STOP Movement: “Demography is Not a Death Sentence for Dignity”
STOP Movement Denounces Predetermined Narrative in Pension Reform Debate: “Demography is Not a Death Sentence for Dignity”
Union Park, 5 November 2025- The STOP Movement (San Tous Ou Pension) expresses strong objection to the tone and content of statements made by Mr. Ashok (Nareshkumar) Prayag, Chairperson of the Commission of Experts on Pension Reform, during the official launch of the national consultation process.
While the Commission claims that its work will span for months, it has already declared that the current pension system is “not sustainable” and that population decline and reduced contributors will inevitably force reform. Such a declaration prejudges the consultation, undermines public confidence, and contradicts the principle of an open, evidence-based process.
- The BRP is non-contributory – demography does not dictate its fate
The Basic Retirement Pension (BRP) is a non-contributory universal benefit, financed annually through the Consolidated Fund, not from payroll contributions.
It is therefore independent of the number of contributors or the active workforce ratio.
The claim that “fewer contributors” will make it unsustainable is conceptually flawed. The BRP is a budgetary commitment, not a contributory pool.
The State has multiple fiscal levers to ensure its continuity, including prudent spending, fair taxation and new revenue instruments.
- Declining population cannot justify social regression
The Commission paints a picture of “décroissance” – a shrinking population – as though it were a national tragedy. In reality, population stabilisation is a global trend observed in many developed societies.
Countries like Japan, France and Canada have ageing populations yet continue to honour universal old-age benefits.
Demography should inspire innovation and better fiscal planning, not serve as an alibi for withdrawing rights.
- Poverty thresholds cannot be used to diminish dignity
The Commission referred to “absolute poverty” of Rs 4,000 and “relative poverty” of Rs 12,500 per month, stating that the BRP equals about 60% of median income.
This argument is both economically misleading and morally unacceptable.
If anything, it confirms that the BRP is the main anti-poverty instrument in Mauritius, preventing thousands of elderly citizens from falling below subsistence levels.
Benchmarking pensions against “absolute poverty” contradicts Mauritius’s development status and its obligations under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 1.3) and ILO Recommendation 202 on social protection floors.
- The BRP must remain untouched. Reforms should target the contributory pillar
The STOP Movement reiterates that it is not opposed to reforming the contributory system.
If the Commission wishes to restructure or replace the Contribution Sociale Généralisée (CSG) and modernise the National Pension Fund (NPF), we welcome that discussion.
However, the BRP must remain universal and payable at age 60.
It is not a privilege. It is the moral foundation of our welfare state and a constitutional expression of social justice.
- History repeats but the narrative remains flawed
The article referenced a 2001 World Bank study that already claimed the pension system would soon become “unsustainable.”
More than two decades later, that prediction never materialised, proving that economic growth, fiscal reforms and public management can sustain the BRP without dismantling it.
It is disingenuous to recycle the same alarmist arguments while ignoring Mauritius’s resilience and ability to adapt.
- Commission’s “five values” must begin with intellectual honesty
The Commission claims to be guided by five values, clarity, transparency, equity, proportionality and sustainability.
Yet, beginning the process by proclaiming unsustainability violates all five principles:
- There is no clarity when data is withheld;
- Transparency is compromised when models are not published;
- Equity vanishes if the burden falls on the elderly and not on fiscal inefficiency;
- Proportionality fails when savings are sought at the expense of those most in need;
- Sustainability cannot be built on broken social trust.
The Commission must therefore publish its working assumptions, projections and cost-benefit analyses before making any definitive statement.
- The Commission’s scope must remain balanced
According to both GIS Mauritius and the national press, the Commission will review the three pillars of the pension system, non-contributory, contributory and voluntary as well as the Portable Retirement Gratuity Fund, National Savings Fund and public sector schemes.
STOP welcomes this holistic review, provided that the BRP is ring-fenced and protected as a social right.
The focus on “financial sustainability” should not overshadow social sustainability, the trust of citizens in their State.
- A call for genuine participation and not symbolic consultation
The Commission has invited citizens to submit proposals to [email protected] by 30 November 2025 and plans to consult unions, NGOs and professional bodies from next week.
STOP urges all Mauritians to participate but reminds that consultation is meaningless if the conclusion is already scripted.
We call for an open public release of the Sustainability Report, 20–30-year projections and alternative fiscal scenarios.
- The true question: not “can we afford it?” but “what do we prioritise?”
Mauritius’s challenge is not the cost of pensions. It is the allocation of national priorities.
Billions are lost annually through inefficiency, tax evasion and unproductive expenditure.
Redirecting even a fraction of this waste could secure the BRP indefinitely.
In a nation where public trust is eroding, the BRP remains one of the last symbols of fairness. It must not be sacrificed.
Conclusion
The STOP Movement reaffirms:
- Hands off the BRP.
- Focus reforms on the CSG, NPF and fiscal governance.
- Stop using demography as a weapon against dignity.
Mauritius can and must sustain its promise to those who worked, sacrificed and built this country.
True reform begins with respect for truth and transparency, not fear and fatalism.
Issued by:
Dave Kissoondoyal
Founder, STOP Movement (San Tous Ou Pension)
Email: [email protected] | Website: https://www.stopm.org
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