LE POLITICIEN JULY EDITION

EDITORIAL NOTE

Great!

It’s a big word to live up to...

But we strongly believe that ‘Le Politicien’

more than deserves this powerful moniker.

Further to the launching edition last month,

the response has been very welcoming and

we endeavour to continue meeting up the

expectations of the readers. The invaluable

support of our contributors is vivid and the

panoply of articles presented is astounding.

Moreover, we are committed to being

impartial, fair and accurate - these are the

qualities which ‘Le Politicien’ is rightly

expected to uphold. But we also want to be

open and accountable. Such a magazine will

not only enable the proliferation of politics

among the masses, but also open up avenues

for any to share ideas and opinions. This in

turn, has a huge potential to positively

impact the lives of the citizens.

I commend this initiative in bringing out the

magazine, in the form of a voluntary project

with wholehearted enthusiasm, and extend

my best wishes to the entire team. As it is

intended to publish this online magazine on a

monthly basis, your comments, suggestions

and contributions in forms of articles or

information would be most welcome. We

strongly rely on your support in this effort.

Don’t forget to ‘like’ our Facebook page

(www.facebook.com/groups/lepoliticien).

Your feedback, submissions and ideas are

always welcome.

Jeevesh Goolab BSc MSc (London)

Disclaimer: Opinions shared by Contributors in LE

POLITICIEN do not necessarily reflect the views of

the Editorial team.

OUR SPECIAL TEAM MANAGING EDITOR

Jeevesh Goolab [email protected]

SENIOR EDITOR

Comalparsad Ramlugon

MAURITIUS COORDINATOR Prakash H. Sagar

[email protected]

INTERNATIONAL COORDINATTORS/CONTRIBUTORS

AUSTRALIA Zoubeida Timol

[email protected] BELGIUM

Nuzrana Mooraby [email protected]

FRANCE Chris Bhaganooa

CONTRIBUTORS

Parveen Toofany Bheenick Harsha Chakoory

Amla Sewsurn Deepak Chandan

BUAV Charity - UK

GRAPHICS Ridhima Boojihawon

Ved Boojihawon Warren Coolen

Deesha Shibnauth Vasudha Booluck

http://www.facebook.com/groups/lepoliticien

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Le Politicien© | July 2012 | 3

Patriotism-Serve your Country! 4

Fake Identities on Facebook 6

Age of Innocence Destroyed 8

La Cigarette Tue 11

Le Pouvoir et la Dominance dans les Corps Paraétatique 12

Tourism Takes a Blow 13

Nostalgie: SSR 14

Save Our Monkeys 16

Be Safe at Work 18

Les Maux de la Société

Moderne

20


Elie Wiesel: “It may well be that our means

are fairly limited and our possibilities

restricted when it comes to applying pressure

on our government. But is this a reason to do

nothing? Despair is nor an answer, Neither is

resignation. The latter only leads to

indifference, which is not merely a sin but

undoubtedly a deserving punishment as well!

Mauritius will progress if we think positively

at the good things happening. We know that

corruption does exist. The question of how to

escape corruption within a government is not

an easy task. There is something worse than

corruption; it is the indifference of some, in

our society, who prefer to keep silent and

stay away because they believe politics is

dirty. This indifferent attitude should change.

It is a misunderstanding to believe that

human beings have no business with each

other’s fate as such in our life, which is full

of tribulations and challenges.

It’s so easy to turn away from the loneliness,

pain, suffering, and persecution of another

human being. Most of what we see is so far

away from us. Divine compassion is illusive

when we are not personally involved.

Indifference is not a virtue but a sin against

humanity as a whole. We have to set the best

example standing against crimes in all its

form and ugliness. We should stand for

respect and diversity. Let our soul be ever

alive to all the preventive possibilities of

warding off any type of impending

oppression.

Our mind should be set free with positive

thoughts. We do have intellectual and good

people in our country that should by all

means stand up and make an effort to

contribute towards the country’s progress.

Changes are needed both socially and

economically. They should come out and see

what is happening to our small Island. There

is an uncertainty about the future of our

country. Thinking that it is beyond our

capacity to bring in changes is without

dispute an absolute misconception. A lot can

be done.

Providing our citizens with the basic

necessities of life is of primary importance,

such as access to adequate food and proper

housing, the unfair wealth distribution when

we see some people suffering from poverty

whilst others living a life of luxury. Such

injustice can stem from unfair hiring

procedures, lack of available jobs and

education, and insufficient health care. All of

these conditions may lead people to believe

that they have not received a "fair share" of

the benefits and resources that should have

been made available to one and all.

