of pocket for the airfare if they have to deport you.
  4. The expat private school fees are higher than those for the locals.  No idea on this one.  The reason I was given was that 'expats are richer'.
  5. Renting a house means you pay the agent one month commission.  And the landlord does the same.  Why.  Because that is the way we do things here.  This is not effing SA!
I am sure there are many more possible additions to this list.  But each one of these 'surprises' has a lesson in it.  


  1. Don't fudge the bureaucracy.  Be honest, and complete.  And ask if you don't know.
  2. SA has this unique 'Abridged' birth certificate.  No one else in the world has them as far as I know.  Sorry, but you can't use it outside of SA.  Not our fault.
  3. The deposit or guarantee makes sense to me.  Only it never gets explained to anyone so the Alienated Alien thinks that it is just another attempt to irritate him.  Cool it.  Accept it.
  4. Expat school fees are unfair.  I can't defend this one, they are.
  5. Both renting parties paying the agent is the Mauritian way.  As a new arrival here it is one of your biggest challenges to stop using your previous country's frame of reference.  Nothing irritates us more than hearing "This would never happen in SA!"
The biggest general message I can give to all Expats is to understand that you are not Mauritians, you are Aliens.  You are different.  And the more different you act, the more you look like Aliens to the Mauritians.  Blend in.  Learn Creole.  Make some local friends.  You will be amazed at how many nice Mauritians there are out there.






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]]> http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/02/02/ghettos-and-aliens.html/feed 0 Mauritius comes 6th in the Green World Cup http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/01/29/mauritius-comes-6th-in-the-green-world-cup.html http://www.mauritiusblogtracker.com/2010/01/29/mauritius-comes-6th-in-the-green-world-cup.html#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:44:00 +0000 Captain Kirk
Green Parakeets - Seen Occasionally in Mauritius



Ha!  At last we beat Singapore at something.


The Environmental Performance Index put Mauritius 6th in world. 


Those better than Mauritius in descending order were Iceland (1), Switzerland (2), Costa Rica (3), Sweden (4) and Norway (5).  Since all these countries except for Costa Rica are hidden under a block of ice for most of the year, it's not surprising that they beat us.  No one went outside to mess things up.  Well done Costa Rica.  We'll get you next year!


How did my usual benchmark countries do?  UK came 14th, Singapore 28th and South Africa, a top wildlife tourist destination, came 115th out of 163.  We Mauritians will have to show you guys how to fill out these surveys!


This biannual joint production from Yale and Columbia Universities measures no less than 37 categories listed below, many of which I don't understand.  It is clear that Mauritius is not a perfect green state by any means.  Categories 21, 22 and 23 to do with nasty industrial emissions are very low down in the world pecking order.  


Our water quality index at 93rd is a bit embarrassing considering how small our country is.  I would have thought that it is much easier to control quality with small production facilities compared to huge diverse countries.  South Africa came 32nd here.  But at least in Mauritius everyone is close to a tap.  Mauritius came 5th on access to drinking water.  Just don't drink it. 


Below is the long and largely incomprehensible list of categories.  These academics should try to make this survey a bit more user friendly.  And their website http://epi.yale.edu does not show you much without forcing you to download large pdf files. 

  1. Environmental Health 35
  2. Ecosystem Vitality 16
  3. Environmental Burden of Disease (category) 45
  4. Air Pollution (effects on humans) 6
  5. Water (effects on humans) 42
  6. Water (effects on ecosystems) 57
  7. Air Pollution 106 (not very good considering our size and lack of industrialization).
  8. Biodiversity and Habitat 108
  9. Forestry 119 (reasonable since we have no forests)
  10. Fisheries 2
  11. Agriculture 21
  12. Climate Change 29
  13. Environmental Burden of Disease (Indicator) 45
  14. Urban Particulates 4
  15. Indoor Air Pollution 5 (surprising considering the amount of curry consumed in Mauritius)
  16. Access to Sanitation 51
  17. Access to Drinking Water 5
  18. Water Quality Index 96 (Drink bottled or filtered water)
  19. Water Scarcity Index 5
  20. Water Stress 4
  21. Nitrous Oxide Emissions 146 (not good at all)
  22. Sulfur Dioxide Emissions 137 (ditto)
  23. Non Methane Volatile Organic Compound Emissions 152 (there is a pattern here)
  24. Ozone Exceedance 3
  25. Biome Protection 114
  26. Critical Habitat Protection 12
  27. Marine Protected Areas 109
  28. Growing Stock 98
  29. Forest Cover 106
  30. Marine Trophic Index 3
  31. Trawling Intensity 3
  32. Pesticide Regulation 30
  33. Agricultural Subsidies 2
  34. Agricultural Water Intensity 120
  35. Geenhouse Gas Emissions Per Capita 42
  36. Industrial Carbon Intensity 2
  37. Electrical Carbon Intensity 137 (This should improve).
With all these high numbers I don't know how we came 6th.  We came 54th in 2008.












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