| In Rodrigues, one of the biggest social challenges is | | | | In fact, heavy drinking has always been a problem in |
| communication. While decision makers and the | | | | Rodrigues and, in spite of the best efforts of the |
| administrators are making their best to develop the | | | | authorities and social workers and the church, the |
| island, communication is slow to reach the people. | | | | problem is still remaining whole. Like any society, they |
| According to a restaurant owner and well-known | | | | too have many social problems. These are due to |
| figure in Port Mathurain (is the capital of Rodrigues) | | | | poverty and unemployment. They are not |
| they have some real serious work to do in this | | | | insurmountable. Stakeholders, both in private and |
| regard so that the population is made fully aware of | | | | public sectors, are trying all that is humanly possible |
| what is going on and, in turn, they can fully | | | | to fight them. There is no magic wand. They can not |
| participate in nation building. | | | | expect thing change overnight. They have to be |
| That man also expresses his thoughts that the other | | | | patient and hopeful because change in standard of |
| problem among the business community is the "get | | | | living and quality of life is always gradual. There are |
| rich quick attitude". There are many who think of the | | | | others young who understand the value of |
| moment, who engage in unfair trade practices, which | | | | education; they are interested in it. They know that |
| eventually lead to loss of the customers trust and | | | | is the only way to get out of the poverty trap and |
| business. One has to think of the future. There is no | | | | build a prosperous and harmonious island. |
| need to cheat or to quote prices depending on who | | | | What is more surprising; most of the educated |
| the customer is; a local friend, a tourist, a rich or a | | | | Rodriguans are not interested in either migrating to |
| poor. The price should have to one for all. Customers | | | | other countries or even to mainland Mauritius. They |
| are intelligent enough to find out soon if they are | | | | prefer to work in Rodrigues where they were born |
| cheated and they do not like it. The international | | | | and educated even though the salary is not as high |
| economic slowdown has had its toll on Rodriguan | | | | as in Mauritius. The young Rodriguans foresee a |
| economy. Most hotels and guesthouses ran empty, | | | | bright future with the developments planned in the |
| and even today, the revival is very slow. There are | | | | tourism sector. Many opportunities will be available to |
| not enough visitors, not even from Mauritius. | | | | those who are qualified. After their HSC in the |
| First they do not have adequate flights. One flight a | | | | secondary school, many of them plan to join the |
| day that carries hardly 70 people, of whom some | | | | school of hotel in Mauritius or any other such |
| thirty are Rodriguans, is not enough to fill the hotels | | | | institution of higher education. |
| and guesthouses. They need more flights, a bigger | | | | Bankers and Financial Institution |
| runaway to receive bigger planes and better facilities | | | | A dozen of them are on the island and are equally |
| at the airport. The Rodriguans feel they can not | | | | engaged in aggressive marketing. Rodrigues is on the |
| force Mauritian travelling to Rodrigues a minimum stay | | | | move and there is all round development. Investors |
| period and too in a hotel. It is senseless. Most | | | | need finance and they are prepared to meet the |
| Mauritians have friends in Rodrigues and they would | | | | needs of the investors but the competition is |
| like to stay with them and in other cheaper places. | | | | cutthroat fierce. Today the method of doing business |
| They should be allowed to do so because what they | | | | has changed. Gone are the days when one used to |
| will spend will circulate back in economy. | | | | sit in the office and wait for the customers to come. |
| According to the Rodriguans, they need to undertake | | | | One has now to move out every time and to know |
| an aggressive marketing of Rodrigues and all that the | | | | where to move. |
| island has to offer. They have necessary | | | | Whoever goes to Rodrigues, he will clearly discover |
| infrastructure to offer a dream holiday. This is a land | | | | the Rodriguans as very adventurous. They no longer |
| of love and smile, where the people are warm and | | | | rely solely on their personal savings to invest or to |
| friendly. With the rapid pace of development, | | | | move ahead. Today the inhabitants of Rodrigues are |
| Rodrigues has seen the destruction of many parts of | | | | almost five years ahead of their time. They accept |
| its wild, wild nature and scenery, the emergence of | | | | things and investments on credit and are prepared to |
| gaming houses and discotheques, among others. | | | | pledge their income to repay loan. Whether it is |
| These changes, many of the inhabitants say, have | | | | economic slowdown or not, the Rodriguans has no |
| affected the peaceful life that the inhabitants used to | | | | other alternative but to turn towards the future, |
| enjoy. Their children are worst affected. They are | | | | brace all challenges, overcome all stumbling blocks and |
| attracted to such activities that affect their studies. | | | | makes its way to find for itself a place of pride |
| Some are smoking and drinking from very early ages. | | | | within the Mauritian and global economy. |