Our children’s fate is in our hands, be

responsible for their future, we need to

muster all our strength and wisdom to

change their destiny. To want a caring, non-

violent society in which everyone is treated

with respect. It is a vision we should all

strive to achieve.


Poverty, child abuse, poor education

standards and social disadvantage can’t be

effectively tackled without recognizing the

value of children in the community. This

means giving them a voice at national level

and properly addressing children’s rights to

thus promote to the maximum possible extent

their growth and development.

Learn how to live together across our racial

and religious background. Celebrate and

acknowledge our differences, share our

values and opportunities. Raise people’s

standard of living and invest in resources to

help people achieve in life. We all deserve to

live well and be happy. Give opportunities to

all without any discriminating intent and

partiality.

“Ask not what your country can do for you—

ask what you can do for your country”.

(John F. Kennedy)

Zoubeida Timol


FAKE PROFILES ON FACEBOOK – A PATHOLOGY

UNVEILED

he paradox of the unknown appeals to some and frightens others but meaningfully

addresses each one of us in its own way.

With the advent of modern age communications and trends set by the hype and happening

groups on social networks of date, namely Facebook, we are coming across an increasing

number of people who want to dip into the unknown in various fields such as religion,

politics and sexuality amongst others. The interests so expressed are often in themselves the

result of harmless curiosity and concern for a particular subject and attract the individual into

furthering his instincts about it.

Most of us will often visit and like pages, groups or communities touching the taboo and the

strange and the off-limits but never with our ‘Official Account’ (OA) which bears all the

‘right’ and ‘proper’ information about our little person. We prefer to reach out to our innate

penchants with an invented form of our ‘that little person’, in the form of a ‘Fake Profile’

(FP) usually created to the image of our perfect or improved version. Attractive, sexy, wild or

conservative depending on the type of image required, the FP’s new photograph (Profile pic

as it is commonly known) is usually a carefully selected one copied from Google image

search and poised for maximum effect and an appropriate name is selected for the targeted

audience or interests that the person wants to pursue. We will note here that while the initial

aim of the FP was to adventure in the unknown while keeping ‘safe’ our OA, the FP would

fast become a game at our keyboards; we are finally living the social network our way, our

style, no taboo, no gimmicks, no judgement of our character – the dream social platform

liberty!

Fake Profile under check, the ‘Facebooker’ begins to add unknown ‘friends’ and family of

these friends or their friends and we see the evolution of the FP into a kind of adapted OA.

We now add those whose lives we wish to peep into to our friends’ list, we add those who

may help us pursue some type of goal, we add those whom we would not dare add under our

real OA and likewise stuff. Everything is perfectly alright and on the right path for us to have

some fun and freedom of expression and likes and associations.

No big deal.

Are you sure? The matter has taken another turn.

T


The Fake Profiles come in a number of versions, which are not all innocent and fun. To name

but a few of the ill-geared types, we will come across ethnic racists, child-hunting monsters,

serial killers, suicide gurus, sexual tourism recruiters and the likes of pathologically ill

individuals seeking to grasp a certain type of audience or looking to meet up for not exactly

innocent reasons. Fake Profiles have become a gateway for lowly Internet crimes and we are

not unknown to this factor. But we also have a certain type of Nuisance FP who will add

anyone and everyone or a specific group of people, stalk them knowingly or unknowingly,

watch out for their status updates, the groups they join and their social affiliations on the

network and make use of these information to morally harass their victim(s) while maybe

calling them up in the evening and making small talks with these very same persons. The

Nuisance FP will stop there.

However, there is another kind of FP resulting from individuals suffering from

Undifferentiated Schizophrenia. By definition, the main line about schizophrenia is that the

affected person cannot tell the difference between what is real and not real. (Undifferentiated

Schizophrenia is termed to a person who suffers from the elements of several types of

schizophrenia.)

We shall analyse the behaviour of one type of pathologic Paranoid Schizophrenia FP infused

with displays of Catatonic Schizophrenia today. Say we have this absolutely normal looking

lady, Sonya (Fake Name) with an ordinary life who wants to give a totally invented version

of her to the world. She is taunted in her mind on a daily basis about her constant anxiety, her

fears of being overlooked, her fears about being underestimated and discredited for her looks

or family background and education, the fake notion that people are trying to put her down or

harm her and her people; that lady will be either genetically attached to Schizophrenia or

attached to a gene of mental disorders of the OCD type (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and

she is restless to score points on the social network - she haunts compulsively, without break

over the day and night to settle the score with the world in this case. Watch me! This is her

body language. She will now invent herself not one but several if not many Fake Profiles and

give herself importance through those same FP’s.

