SPEECH BY HON. D.GOKHOOLMINISTER OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESEARCH ON THE OCCASION OF THE 161ST ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE MCCI 25TH MARCH, 2010 AT LABOURDONNAIS WATERFRONT HOTEL,PORT-LOUIS
Hon. Arvind Boolell, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade
Hon. Mahen Gowreesoo, Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives
Hon. Sylvio Tang, Minister of Consumer Protection and Citizens Charter
Members of Diplomatic Corps
Mr. Kiran Juwaheer, President of MCCI
Mr. Mahmood Cheeroo, Secretary-General of MCCI
Captains of Industry
Members of the Press
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Morning
Thank you for inviting me once again to your Annual General Assembly and giving me the opportunity to make an address.
Allow me at the very outset to congratulate the MCCI for the very effective role it has been playing as the voice of the business community while furthering the interests of its members over the last 161 years.
Partnership
It is indeed a matter of great pride for Mauritius that we have highly respected and effective private sector institutions that are role models in the region and have nothing to envy other similar organizations as far as international best practices are concerned. Also, our Public Private Sector partnership has often been recognized, both regionally and internationally as a catalytic factor in our country’s development.
The MCCI has been a proactive partner of Government, in regional and international fora, where we demonstrate concerted and unified positions. The contributions of the MCCI in shaping up the Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU, the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the US, and the Free Trade Agreement with Pakistan and Turkey, are but few examples of our strategic partnership on international issues. We can, through our combined efforts successfully confront the daunting and arduous challenges ahead.
Let me assure the Chamber that, in the long-standing tradition of public and private sector cooperation, Government will provide all due consideration to your preoccupations and problems and ensure that the views of the Chamber are taken on board in our national economic policies.
Economic Scene
As you are ware, Government has since 2005 initiated profound structural economic reforms to do away with an economic model that relied too much on trade preferences and protection in an increasingly globalising world. The business environment has been improved. We have been able to turn around the economy and put it on a higher growth path. The economy bounced back with annual growth rates of round 5% during 2006 and 2008.
However, hit by the global economic slowdown the economy and the manufacturing sector have gone through testing times last year. Growth of GDP which was 5.1% in 2008, dipped to 2.8% in 2009. In contrast, growth of the manufacturing sector, after reaching 3.2% in 2007, plummeted to 0.6% in 2009. Albeit low, the positive growth rates do indicate the resilience of both our economy and the manufacturing sector. Indeed, many countries have registered negative growth rates and have suffered significant job losses. Through vision, leadership and courage, we have been able to spare our people the trauma usually associated with economic downturns.
Thanks to the economic reforms our economy has been able to withstand the global economic crisis rather well. In 2010, GDP growth is expected to be around 4.5%, whereas growth of manufacturing is projected at 1.5 %. I would like to stress that to assist our economy to ride over the global economic crisis, Government put in place the Additional Stimulus Package with an envelope of Rs. 10.4 billion. Within this package, the Saving Jobs and Recovery Programme (SJR), with an outlay of Rs. 3.5 billion, has been of immense help to our enterprises. Under the MASMED Fund, now called the SMSS Fund, so far around Rs. 131 million has been spent on schemes designed to develop production and export capability of our enterprises.
Our aim is to support our enterprises to integrate the global value chain and improve their supply side capabilities.
Exchange Rates
While the Stimulus Package has provided some relief to our economic operators, the export enterprises have from time to time voiced concerns about the appreciation of the rupee and its impact on their operations and profit margin. A stronger rupee no doubt implies lesser income in terms of rupee for every unit of exports. I must say that Government has the delicate task to balance the interest of all sectors of the economy and to ensure that economic fundamentals stay as close to their equilibrium state as far as possible. Any depreciation of the rupee has to take into account its impact on inflation and the purchasing power of the people ,especially those in the low income group.
