Entries Tagged 'Mauritius' ↓

Last week, I was watching on TV the African games which are being held at the Bambous stadium, featuring some world class athletes from the continent. My pride of my country turned into shame and horror.

The final of the 1500meters women was marred by a regrettable event. A large sun shade placed in the middle of the stadium was blown by the wind across the running track. The shade struck the runners. One of the world champions, a contender of the gold medal, was knocked down. She was thus unable to finish the race. I understood that this event was broadcasted live to a number of African countries and was covered by the world sports press. As a Mauritian I felt shameful.

Aucune autre concurrente ne put résister à l’accélération de l’Algérienne Nouria Benida Merah à cent cinquante mètres du but au 1500 m. Elle gagna détachée en 4’23″26, une victoire significative pour cette athlète qui retrouve le haut niveau après cinq ans d’absence pour cause de maternité et de blessure. La Ghanéenne Millicent Boadi ne put terminer la course après avoir été heurtée par un parasol qui avait été emporté par le vent.

Le Mauricien 12th Aug

I understand, the local press played low key on this issue and brushed up the event as an accident. I strongly ressent against the amateurish way, Mauritians act. Were there norms for fixing objects in the stadium to prevent such incidents?

There again is a blatant example where norms do not exist and the authorities do not think of norms and standard.

We want to become world class to compete in the future. Then, we need to adopt world class stardard and norms.

Entrepreneur: Why invent the Wheel?

Mauritius is not the only country to count on Entrepreneurship to boost up the economy for the future. The US is living it. The development of start ups in the US is phenomenal. In France, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia and almost most all countries of the world, establishment of small enterprises and medium sized enterprises is being promoted. Literature thereon abounds on the net. Different models, according to the specific country needs are detailed in the different websites.

I found the website of the UK to be very interesting for us, Mauritius. Our trade laws were inherited from UK. So, we have a lot in common with them. UK has been for years ahead in the game of promoting Small Enterprises. Let us be inspired by their model and then adapt it to our operations and needs. A well of wealth is available to us on the web. Treasure hunting is now made easy through the search engines of the like of Google. Entrepreneurs go for it now. Act now.

Why invent the wheel? Use it to serve our purpose. The genius lies is in using the ideas of others to suit your specific purpose at the right time and right cost. Copying the idea of a guy is called plagiarism. Copying the ideas of many at the same time is call “research”. For the Entrepreneurs, the purpose is to turn ideas into workable businesses. Entrepreneurs are always Confronting Reality.Execution, Execution and Execution. Act now and execute.

“Me” Generation morphing to “We” Generation

On reading 2^nd August editorial of Daniel J. Kadlec of USA TODAY, I picked up the title and some ideas.

Quote

As boomers, turning 60, enter the traditional retirement years we are witnessing a grand transformation in this period of life, which has long been marked by withdrawal, entitlement and the pursuit of leisure. The emerging model embraces personal growth, giving back and continued employment. These hallmarks of the new retirement have the potential to reshape the economy and society to everyone’s benefit.

Do boomers really want to work longer? In a Merrill Lynch survey, 83% of boomers said they intended to work for pay full- or part-time after leaving their primary career. Certainly, some of them figure they’ll need the money. But most who work in their later years do so for other reasons. In a MetLife survey, nearly three of four working folks ages 66 to 70 said they chose to keep working to remain active and engaged. Needing income was a distant concern, ranking behind doing something meaningful and cultivating friendships with colleagues.

Un Quote

Indeed, this is my case. I am part of the baby boomer generation. I need to do something meaningful and keep on cultivating friendships. I for one, have found solace in blogging.

In Malaysia, the retirement age for government civil servants is 55. What they do thereafter? Many start a new life career. They start a new business and become entrepreneurs. Quite a number of highly skilled professionals joined together to form a corps of consultants. Tan Sri Dato’Soong Siew Hoong, secretary general of the Associated Chinese chamber of commerce of Malaysia, who I met some years ago, is one of the head of the corps of retirees acting as consultants called ERA( Expertise Ressource Association). He will be visiting the Chinese Business Chamber from the 7^th to the 11^th August. Let us pick on his brain to show us how to organize our own corps of consultants and network with the Malaysian ERA.