Her FP’s who are like the twin male or female versions of her own self; will multiply her

image of self-importance and mirror an incandescent and almost wildly attractive social circle

with Sonya as the main pack leader in her own social network. They will laugh with Sonya,

cry with her, CHAT and DISCUSS with Sonya, sometimes showing little or big

disagreements for good measure but always ending by acclaiming her and her excellent self,

and have the same mindset and language as her. We must understand by now that these FP’s

are all seemingly logged onto Facebook at the same time to make the stage look real. Sonya

is suddenly the star of the social network and as the star is marvelled at by those who are not

aware that such pathology exists, Sonya will be having Catatonic fits of grimace and short

bursts of laughter while scrolling up and down her Facebook page fiercely in the comfort of

her den, forgetting at times who is Sonya and who is who among her fabricated FP’s. At

some point, this patient may even be given opportunities to control networks or issues that

may have an overall negative impact on her health (making her sink further into

schizophrenia’s dark shadows) and the life of those she touches, friends and fellow

networkers alike.

This is the pathology.

Do you recognise a Sonya among your friends? If yes, talk to the person or advise that they

should seek help before it’s too late.

Nuzrana Mooraby


CHILD ABUSE – WHEN WILL

THE ACTION MATERIALISE?

Further to a current issue raised on Le Forum

Facebook Group on Child Abuse by Mr

Sagar, the reaction has been strong. It has

brought statistics to the limelight, as

previously published by L’Express

newspaper; that the Child Development Unit

(CDU) has registered at least 40 cases of

abuse in any week for the past six months.

The concern for the issue is not just of a

dismaying nature but a serious turn and cause

for worries in the Mauritian society

considering that the CDU is severely

inadequate to manage the situation with its

current limited staffing. How did this

situation arise in Mauritius? What has

brought about this alarming issue and what

should be done to curb the matter, bearing in

mind that not all cases are known or reported.

Mr Jadunundun was the first to address his

views on this alarming situation brought to

the attention of Le Forum members.

According to him, “The CDU has put the

official figure to some 4000 cases in a year

which is about twice the figure we get upon

computing the number of reported cases

within a week over a year. This is to show

that the issue is getting out of hand and that

the authorities as well as the society need to

react and rectify this course. The authorities

by themselves cannot resolve or bring this

situation under control. Children abuse and

ill-treatment is indeed a very serious crime

and which affects their developmental

growth. Is it any wonder at all if these same

children become the deviants of the society

and end up as petty criminals and delinquents

in the long run?

It is important to tackle the issue of child

abuse from its roots by educating the society.

The reinforcement of the current laws

concerning child abuse is warranted at this

stage to make the sentences more severe. The

Child Development Unit needs to be

reinforced and more shelters should be built

to accommodate children who have been

removed from abusive parents until they are

placed in foster homes. Government should

encourage other parents into fostering with

incentives such as tax credits and other types

of support. If the abusive parents cannot take

care of the children then other parents would

be willing to. The law on adoption should be

made less hectic and expensive for would-be

adopters. The process of adoption and the

resources it implies discourages a lot of would

be adopters to go ahead with such initiatives.”


Having said that, the situation can still be salvaged if actions are taken in due time, that is to

say, immediately. The big WHY of what is happening defines a certain malaise in the society

of today. We have seen that more often than not, abusive parents are frustrated individuals.

Many factors such as financial problems, drug addiction, drinking issues, ‘ill-adapted

concubinage’ result in making a punching ball out of an innocent child. The CDU itself has

limited resources and funding and thus cannot indulge in sufficient campaigns to educate

people about the way to be with their children. The Unit seems to be frozen; there is a severe

shortage of properly educated and psychologically trained personnel within its boundaries

and that is the main reason for the internal confusion which will never allow the cell to

multiply in terms of efficiency and proper growth. There is no stirring for approaching

private sponsors and for furthering funding from Mauritians on appeal to their generosity; no

positive movement or proposals for reform and in the meantime the situation is having the

effect of a sudden high tide over unsuspecting sunbathers. If we were to conclude on these

happenings, it would not be inappropriate to say that the unit is sedated.