Allowing a greater role of market forces of demand and supply for currencies will better reflect the macro-economic fundamentals of the country. But Government is not insensitive to the plea on our exporters to cushion, wherever possible, against undue volatility of the rupee. In this respect, you would recall that the Bank of Mauritius introduced the Swap Scheme in January this year to hedge against currency fluctuations. I understand that so far some US $ 40 million has been swapped. This is an encouraging sign that our exporters are well inclined to take advantage of this non-traditional instrument.
The possibility of establishing Sovereign Fund to channel foreign exchange derived from donor funding with a view to stabilise currency fluctuations is being looked into. Also, the need for greater stability and predictability of our exchange rates needs to be kept in view, even though there are factors beyond our control that invariably exert their own impact.
New Trading Patterns and Challenges
Ladies and gentlemen
In spite of the current difficulties being faced our economy, industrial and commercial sector has been relatively buoyant, marked by the perseverance, commitment and resilience of our business operators. However, we need to constantly re-invent our mode of doing business to better tackle new challenges emanating from the global scene. Our enterprises are now trading in an era where competitiveness under the shelter of trade preferences is no longer the order of the day. Price and Quality are important for enterprises to stay in the game but no longer sufficient to have a competitive edge. We have together, public and private sector operators, to chart out a new route to sustain industrial competitiveness. We have to look in the same direction of economic modernity where our enterprises adopt best business management practices and integrate technology, skills, creativity and market knowledge, as key assets of competitiveness.
That is why, apart from support measures, it was imperative to come up with new policy strategies. We have done so through an Industrial and SME Strategic Plan for the period 2010-2013. This document has been the outcome of interaction between public and private sector stakeholders, including the MCCI. This Plan provides for an “Entrepreneurship and an Innovation-based” model of industrial development and is geared to foster development of enterprises on basis of technology, innovation, skills, creativity and knowledge, among key competitive factors.
A National Industrial Advisory Council will soon be set up and it will act as a National Think Tank on business issues, both local and global. It will be an important platform towards informed policy choices and strategic direction.
But one of the biggest challenges facing economic operators is how to satisfy the aspirations of a more qualified labour force and a more alert, better informed consumer. While economic operators have to ensure that our products and services are of good quality, offer value for money, many enterprises are realizing that customers are now making their decisions based on a variety of complex factors. Which go beyond price, quality and innovation.
Let me quote an extract from an Economic Intelligence Unit Survey Report 2007:-
“Increasingly, executives are finding that the winning differentiator is no longer the product or the price, but the level of engagement – the degree to which a company succeeds in creating an intimate long-term relationship with the customer or external stakeholder. Although the term “engagement” is sometimes used to describe customer marketing, loyalty, satisfaction and retention practices, companies are now realizing that engagement also is a more strategic way of looking at customer or stakeholder relationships.”
“Engagement initiatives are more proactive in anticipating customer needs and expectations, and fulfilling them more effectively.”
Customer Engagement(CE) ----the creation of a deeper, intimate, more meaningful longer term connection between the company and the customer----- is emerging as one of the biggest challenges for businesses and as an important strategic business option. This will imply more attention to Market Research.
Sustainable Development
We should also not lose sight that buyers are increasingly emphasizing green production, fair and ethical trade, flexibility and swift manufacturing, differentiated products, and full package of services, among major trade practices. Mauritius should be in the league of ‘avant-gardiste’ countries that leverage on these trading practices in order to respond to market exigencies. Enterprises should spare no efforts to mainstream sustainability in their production structures. Government, in line with the Maurice Ile Durable vision has come up with a number of measures to foster a greener Mauritius. Enterprise Mauritius is currently implementing an Energy Audit Project for enterprises. The findings will provide us insight into better ways of using energy in the business sector. A Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Programme will be set up with the assistance of UNIDO/UNEP to promote sustainable production in the country. The MSB, for its part is actively promoting the adoption of an Environmental Management System among enterprises. I will exhort our enterprises to benefit from these schemes.