ÉCOLE – ENTREPRISE : DEUX MONDES QUI S’IGNORENT

Ecole et l’enseignement d’aujourd’hui préparent ils suffisamment nos jeunes pour leur entrées dans le monde du travail ? Le cursus de notre éducation nationale est il adapté aux besoins des entreprises de Maurice? Parmi nos 15000 étudiants chaque année, qui quittent nos écoles pour retrouver un emploi, combien sont conscients que leur chance d’emplois sera meilleur dans la mesure où ils ont une éducation adaptée et conforme aux besoins des entreprises? D’autre part, que font les entreprises pour avoir les employés prêts à l’oeuvre dans leur emploi ? Est ce que la somme d’argent déployée par l’éducation nationale, sert elle à préparer au mieux nos jeunes pour un emploi?

Semble-t- il notre île Maurice n’est pas seule à vivre ce dilemme ? En effet, j écoutais au mois d avril dernier une émission de radio France Inter qui avait bien travaillé ce dossier : Ecole- Entreprise. Des solutions et pistes de réflexion étaient suggérées. Entre autres un partenariat entre Université de Pontoise et la societe Veolia fut cité.

J’étais heureux de réécouter la semaine dernière France Inter, qui nous proposait une nouvelle diffusion en pod cast. Et voila, hier en grande pompe la MBC nous annonce qu’en grande première, l’Université de Maurice signe un accord de partenariat avec la CMT.L’evenement est repris ce jour sur L’Express.

Bravo à François Woo & Louis LaiFat Fur, décorés bien méritant de notre pays, d’entreprendre cette voie. Un « Win Win Win situation ». Win pour l’entreprise CMT qui s’assure de l’emploi des gens formés à sa demande, Win pour les jeunes qui trouvent des emplois conformes à leur compétence, et enfin, Win pour le pays qui, grâce à l’université, a bien investi dans l’utile sans superflu.

Quid des niveaux d’emplois plus inférieur? Ne sont ils pas bien plus nombreux ceux qui cherchent un emploi à 1a sortie de HSC ou SC ou encore à l’etape plus bas ?…..Une année de préparation et d’ apprentissage à l’emploi en alternance pour les jeunes, conjointement gerée par l’etat et les entreprises serait il possible ?

Global warnings and sea level

In Mauritius, being a small island, we are very concerned with Global warming & sea water level. The recent events on the changes in the “Pas Geometriques” leasing agreement as provided by our minister Sithanen triggered my thoughts to look for the impact of Global warming and to a larger extent climatic variations on the country and on our tourism industry which is based on Sun Sea & S…

Whilst one always hears about Global warming, hardly anybody talks of global dimming and its slowing effect on warming. I really enjoyed the hour spent on the net browsing on the subject. It would seem the scaring predictions are made without the concurrent equalising effects of other factors.

Am I wiser now? Not so sure, but I am definetly more reassured about the phenomenon which would become critical in some 100 years or so and based on today’s predictable future technologies & human creativity. By then, I would be enjoying bliss in heaven, hopefully.

“Be serene whilst having an ever inquisitive & exploring mind!” I heard my inner voice murmuring. Be Happy!

Ce dimanche 30 juillet 2006 l’Eglise nous propose comme lecture de l’évangile le miracle de la multiplication des pains selon St Jean.

Quelle chance j’ai eu ce dimanche d’avoir un célébrant malgache le père Roland. Une voie, quoique de remplacement, elle était nouvelle. Elle m’a demande beaucoup plus d attention d’écoute afin de vaincre le fort accent qui handicapait ma compréhension au départ. Ce que je retiens de son homélie : le miracle, un signe de Jésus, c est toujours pour un départ. Comment un départ ? Oui, Jésus nous demande toujours de partir. Apres chaque miracle, instruit de son enseignement, Jésus nous exhorte de partir pour une action.

Qu’ai-je retenu du récit de la Multiplication des pains, ce dimanche?

Avec la grâce de Dieu, avec 5 pains et 2 poissons il est possible de nourrir une population de 5000 personnes a satiété. Il en restât encore à manger après le repas. Le don de Dieu est abondant et débordant. Avec peu nous sommes appelés à faire beaucoup avec sa grâce.

« Lui-même savait bien ce qu’il allait faire » Quelle démonstration de confiance de soi. Quand nous avons Dieu avec nous et que nous agissons dans son plan tout nous réussit. N’est ce pas le cas de dire « même le ciel agit avec nous » ?

Jésus agit et c’est par son action qu il est reconnu grand prophète. « Action speaks louder than words » Le miracle est exécuté avec simplicité et amour. La foule a été nourrie de pain et obtient de surcroît le don d amour.