On the other hand, the local Government has to learn how to prioritize. A healthy society and

its prosperity have only one sure source; its people and the people should be the priority of

any Government. Investing in the wellbeing of the people; educating them; growing them and

fine-tuning them into responsible individuals by providing necessary funds to regulatory

bodies and human development institutions to bring up the quality of life of the people; such

should have been the primary docket of any system of government. As such, actions should

be immediate and conclusive; the Government has a moral duty not to postpone the problem

for a later on solution. When an alarming situation presents itself, the actions should be

prompt and directly associative. What are they waiting for in order to regionalize at least a

bureau in each of the different districts and train a small team of about 10 individuals for each

cell – how much finance does the country require to employ and train about a hundred

qualified individuals, give them an office and get them to start in the problem areas. In theory

it is always much easier but it is not impossible either in practice. They can always build a

city for the kids who require shelter instead of squandering finances on legendary

investments which have borne no fruits till date.

Point to be noted, solutions exist but the decision to implement is in the Government’s court

and awaiting their proper action. Accordingly, Mr Rossaye who participated in the discussion

also concluded on the affair. He follows suit with the proposed regionalizing; of having at

least a bureau in each of the different districts and training a small team of some 10

individuals for each cell.

Mr Rossaye carries on – ‘On a related topic there was a PQ in Parliament on Children at Risk

Removed from their Families which may be found on P.72 of:

http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/assemblysite/file/hansardsecd0412.pdf. It transpired that 433

children at risk were removed from their families who are to be rehabilitated because their

socio-economic conditions do not allow for the caring and handling of the former or even

their safety. Over the past 5 years only 210 of the children thus thought it good and

reasonable to return to their families.

1) As Steven Obeegadoo underlined, the figures speak for themselves. Only less than half

returned to their families and for these only 6 psychologists and 9 officers of the ministry

posted to provide psychological support and home-visits, apart from their normal duties.

2) The Minister does not pronounce on what basis - if there is a study - does her ministry

determine if the families can accept the children or not.

http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/assemblysite/file/hansardsecd0412.pdf


3) We are left in the dark concerning the children's schooling, after their return - how it is

affected and what are the remedies.

4) Nothing transpired as to the measures being taken to tackle the problem of the socio-

economic conditions of the various families, as a preventive measure to the above. Points 2, 3

and 4 reveal the absence of a crucial element in tackling social problems: consultation/

coordination between various entities.

In 2) above, we would expect coordination between the ministry and the various experts to

throw light on the decision to know whether the families are ready to accept their children or

not; in 3), coordination between the concerned ministry and the ministry of education, rather

than just referring the schooling aspects to the latter; and in 4), coordination between the

ministry and that of social security and that of social integration and the NGO's.

This would prevent the Government from failing to come with a seriously comprehensive

social program to tackle the problems of society. There should be a global plan of action that

would address the various aspects (education, economic, social, moral.) of the problem in one

whole. We cannot treat these aspects individually or departmentally and come with piecemeal

solutions through mechanisms that would be consistent only on paper. Social problems have

to be looked at from the victim's view and the various stakeholders should combine and get

moulded in such a way that they address the problems as they are, not as they conveniently

abstract them on paper.’

There is no ready-brewed solution stemming from one perspective of the issue; it is only via a

perfect bridging system which we can bond the gaps that is breaching the said society,

starting from a Government initiative. Further to this point of Mr Rossaye’s, with regard to

rehabilitated families; I suggest a method of prevention since the beginning; community

centres should provide the necessary roof for counselling people who may need it and

campaigns should be made community-wise in order to attract concerned people and the

general public to attend get-togethers during which the basics of factors such as parenting;

family planning, socio-economic responsibilities of the individual are to be expanded in

layman terms for the appreciation of one and all (how to grow a child, how to provide for the

child, how to seek help if finances become a cause of ‘maltraitance’ for the child – these

would fall under parenting).

All that is required is the right investment in the right kind of civil officers to inhabit already

present quarters. Mauritius would however find it difficult to recruit and train approximately

1000 competent field individuals who would tackle issues from an educated and

psychological angle. This problem definitely does not flow from a scarcity of resources. It is

a planning and intelligent coordination affair to be inhered through careful deliberation with

qualified consultants who preferably hold a proven track record in family rehabilitation and

children services.