Science, Technology and Innovation
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is against this backdrop that we should situate the role of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in moving our country to the next level of development. There is growing empirical evidence worldwide of a positive correlation between investment in science, technology and innovation infrastructure and higher socio-economic growth. The expenditure on R&D in Mauritius, estimated at 0.4% of GDP, is particularly low when compared with South Africa (0.8%%), Malaysia (0.7%), Singapore (2.3%), and Korea (2.6%).Countries that have devoted adequate resources to establish an eco-system for STI have achieved higher levels of socio-economic development and Mauritius should position itself among those which have succeeded on basis of innovation and knowledge.
The Prime Minister has set the stage for us when in 2008, he brought Science and Research under the fold of the Ministry of Industry. This was a move in the right direction. The imperative now is to develop a holistic and integrated approach to facilitate the shift to a science and knowledge-based economy. My Ministry is currently finalizing a framework document for the way forward for STI which will pave the way for the integration of continuous innovation within our industries through greater synergy among research institutions.
Before ending let me share this reflection with Before ending let me share this reflection with you:
“Just as at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, our society is at a cross roads. In such a volatile environment, the future belongs not to those who are buffeted by change, cautiously adapting to it as needed, but to those with the foresight to recognize and embrace the potential offered by the very changes that others find so unsettling.” – Thomas W. Malone, Professor or Information Systems at Sloan School of Management
Conclusion
Ladies and Gentlemen
To conclude let me thank the outgoing president with whom we have worked closely during the course of the year. I look to another year of fruitful collaboration with the incoming president.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Astronomny 3rd Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture Introductory Address
Hon Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam
Vice Prime Minister, Hon Xavier Duval
Hon Ministers & Hon Members of the National Assembly
Our Distinguished Guest and Speaker, Prof Jaswant Vishnu Narlikar
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies & Gentlemen
And My Dear Students
Good Morning and welcome to the third Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture to be delivered by Prof Narlikar. The theme of the Lecture is :The Amazing World of Astronomy.
Let me, first of all, extend a very warm and cordial to our distinguished visitor. Let me also thank you all for your kind presence.
The Hon Prime Minister has apologized as he is unable to attend to-day’s lecture due to unforeseen circumstances.
L & G, Science is knowledge and one of the important aims in life is to seek new knowledge and to apply it for benefit of people and society. Our Prime Minister is a strong proponent of life-long learning. This is why he was so interested to come for the lecture.
Laudable initiative
My thanks also go to the Chairman Prof Bhuruth and Director Dr Maulloo, as well as the Indian High Commission for facilitating the visit of Professor Narlikar.
The first contacts were established in the context of the International Year of Astronomy last year and we are pleased that our efforts have borne fruits.
I must say that it is indeed a very laudable initiative of RGSC whose mission is to popularize the Sciences. May I remind you L & G that in March 2006, the Center welcomed another distinguished personality ,the President of the Republic of India, Dr Abdul Kalam, who also came to this auditorium and spoke on Sciences and the Society.
L & G, at a time when Mauritius is aspiring to become a Knowledge-based society, when we want Mauritius to embrace a model of sustainable, pro-environment development, Science, Technology and Innovation will be called upon to play a catalytic role.
Both DCs and NICs are adopting this option. In the words of Lord Drayson, the UK Minister of Science: “The priority now is to focus scientific effort and research on those sectors most likely to deliver national success. As arguably our greatest national – our greatest natural – resource, scientists and engineers must be fully involved in the new industrial activism.”
For the benefit of our distinguished visitor ,allow me to mention that to drive this movement in favour of mainstreaming Science Research ,Technology and Innovation, our Prime Minister created a new Ministry, in September 2008—the Ministry of Industry, Science and Research.
Your visit Professor Narlikar forms part of the strategy of my Ministry, in collaboration with Science and Research-based organizations like the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre to boost the status and the role of Science, technology and Innovation for national development.
We thank the Government of India, and the Indian High Commission for facilitating the visit of Prof Narlikar. We have in the pipeline a new MOU in the field of Science and Research which will be signed soon between India and Mauritius. My Ministry is also elaborating a Framework document on STI.
