Think Mauritius

Last week, I said that it would take about 4 weeks to get your SIN (social insurance number) card through the mail. You will receive your permanent SIN number when you go to the Human Resources office. While you are waiting for the SIN card to arrive, start working on your C.V and cover letter so that you will be ready to apply for jobs when you receive your SIN card. By the way, the term C.V is almost never used in Canada. Instead you will hear the term résumé.There are a lot of non-profit organizations in Canada that help new immigrants write their résumés the way employers in Canada want to see them. Most go even further by conducting mocked interviews to help new immigrants develop their interview skills. Ask around if there is such an organization in your community. Chances are there will be at least one.

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It has been a rough ride for the Mauritian Rupee since the beginning of the year: losing nearly 15% against both the Euro and the British Pound. It loses only 5% against the “weak” US Dollar. Sithanen, the Finance Minister, is calling those having foreign currencies to convert them to Rupees. There is no sign that the Rupee will be able to claim back the lost value in the future. It is understandable that they do not wish to convert the foreign currencies. The Mauritian economy is at a cross-road. Major reforms being undertaken by Sithanen will either make or break the country. Sithanen should be selling more “dreams” to the people if he wants to succeed.

So you have decided to move to Canada, and will soon board the plane that will take you to the country where ice hockey is the number one sport. Do you have an idea of what is waiting for you there, except maybe a tough winter at some point? Do you know what you need to do once the plane lands in Toronto or Montréal? For the next few weeks, I will write about things you, as a new immigrant, should know or do. Before writing anything, I would like to point out that I am by no means an expert in Canadian immigration and I am not forcing anyone to follow my suggestions. Everything I’ll write here is based on my own experience. Anybody who disagree with my suggestions is welcome to send his or her comments.

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Kot Zot is a new social networking web site for Mauritians and people who have an interest in Mauritius. It allows registered users to meet people sharing similar interests to theirs, share photos, videos and music, and even listen to an online radio broadcasting Mauritian music continously.

Amidst the ferocious competition prevailing in this market, it is hard to imagine how Kot Zot will thrive. But its small size may well be its major asset. Internet users who are intimidated to join the overwhelmingly large networks such as MySpace and HI5 will appreciate the cosiness of Kot Zot.

According to the Sugar Protocol, which is one of the components of the Lomé Convention signed in 1975 between the European Union and the ACP countries, each year the EU can import 1.3 million tons of sugar from the ACP countries at a relatively high price. While the Lomé Convention itself was set to expire in the year 2000, the Sugar Protocol contained terms and conditions that allowed price re-negotiation during this term.

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) talks of 1992-1994, known as the Uruguay Round, established a 10-year phase-out of quotas for all categories of textiles and apparel.

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