Nuzrana Mooraby



Corps paraétatiques : Le règne des petits princes

Sans vouloir mettre en doute la compétence de tout

ceux qui sont à la tête des corps paraétatiques mais

la nomination de

Ceci dit, il y a bien des fois que ces incompétents

sont une des raisons de l’impopularité d’un

gouvernement qui se laisse aveugler par leurs soi-

disant ‘hommes de terrains’ mais en réalité ils ne

sont que des jouisseurs et changent de couleur

politique à l’approche des élections et se trouvent

toujours du coté des gagnants.

Même si l’actuel Premier Ministre a à maintes

reprises annoncé sa décision de remédier à la

situation au sein de certains corps paraétatiques, en

attendant les petits princes continue à jongler avec

l’argent des contribuables.

certaines personnes laisse un parfum

d’appartenance politique au lieu de leurs

compétences ancestrales pour gérer une institution.

Il n’est pas un secret de polichinelle que tous les

partis qui accèdent au pouvoir essaient de placer

leurs partisans surtout ceux qui ont été actifs

pendant la campagne électorale à la tête de certains

corps paraétatiques afin qu’à leur tour, ils

embauchent ceux qui sont proches du parti et cette

pratique ne date d’hier. Tous les partis politiques

qui ont accédé au pouvoir, ont mis leurs proches à

la tête de ces institutions.

Mais certains aussitôt nommés et surtout ceux qui

n’ont pas cette compétence requise se prennent

pour des petits princes et s’accordent à toute sorte

de facilités comme si c’est leur bien personnel sans

se soucier que l’argent utilisé pour l’achat de

voitures de haut de gamme ou faire des voyages à

l’étranger.

Deepak Chandan


OUR TOURIST INDUSTRY REGISTERS A DOWN -TREND

There is no doubt that our Tourist Sector

contributes a big chunk of the budgeted annual

income and expenditure, but, given the prevailing

world-wide worst economic crisis, it is obviously

threatened with a decline from its usual level. For

instance, only for the month of last May there has

been an unfortunate fall of 14.5% as compared to

Europe in the number of tourists arrived here.

Hence it earnestly calls for a brainstorm to hit on

viable ways and means to meet the big challenge. It

is again in this context that the Minister for

Tourism, Hon. Michael Sik Yuen, stressed on the

absolute need to a shift from the East to the West

that is from Europe to Asia.

Such a diversification is to justifiably find some

new markets in countries like

India, China and the Eastern Europe. But he is

much put about by the fact that Hotel-keepers,

whose solemn duty though is to sedulously attract

tourists by all possible means, yet they would

prefer to be smug and not pull all the wires that

they could have in fact. The Asians, moreover, do

not like spending as much as the Europeans and we

should thus have recourse to a lot of interesting

contrivances and strategies to get them to spend.

Far from the old stereotyped ways of spending

their time in the ‘sea, sun, and sand’: luxuriating on

the warm spring sunshine, cosily ‘albatrossing’

until saturated with the much coveted gift of

nature, and exultantly boating up and down the

inviting sea and the bay – the tourists could have

eyefuls of beautiful scenes from spectacles like

the carnaval at Flic-en-Flac and the fiesta at

Bagatelle. To ease things further, the Minister

in question just officially launched a hotline at

the seat of (MTPA) Mauritius Tourism

Promotion Authority.

Now, in order to have the satisfaction of

knowing that I have done my duty as a true

Mauritian analyser, I would with all my heart

like to suggest the following points: Some

special types of protection should be given to

all tourists hailing from any corner of the

globe; some special squads of policemen

posted at certain strategic places and be ever

on the alert to rush to the rescue of the poor

tourists in case of urgent need; the old capital

punishment should be re-established for some

specific type of cases, such as that of Michaela

Harte – the most abominably disgraceful blot

on the Mauritian soil so far recorded!

Thus, the tourist industry in our pretty island

will flourish and be a quarry of delight,

bandwagoned by different types of fiesta – a

taste of which we have already had at Flic-en-

Flac and Bagatelle.

Comalparsad Ramlugon


Une page de l’histoire : Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam

Nous allons à partir de la présente édition consacrer une

page de l’histoire sur nos tribuns qui ont consacré tous leurs

vies au service du pays et pour ce premier retour dans le

passé, on a choisi celui que toute la population appelle avec

une certaine fierté ‘‘Chacha’’ et Père de la nation,

notamment Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.