A world renowned Scientist
L&G it is against this backdrop that we must view the visit of Prof Narlikar. We are all gathered to embark upon a unique learning experience. We have a very exciting theme-Astronomy (not Astrology about which there is also considerable interest these days in Mauritius!).
Our speaker,Prof Narlikar, is a world renowned Scientist---to be more precise ,a scientist specializing in Astronomy and Astrophysics—who will address us and unravel for us the wonders of Astronomy, about the creation and the evolution of our universe.
I do not propose to give a detailed account of the life, career and achievements of Prof Narlikar. I seek your indulgence but we have prepared a Fact Sheet on Prof Narlikar which you may wish to go through and learn more about our distinguished speaker.
But with your permission ,I would like to make a few remarks about Prof Narlikar.
Prof Narlikar was born in 1938 in Kolhapur Mahrashtra, India. He is married to Dr Mangala Rajwade and has three daughters: Geeta, Girija and Leelavati.
He studied in India and UK and has travelled extensively.
He has worked for the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research(1972-1989) and it is under his leadership that the Theoretical Astrophysics Group acquired international recognition.
It was a real feat for Prof Narlikar to work with Professor Fred Hoyle, Britain’s most eminent astrophysicist, on a new theory of gravitation when he was only 26.This theory was then considered as significant as Einstein’s Theory of relativity. Prof Narlikar is often hailed as India’s Einstein
He is internationally known for his work in Cosmology, in championing models alternative to the Big Bang model.
Between 1999-2003, he broke new grounds in space research; he headed an international team in a pioneering experiment designed to sample air for microorganism in the atmosphere at heights of up to 41 km. Biological studies of the samples collected led to the findings of live cells and bacteria, thus opening out the possibility that Earth is being bombarded by microorganism, some of which might have seeded life itself on Earth.
Prof Narlikar has written and published extensively; he has contributed to numerous Radio and TV programmes.
For his outstanding works ,he has been rewarded nationally and internationally, receiving the coveted Padmabushan Award of the Republic of India In 1965 at the young gae of 26,and then crowning it with the other more prestigious Padmavibushan Award in 2004,India’s second highest civilian honour. Prof Narlikar has also received the Kalinga Award of UNESCO and Indira Gandhi Prize by the Indian National Academy in 1990.
It is indeed a great privilege to have Prof Narlikar in our midst and in a few moments we shall have the pleasure of listening to him.
Let me take the opportunity to announce that the vote of thanks will be presented by Prof Jugessur ,the Chairman of the Mauritian Academy of Science and Technology, and also Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Mauritius Research Council.
And before Prof Narlikar takes the floor, may I request Mrs Sannassee of the RGSC to offer a Bouquet to our distinguished visitor.
May I now invite Prof Narlikar to make his address.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Vice Prime Minister, Hon Xavier Duval
Hon Ministers & Hon Members of the National Assembly
Our Distinguished Guest and Speaker, Prof Jaswant Vishnu Narlikar
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies & Gentlemen
And My Dear Students
Good Morning and welcome to the third Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture to be delivered by Prof Narlikar. The theme of the Lecture is :The Amazing World of Astronomy.
Let me, first of all, extend a very warm and cordial to our distinguished visitor. Let me also thank you all for your kind presence.
The Hon Prime Minister has apologized as he is unable to attend to-day’s lecture due to unforeseen circumstances.
L & G, Science is knowledge and one of the important aims in life is to seek new knowledge and to apply it for benefit of people and society. Our Prime Minister is a strong proponent of life-long learning. This is why he was so interested to come for the lecture.
Laudable initiative
My thanks also go to the Chairman Prof Bhuruth and Director Dr Maulloo, as well as the Indian High Commission for facilitating the visit of Professor Narlikar.
The first contacts were established in the context of the International Year of Astronomy last year and we are pleased that our efforts have borne fruits.
I must say that it is indeed a very laudable initiative of RGSC whose mission is to popularize the Sciences. May I remind you L & G that in March 2006, the Center welcomed another distinguished personality ,the President of the Republic of India, Dr Abdul Kalam, who also came to this auditorium and spoke on Sciences and the Society.