Je ne pouvais m’arrêter de penser au Fancy Fair de l’Ecole complémentaire qui se déroulerait juste apres. Avec peu de moyen et avec la grâce de Dieu, beaucoup peut être accompli à l’école complémentaire. Le don d’amour de Dieu est abondant et débordant. Aujourd’ hui c’est par nous que Dieu agit.Prenons a bras le corps notre départ pour l’action. Le miracle sera ainsi renouvelé.

Performance isn’t everything, you say?

If you are no good and not performing to the mark, you are fired.

In sports, say soccer, if you under perform regularly your team and your public do not want you. You are fired. In the film industry, if you are a bad performing artist, the audience will turn their back to you. You are fired. Should you be a non performing entrepreneur Bankruptcy will catch you sooner than later.

My weekly reading of Paul Graham got me to reaffirm my thinking of my last blog regarding Mauritius, Job Security and Startups. I draw your particular attention to his month of May essay on Why Startups condense in America. Will the prevailing mentality of job security and preservation of acquired privileges be conducive to Entrepreneurial future Mauritius? In the new globalize competitive world performance is the ball game. How do we get the Mauritian to be transformed in the new mind set?

I recommend you to study Paul Graham’s essay. I am a firm believer that we grow from being inspired by other people’s deed and thinking (ideas) and applying, and why not improving the borrowed ideas, to our own situation. I recall a few years ago I met the Gemba Kaizen founder Imai Masaaki. He said that we were allowed to copy all his ideas provided we use it to our benefit and thrive to improve on it.

So let us borrow some of Paul Graham’s ideas to make Mauritius an entrepreneurial country. Over and above the attitude of always improving (kaizen), and the proper infrastructures required for intelligence development and tax friendly, he has discussed 10 essential points for the startups to condense in America. What learnings can we take from him?

I observe that our present Minister Sithanen has taken some points over. Immigration which up till present, was restrictive would be easier, and easy to start businesses would a song.

Let us examine and take up more ideas. Our labour laws have to be addressed urgently. Development of Brains for the future is an absolute must. Who will look at our Education practice & policies without any self or vested interests?

Let us wage war against “statut quo”. Let us do away with employment as Tenure! Hail the entrepreneurs and risktakers!

“He who jumps into the void owes no explanation to those who stand and watch”

Jean Luc Goddard

For too long and for too many generations, the dream of our parents in Mauritius was to enter the civil service, (employes Gouverment), be employed by a bank or at least be an employee of a big firm. Security of employment with automatic annual increments followed by a guaranteed long term service pension was their quest. All for a secured, predictable lifetime job! Time will ensure the promotion as long as you do not make any mistakes. The only way not to make mistakes is by not doing anything at work, because believe me or not, non performance is not a cause for dismissal or demotion. This mode of operation still prevails today and promotes non activity. How would Mauritius then enroll the required entrepreneurs needed for its thrust? The term “Manager” is not commonly used in the civil service. You become a high rank civil servant or to the most an executive.

Today, we need real entrepreneurs, leaders, not even managers.

When you become an entrepreneur, you take on a great responsibility…you promise to change the world for the better.

If your reaction to this statement is: ‘I’m only managing an organization, or department, or project, I’m not out to change the world’, then I respectfully suggest that you learn to be a good manager, but not a leader.

Leaders cause positive change to happen, through people.

Managers control things. That’s it. The world needs great leaders and entrepreneurs. It has its fill of managers.

How does one become an Entrepreneur or leader?

If you feel that you are not sure whether you are truly committed to becoming a great one, if you have not yet made that decision, I would like you to take a look at two scenarii:

SCENARIO 1:

What if you were to make a total commitment to becoming a great one? Project yourself ahead 3 to 5 years from now. You have become one. Visualize what positive impact you are having on the world around you…

· How has the world benefited from your actions?

· What does that feel like?

· What type of people are you associating with?

· Who are you collaborating with?

· Who else is totally committed to the same cause as you?

· What positive actions are you and these people taking?

· How are other people responding to your successes?

· How worthwhile and meaningful has your life become?

· What does that feel like?

· How are you growing and developing?

· How does all this differ from today?

SCENARIO 2

What if you were to be less than fully committed to becoming one? Project yourself ahead 3 to 5 years from now. You are in a leadership position. Visualize how things will be…

· Have things changed much, or not at all?