Le petit Kewal a vu le jour le 18 septembre 1900 dans le

petit village de Belle Rive à cinq mille de Bel Air dans l’est

du pays dans le district de Flacq. Son

père Moheeth Ramgoolam était comme la plupart des villageois, des immigrants venant de L’Inde

pour travailler dans le champ et il avait épousé une veuve, Basmati Ramchurn qui avait déjà deux

fils de son premier mariage.

Dés son jeune âge le petit Kewal, tout comme les enfants de son voisinage, il a fréquenté le

‘baithka’ de la localité pour apprendre la langue hindi, mais surtout pour connaître la culture et la

tradition indienne. En voyant ses petits amis aller a l’école, il se fait admettre au RCA de la localité

sous la responsabilité de Madame Siris et cela sans même que sa mère était au courant. Quelque

temps plus tard, il joignit le Bel Air Government School. A l’âge de sept ans, il a eu la malchance

de perdre son père et à 12 ans et suite à un grave incident survenu dans une étable, où il perdit son

œil de gauche, mais sa belle mère ainsi que son beau-frère ainé âgé de 21 ans était toujours à ses

côtés et l’ont toujours bien traité.

En tant qu’un élève très intelligent,

il obtint une bourse pour continuer

ses études primaires à Curepipe

Boys Government School et

malgré ce jeune âge, il avait déjà

montré ses intérêts pour la

politique et ainsi avec l’aide de

son oncle il suivait toutes les

actualités sur le plan local et

suivait avec beaucoup d’intérêt la

grande bataille en Inde pour son

accession à l’indépendance sous le

leadership de Gandhi, Nehru et

Bose.

Après ses études primaires, Seewoosagur fit son entré au Collège Royale de Curepipe et grâce a ses

professeurs, le Révérend Fowler et Harwood, il va découvrir une autre facette de la vie - celle de

connaitre et d’apprécier la langue et la littérature anglaise, mais pour autant il n’avait pas négligé les


Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam fut nommé chef ministre

en 1961 avant d’accéder au poste de Premier Ministre le

12 mars 1968 et y resta jusqu'à 1982. Lors des élections

générales de cette année le PTR connut une de ces plus

grandes défaites depuis 1948. SSR ‘mordit la poussière’

dans sa propre fief face à l’alliance MMM/PSM menée

par Paul Bérenger et Harish Boodhoo.

Sir Seewoosagur avait la possibilité de retrouver son

poste de premier ministre à l’issue des nouvelles

élections générales de 1983, mais décida de donner tout

son appui à la nouvelle alliance MSM/PTR/PMSD tout

en restant loin de la politique active et après la victoire de

cette alliance il fut nommé gouverneur-général du pays

jusqu'à son décès le 15 décembre 1985.

Deepak Chandan

autres langues ou valeurs.

Après avoir terminé ses études secondaires, il prit de l’emploi dans le service civil, chose qui n’était

guère facile à cette époque et surtout pour quelqu’un venant de la classe ‘laboureur’ mais après trois

mois, il décida d’aller poursuivre ses études supérieures à l’étranger en 1921. Il opta pour la

médecine quand la mort de sa maman resta graver dans sa mémoire ; Cette dernière trouva la mort

faute d’un manque de médecins à cette époque. De plus, Seewoosagur voulait s’occuper des

pauvres.

Dès qu’il termina ses études de médecine au ‘University College London’ (UCL) de Londres, le

jeune médecin regagne son pays natal en 1935 et se met ainsi aux services des plus démunis de la

société. Ensuite, il épousa Sushil et de cette union sont nés deux enfants, à savoir Sunita et Navin.

Peu de temps après, il s’adhéra au Parti Travailliste qui avait déjà était lancé, le 23 Février 1936 au

Champ de Mars devant des dizaines de milliers de personnes par le Dr Maurice Curé. Seewoosagur

Ramgoolam avait débuté sa carrière politique comme conseiller municipal à Port Louis et en 1959,

il devint le leader du PTR et ainsi commença sa lutte pour faire le pays accéder au statut de

l’indépendance - rêve qui va se réaliser le 12 Mars 1968 suite aux élections générales du 7 Août

1967. L’alliance qui comprenait le Comité d’Action Musulmans de Sir Abdool Razack Mohamed et

L’Independant Forward Block de Sookdeo Bissondoyal remporta une large majorité à ces élections.


