Job Migration to the Mauritius Islands: The Textile Industry and ICTs
Type de matériel :
10
In 1970, Mauritius created a free industrial zone in order to release its economy from a complete dependency on the sugar production monoculture. This venture was dominated by textiles. It was highly successful, as it became, in ten years, one of the major elements of the economy, succeeding even in bringing down unemployment. This situation of full employment was to lead to a rise in salaries which in the end jeopardized the competitiveness of the sector. Combined with this trend was the complete opening up of the textile industry to the free market in the context of WTO measures which dismantled the multifibre agreement (1 January 2005). The latter convention had, since 1974, protected Mauritian textiles from Asian competition whose exports to Europe were restricted by quotas. Therefore Mauritius, formerly a choice country for foreign company emplacements, now sees such firms “emigrating” to China and India to take advantage of a cheaper workforce than can be found on the island. In order to alleviate the difficulties, not only of textiles but also of sugar, hit by the forthcoming abolition of the Lomé convention sugar protocol, the government is developing new information and communication technologies (ICT). The hope is that in this way it can create jobs for young Mauritians, ever-increasing numbers of whom are coming out with qualifications from secondary education and universities. The gamble is a bold one because there is no guarantee of success.
Réseaux sociaux