We need to make Mauritius a productive nation by developing a strong productivity culture, which implies a fundamental change in mindset”.
This was the gist of the message of the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, last night, at the National Day Celebrations organised by the Association of Human Resource Professionals of Mauritius (MAHRP), at the Caudan Waterfront, in Port-Louis.
An induction ceremony to welcome new members to the MAHRP and awarding them membership certificates was also held. The President of the MAHRP, Mr Areff Salauroo, as well as other personalities were present on the occasion.
Speaking about Mauritius celebrating its 54th anniversary of independence and 30th anniversary of Republic, the President recalled that while many African countries who obtained their independence after the 1960s, faced instability, coups and ethnic conflicts, the Republic of Mauritius, on the other hand, maintained a strong welfare system.
This welfare system, he stated, was continually consolidated through the provision of an array of schemes, especially to the most vulnerable in order to ensure greater social justice, starting from free education up to tertiary level till the provision of minimum wage. “Successive governments have worked towards building an equitable society that promotes social inclusion with equal rights and opportunities,” Mr Roopun stated.
In addition, President Roopun indicated that the country has remained competitive by keeping vibrant the public-private sector dialogue as well as building a strong human capital through consistent and equitable investment in human development.
Mauritius, he stressed, has today become one of Africa’s most lauded nation for its skillful management of diversity, political stability, peaceful transfer of power, social cohesion and harmony, rule of law and human development. The country has also joined the league of countries classified as full democracy, he added.
According to the President, Mauritian economic success is largely attributed to a proper Human Resource Management and Development and a well-educated and adaptable workforce that receives continuous training with the aim to maximise productivity.
As regards the economic and financial crisis due to the pandemic of COVID-19 and the war between Russia and Ukraine, Mr Roopun pointed out that there is a need to focus on improving the effectiveness of people management and contribute in enhancing the sustainability and competitiveness of businesses in order to preserve lives and livelihoods.
“For Mauritius to reach its goal of becoming a high-income country in the medium term, it will need to improve the labor force skills set, develop infrastructure, and further improve the business environment to attract foreign direct investment and generate domestic investment,” President Roopun added.
For his part, Mr Salauroo highlighted that HR Managers are instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic as they are the ones to lead the Work from Home initiatives, create safe workplace and motivate employees to get vaccinated. He also reiterated the support of the MAHRP in its mission to better prepare its members to face new challenges through the continuous sharing of knowledge, findings and researches so as to enhance future preparedness.