Religious and socio-cultural groups in

Mauritius support BUAV efforts to

raise concerns about the trade in monkeys for research

At a news conference in Mauritius, the BUAV Charity has announced a major development

in its campaign to raise awareness of the trade in monkeys on Mauritius for the international

research industry. The organization has received the support of many of the country’s leading

religious and socio-cultural groups, and a statement of concern signed by twenty-two

religious and socio-cultural groups and individuals, has been released. The BUAV is now

calling upon other groups and leading citizens to add their voice and raise concerns about the

trade.

Mauritius is the world’s second largest supplier of primates to the research industry; each

year thousands of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are exported around the world

to be used in experiments. In 2010, the most recent year data is available, over 7,500

monkeys including those trapped in the wild, were exported to laboratories in the UK, the

USA, France, Spain, Mexico and Singapore. A major investigation carried out by the BUAV

in 2010 obtained shocking evidence of the cruelty and suffering involved in the trapping and

breeding of the wild monkeys.


In February 2012, the BUAV campaign, Save our

Monkeys, was launched in Mauritius to raise

awareness and unify support. This island campaign

has enabled the people of Mauritius to express

concern about what is happening to their monkey

population.

The BUAV Chief Executive,

Michelle Thew, states: “This

important statement of support,

signed by key religious and socio-

cultural groups and individuals,

represents a growing awareness and

concern on Mauritius about the

suffering inflicted on the monkey

population. This cruel trade has

continued unchallenged for too long.

Now is the time for the people of

Mauritius to make their opposition

heard and we hope this statement

will encourage them to do this.”

Visit the new Save Our Monkeys

website:

www.saveourmonkeys.mu

www.sauvonsnossinges.mu

www.sovnouzako.mu

BUAV

Disclaimer: The Primates' article and photos are exclusive to the BUAV charity and LE POLITICIEN

has got the legal permission to publish it.

http://www.saveourmonkeys.mu/

http://www.sauvonsnossinges.mu/

http://www.sovnouzako.mu/


Health and Safety at Work

Whatever our jobs, our health and safety matters; but rarely do we stop to think about it in a meaningful

way. Every year, the 28th of April marks the annual global campaign to promote a safe, healthy and

decent workplace for all.

This campaign was launched in 2003, when the International Labour Organization (ILO) decided to

launch an international awareness program to support the prevention of accidents and illnesses at work,

“capitalising on the traditional strengths of tripartism and social dialogue”. This campaign is an important

part of the Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health of the ILO advocating how to make work

safe and healthy, and the need to raise the international profile of occupational health and safety. 28th of

April is also a day which the world's trade union movement has long associated with commemorating

victims of occupational accidents, diseases and deaths.

In that perspective, on an annual basis, a variety of programs are organised to discuss the current global

challenges and the new context of occupational safety and health practice. It highlights technological

advance, emerging workplace risks, and changing patterns of employment and workforce. ILO is keen to

spread a preventive culture, through its standards and technical know-how, looking forward to a joint

effort of employer-employee in reducing work-related fatalities, accidents and diseases.

Amongst sub-Saharan African countries, Mauritius has led the process of promoting a safe, healthy and

decent workplace for all employees by enacting the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 2005. This Act

makes provision for additional duties and responsibilities for employers, to quote:

Employers having 50 or more employees should make a written statement of their policy with

respect to occupational safety and health in their enterprises;

Appropriate procedures for fire, explosion, accidental release of substances hazardous to health or

dangerous occurrences should be established;

Employers will have to make suitable and sufficient risk assessment for their employees and for

other persons who may be affected by their work activity, i.e. visitors, clients;

Employers who have workers other than their own employees working in their undertaking have

the obligation to inform these workers and also their respective employers of the risks to safety

and health at the undertaking;

Employers who have 50 or more employees are now required to establish a Safety and Health

Committee which will be chaired by a representative of the Employer and a Vice-chairperson

being a worker.

The Act underlines that an employee may file a complaint against his employer with the Permanent

Secretary or a representative if he considers that his safety and health can be adversely affected as a result

of a breach of or inadequate measures taken under this Act. The Act protects employees against new

hazards in, for example, a factory and work-related diseases caused by the use of chemicals and

hazardous substances. However, it also extends to more light weight, office-type environments where you

might be working as a cleaner or in front of a computer all day. In fact, one can argue that a workplace is


not bound by either an office or factory environment, but that wherever work is performed, that place

becomes a workplace, and the implications of this law applies all the same.