L & G, at a time when Mauritius is aspiring to become a Knowledge-based society, when we want Mauritius to embrace a model of sustainable, pro-environment development, Science, Technology and Innovation will be called upon to play a catalytic role.
Both DCs and NICs are adopting this option. In the words of Lord Drayson, the UK Minister of Science: “The priority now is to focus scientific effort and research on those sectors most likely to deliver national success. As arguably our greatest national – our greatest natural – resource, scientists and engineers must be fully involved in the new industrial activism.”
For the benefit of our distinguished visitor ,allow me to mention that to drive this movement in favour of mainstreaming Science Research ,Technology and Innovation, our Prime Minister created a new Ministry, in September 2008—the Ministry of Industry, Science and Research.
Your visit Professor Narlikar forms part of the strategy of my Ministry, in collaboration with Science and Research-based organizations like the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre to boost the status and the role of Science, technology and Innovation for national development.
We thank the Government of India, and the Indian High Commission for facilitating the visit of Prof Narlikar. We have in the pipeline a new MOU in the field of Science and Research which will be signed soon between India and Mauritius. My Ministry is also elaborating a Framework document on STI.
A world renowned Scientist
L&G it is against this backdrop that we must view the visit of Prof Narlikar. We are all gathered to embark upon a unique learning experience. We have a very exciting theme-Astronomy (not Astrology about which there is also considerable interest these days in Mauritius!).
Our speaker,Prof Narlikar, is a world renowned Scientist---to be more precise ,a scientist specializing in Astronomy and Astrophysics—who will address us and unravel for us the wonders of Astronomy, about the creation and the evolution of our universe.
I do not propose to give a detailed account of the life, career and achievements of Prof Narlikar. I seek your indulgence but we have prepared a Fact Sheet on Prof Narlikar which you may wish to go through and learn more about our distinguished speaker.
But with your permission ,I would like to make a few remarks about Prof Narlikar.
Prof Narlikar was born in 1938 in Kolhapur Mahrashtra, India. He is married to Dr Mangala Rajwade and has three daughters: Geeta, Girija and Leelavati.
He studied in India and UK and has travelled extensively.
He has worked for the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research(1972-1989) and it is under his leadership that the Theoretical Astrophysics Group acquired international recognition.
It was a real feat for Prof Narlikar to work with Professor Fred Hoyle, Britain’s most eminent astrophysicist, on a new theory of gravitation when he was only 26.This theory was then considered as significant as Einstein’s Theory of relativity. Prof Narlikar is often hailed as India’s Einstein
He is internationally known for his work in Cosmology, in championing models alternative to the Big Bang model.
Between 1999-2003, he broke new grounds in space research; he headed an international team in a pioneering experiment designed to sample air for microorganism in the atmosphere at heights of up to 41 km. Biological studies of the samples collected led to the findings of live cells and bacteria, thus opening out the possibility that Earth is being bombarded by microorganism, some of which might have seeded life itself on Earth.
Prof Narlikar has written and published extensively; he has contributed to numerous Radio and TV programmes.
For his outstanding works ,he has been rewarded nationally and internationally, receiving the coveted Padmabushan Award of the Republic of India In 1965 at the young gae of 26,and then crowning it with the other more prestigious Padmavibushan Award in 2004,India’s second highest civilian honour. Prof Narlikar has also received the Kalinga Award of UNESCO and Indira Gandhi Prize by the Indian National Academy in 1990.
It is indeed a great privilege to have Prof Narlikar in our midst and in a few moments we shall have the pleasure of listening to him.
Let me take the opportunity to announce that the vote of thanks will be presented by Prof Jugessur ,the Chairman of the Mauritian Academy of Science and Technology, and also Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Mauritius Research Council.
And before Prof Narlikar takes the floor, may I request Mrs Sannassee of the RGSC to offer a Bouquet to our distinguished visitor.
May I now invite Prof Narlikar to make his address.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
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