· Who are you associating with…perhaps others who are also less than fully committed?

· What positive impact have you had on the world around you? Less than you desired?

· How do you feel about that?

· How worthwhile and meaningful has your life become?

· How does all this differ from today?

FOCUS: Developing your leadership focus, understanding its true significance to the world around you and how truly committed you are to achieving it

AUTHENTICITY: Discovering how much you know about yourself as an authentic leader, your beliefs and values, your strengths and weaknesses and how others perceive your authenticity

COURAGE: your level of courage and persistence, your ability and willingness to identify and stop doing those things that don’t support your focus, to start doing some new things that will support it, and to improve dramatically in other areas that will benefit your focus, both personally and organizationally

EMPATHY: your ability to listen to and work through other people, to garner support for your focus, to develop an atmosphere of collegiality and inclusiveness, and to empower others who share your focus

TIMING: your sense of timing in getting things done when they need to be done. Your ability to get off the treadmill and concentrate on what matters most to your focus, and to enable others to do the same

The world needs great entrepreneurs & leaders…if you want to become one, explore these facets. A word of caution however…once you start asking questions of yourself in these five areas, you will find that there will be no turning back. Proceed only if you are serious, only if you truly have the desire to become a great leader…

How Leading differs from Managing?

(Stephen Covey) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Covey

Entrepreneurs ought to possess and yet discriminate both qualities of, leader and manager. Covey teaches that the habit of Personal leadership has to be sequenced before the habit of Personal management. “What to do” ought to precede “how to do”. Visioning, planning & thinking have to occur before actioning. Rather be effective than being efficient. “You might end up effienciently leaning against the wrong wall” says Stephen Covey

Here are some major comparisons of how leading and managing differ:

Yes, Mauritius has to lay the grounds for the germination and nurturing of daring & innovative risktakers who I call Entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs armed confidently with competencies, capacities and passion.

This blog has also been largely inspired by the writings of Brian Ward

Emigrant Drum

A Red Drum Farm… in Mauritius.

Red Drum are now spawning in an ultra model, world class hatchery, then raised at sea in special fishing nets and finally bred to the size required by the market. Most of the technical hitches have been sorted out. The installation respects all the international environment and hygiene safety norms. Exports to various overseas markets have started, and the fish has received a good response on the local market particular in the up market end of the hotels.

I wonder what precautions have been taken against possible escapes by the farmed drum. SInce the Red Drum aren’t native to the waters of the Indian Ocean, if enough fish escape to form a breeding population, there could be any number of environmental consequences, as with the Lionfish here. A lot would depend on the relative fitness of the competing species. I wonder which native species fills the ecological niche there that drum have evolved to fill here.

The above text was received following my blog as a track back.

I did put the Question to the Farm previously. First, the possiblity of the Drum to live outside the farm environment is very slim because of the feed. Secondly,the farm has to minimise loss of Drum to nature and reduce the risk of accidents.Thirdly,Mauritius want its aquaculture to be an ecology friendly industry.

Rightly, the ecological aspect has to be taken in account.

How to become an entrepreneur?

Last night,the question of entrepreneurship haunted my mind. The first things first came in my mind. F T F was the title of a book written by Stephen R Covey and the Merrill couple I thought. Indeed, the definition of “what does one wants to do” is the first step of the entrepreneur.

Next, the word “Goals”lit up in my mind’s eyes. I was brought back to some exercises that I did with the help of a motivational writer and speaker Brian Tracy. Writing up a Personal Mission Statement, for a fact, directed the course of my life and has ever since been my life compass.

Being myself a “has been” looking forward for regeneration in a new life, I have a message to the upcoming entrepreneurs.For those of you who would be looking in the direction of setting off to building an exiciting and meaningful life, now is the time to target your Goals.

I recently agreed to share some of my life experiences, with a group of young start ups in life. One of them asked me to talk about time management.” Because we have so much to do, we are lost. We have to learn to manage our priorities.”he said. I retorted that “knowing what one wants” could be more important and pressing. So we have decided that we shall work on Goals.

Can you imagine a no-goal Entrepreneur?

Do drop in a comment and I shall share with you some of my knowledge literature and experiences on Goal setting & FTF.

A small piece is now available from the sound track here under. Just click and enjoy.
[audio:http://www.josephyiptong.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/Goals.mp3]

Goals.mp3