It is also worthwhile noting that the remit of this law does not apply only to physical hazards, that is,

those obvious to the eyes, but also to more personal and subtler work-related issues like stress, frustration,

unease and discontent linking with the psychological health, safety and well-being of the worker. The

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), regional office of the World Health Organization

(WHO) defines “a healthy workplace as one in which workers and managers collaborate to use a

continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and promote the health,

safety and well-being of all workers and the sustainability of the workplace by considering the

following, based on identified needs: health and safety concerns in the physical work

environment; health, safety and well-being concerns in the psychosocial work environment

including organization of work and workplace culture; personal health resources in the workplace;

and ways of participating in the community to improve the health of workers, their families and other

members of the community(PAHO/WHO).”

Although desirable, a safe, healthy and decent workplace is hard to achieve in practice. In these uncertain

times; the promotion of a safe, healthy and decent workplace for all should become a shared

responsibility and apply equally to all workers. Everyone involved has to understand their roles,

responsibilities and contributions to the process of creating a healthy workplace. Accordingly, the ILO

suggests that: “Each of us is responsible for stopping deaths and injuries on the job. As governments we

are responsible for providing the infrastructure – laws and services – necessary to ensure that workers

remain employable and that enterprises flourish; this includes the development of a national policy and

programme and a system of inspection to enforce compliance with occupational safety and health

legislation and policy. As employers we are responsible for ensuring that the working environment is safe

and healthy. As workers we are responsible to work safely and to protect ourselves and not to endanger

others, to know our rights and to participate in the implementation of preventive measures”.

Safety and health is a pertinent issue for every occupation, for every employer and employee in this

country. We cannot simply ignore this issue because it is not the main objective, purpose or strategy of

our organisation. Instead it is high time for proactive action to make it part and parcel of the main

priorities of our business because every worker, at the very least, is entitled to a safe, healthy and decent

workplace.

Harsha Chakoory


Notre société progresse – Va-t-elle dans le bon

sens?

Les crimes sordides se succèdent, avec des victimes de plus en plus sauvagement mutilées. Le plus

souvent, ces crimes sont commis au sein de la cellule familiale. La violence conjugale prend des

proportions inquiétantes. Autant de cas de violences soient enregistrés et selon une fréquence aussi

soutenue, c’est un signe indiscutable que notre société va mal ! Il y a des graves disfonctionnements qu’il

faut rapidement prendre en compte. Autrement, cela va indubitablement s’empirer. (Le Mauricien-Juin

2012)

Les cas s’augmentent de manière alarmante – pratiquement tous les jours, surtout en ce qui concerne des

maris qui s’en prennent très violemment à leurs épouses. La violence traduit une certaine impuissance.

Quand l’homme utilise la violence, il donne des coups à sa femme ou à son enfant parce qu’il n’arrive

pas à répliquer d'une autre manière. Selon tous les codes sociaux, quand on grandit on apprend à se

comporter ; on travaille ses attitudes et on se découvre. On apprend aussi à gérer ses sentiments tels que la

colère et la culpabilité. Au sein d’une famille stable, on apprend mieux à maitriser ses pulsations. Mais au

sein d’une famille où il manque cette sérénité, l’atmosphère est souvent électrique. En outre, la

consommation de l’alcool n’est pas pour ‘socialiser’ mais rien qu’un moyen pour évacuer son stress

quotidien et des tribulations ou par pur addiction qui puisse apporter un changement.

Le problème de la violence est complexe et on ne doit pas le ramener seul à la violence domestique. Sous

toutes ses formes, la violence est révélatrice d’une société qui évolue à multiples vitesses. Ce qui fait

qu’en cours de route, le développement ne tient pas en compte l’épanouissement humain. Sur ce point, il

faut reconnaître que nos nombreuses et grandes institutions ont misérablement failli!

Nos institutions font un amalgame malsain des vraies valeurs de la vie. On prend les dogmes religieux

pour des valeurs et on les mélange. On a tout fait! Les vraies valeurs qu’on doit inculquer aux jeunes et

aux adultes, ce sont par exemple - l’aspiration à une vie paisible et harmonieuse; l’honnêteté, la culture de

l’intégrité et la sincérité. Mais ce ne sont malheureusement pas ces valeurs qui sont nourries par les

institutions qui gèrent la société. La vraie question fondamentale, sur le problème de la violence, c’est une

éducation inadéquate; le manque de toute forme de prévention et de sensibilisation relative à la violence.

En guise de conclusion, il est impératif d’avoir des campagnes soutenues de prévention et de

sensibilisation qui vont tout droit au but et il faut absolument les commencer par les plus jeunes de la

société.

Parveen Toofany Bheenick

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