COVID-19: Mauritius govt extends financial assistance to private sector, self-employed

18 Avril 2020

Port-Louis, Mauritius, April 18 (Infosplusgabon)  - The Mauritian finance minister, Renganaden Padayachy, Friday announced that an amount of Rs4 billion (US$104 million) had been earmarked by the government to extend the Wage Assistance Scheme to cover the month of April.

An additional amount of Rs500 million (US$12,6 million) has also been earmarked for the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme to cover the period 16 April to 30 April 2020.

These packages are meant to limit the human and economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the population, PANA reported here Saturday.

Addressing the media, following the weekly meeting of cabinet in Port-Louis, Padayachy said a sum of Rs1.5 billion (US$37,7 million) had been disbursed under the Wage Assistance Scheme at end of March to cater for some 243,000 employees, and extended this till end of April 2020 at an additional cost of Rs4 billion (US$104 million).

“The aim of the scheme is to provide financial support to employees of the private sector who have become technically unemployed during the Covid-19 curfew period,” he said.

He however cautioned employers that “they would be debarred from the scheme if they have benefitted from funds and have not paid their employees for the months of March and April 2020 or they have laid off employees during the confinement period”.

Regarding the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme, which provides financial support to the informal sector, the finance minister indicated that over 163,000 people had benefitted from the Scheme at a cost of Rs 835 million (US $ 21 million).

Padayachy also announced that, with regard to financial support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the Bank of Mauritius had brought down the Special Relief Fund by 1.5 percent.

Therefore, loans under this scheme will be secured up to 60 percent by the State Investment Corporation (SIC) for SMEs with a turnover of less than Rs 50 million (US$ 1,26 million).

“As for companies with turnovers exceeding Rs 50 million (US $ 1,26 million) , the SIC will secure loans up to 50 percent,” he said.

Regarding COVID-19, PANA learnt from the Health and Wellness Ministry that no new case of the disease had been registered during the last five days in the island.

“As at date, there are 324 Covid-19 cases with 204 active cases in the island. The number of successfully treated patients stands at 108. A total of 9,755 tests have been carried out by the health authorities since the outbreak of the disease in Mauritius,” said Dr Zouberr Joomaye, spokesperson of the National Communication Committee for COVID-19.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/BRD/GABON2020

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