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Citizens’ Perceptions of Local Government Services and Their Trust in Local Authorities: Implications for Local Government in Mauritius

Author

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  • Sanju Naraidoo

    (Sanju Naraidoo (corresponding author) is at the Department of Accounting, Finance and Law, Curtin Mauritius, Moka, Mauritius)

  • Sanjeev K. Sobhee

    (Sanjeev K. Sobhee is at the Department of Economics and Statistics, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Mauritius, Moka, Mauritius; e-mail: sksobhee@uom.ac.mu)

Abstract

The linkage between local perceptions of municipal services and the level of trust in the local government is an under-researched and yet relevant aspect for a small multi-ethnic island like Mauritius. This research draws from the opinions of some 400 Mauritian inhabitants gathered through a Citizens’ Satisfaction Survey carried out in 2018 to evaluate the attitudes of citizens towards local government services and trigger further research on future options for improving the local government sector. The results from a structural equation modelling (SEM) indicate that satisfaction with local outputs is a significant predictor of trust in local authorities. Trust in public institutions is also found to be a possible mediator in this nexus. Further probing into citizens’ responses reveals that their preferences for local public goods differ across jurisdictions and vary with level of education. Findings also point to a tendency for citizen mobility which can have important implications for improving local services through fiscal decentralisation. JEL Classification: H1, H3, H4

Suggested Citation

  • Sanju Naraidoo & Sanjeev K. Sobhee, 2021. "Citizens’ Perceptions of Local Government Services and Their Trust in Local Authorities: Implications for Local Government in Mauritius," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 15(3), pages 353-386, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:mareco:v:15:y:2021:i:3:p:353-386
    DOI: 10.1177/09738010211010515
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Local Service Performance; Political Trust; Local Demand Differences; Citizen Mobility; Fiscal Decentralisation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H1 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H3 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents
    • H4 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods

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