Mauritius is grappling with a more severe economic crisis than previously anticipated, according to the country's new prime minister, Navinchandra Ramgoolam.
"We’re taking stock of the economy. And what we find is shocking," Ramgoolam told reporters on Saturday in a video statement posted on social media. "It’s much, much worse than we expected."
The premier, who returned to power last month after his Alliance du Changement (ADC) secured a resounding victory in the general elections, made the announcement following an ongoing audit of the nation's public finances.
The audit, ordered by Ramgoolam last month, was initiated following his allegations that the previous government manipulated financial data to present a misleadingly positive picture of the economy.
He accused the previous administration of creating a false sense of economic prosperity, prompting his decision to take direct control of the finance ministry to assess the full extent of the problem and implement corrective measures.