Expats are the only people in Mauritius who can get away with criticising a system that they are part of themselves… and take credit for one that is no longer theirs.

Meet Mr. Expat. He loves Mauritius; the 365 days of summer, the cultural diversity, the freshly-squeezed pineapple juice. But ask him what he really thinks of his new homeland, and the positivism is gone. Because compared to his own country, Mauritius is so socially flawed that it makes Mr. Expat cringe.

The number of Mauritians who earn as little as Rs6,000 a month… when Mr. Expat thinks of them, the sweet pineapple juice gets stuck in his throat. Not because it’s the same amount that he spends on kitesurfing lessons each week. It’s simply because no one despises the enormous income gaps in this country more than Mr. Expat. Here, ministers and the top strata earn hundreds of thousands of rupees a month while others get only six… How can they even afford tomatoes in the supermarket? Mr. Expat is horrified, so he grabs every opportunity to tell you how much fairer his own country is.

Mr. Expat is so utterly proud of his own country. He will tell you that his great-grandparents built a strong welfare state out of solidarity, out of the conviction that everyone deserves a decent life. Manual workers there earn salaries they can live comfortably on. A cleaning lady can afford to spend six weeks racing her motorcycle across China, if that is her idea of a perfect holiday. A brick layer can buy an iPhone 6. Yes, Mr. Expat’s country is amazing… but he doesn’t fancy living there.

You see, the high income tax in Mr. Expat’s country bothers him. And he has grown accustomed to having domestic servants at his place every day. If he was to move back, he would have to pay a cleaning agency a substantial fee for that. Most people back home wash their own clothes which is… which is… well, it’s not great, is it? And all the dinners at fancy restaurants, all the leisure activities, they are more expensive back home because Mr. Expat isn’t a high-income earner there. Life is more comfortable in Mauritius.

Expats who settle down in Mauritius are allowed to have their cake and eat it too. They have a unique Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card that allows them to take credit for the often well-functioning social systems in their old countries, systems that they no longer contribute to financially or any other way. At the same time, they get to criticise Mauritius as fiercely as they wish, with the argument that they are “not from here”.

Not all expats use their Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card, but those who do need a wake-up call. They have two options. Go back to the countries they are so proud of and continue building on what their great-grandparents worked hard for. Or, realise that no one is an outsider in the society where they choose to live. You weren’t born here, but you are here now. The Rs 6,000 salaries that make you cringe are your responsibility, too, if you choose to stay. 

For more views and in-depth analysis of current issues, subscribe to Weekly for as little as Rs110 a month. Free delivery to your door. Contact us: touria.prayag@lexpress.mu