MY MAURITIAN DREAM
A new year begins. 2011 will surely bring fresh hopes in the heart of the population. And many challenges as well. Challenges to the Government, to the Opposition and to all Mauritians in general.
I remember a few months back, more precisely on the 18th of November 2010, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Pravind Jugnauth, while delivering his budget speech, made reference to “THE MAURITIAN DREAM”. Immediately I started thinking about derogation from the famous “AMERICAN DREAM”. The dream of a prosperous future where each and every citizen would have the opportunity to achieve personal success irrespective of race, colour, religion or social background, but to be determined rather on hard work, commitment and dedication.
For a young person like me, such a dream should have made me quite enthusiastic. However, I did not get carried away. Why? Simply because I am quite well aware of the existence of certain “Mauritian Realities” as I get to often hear them from some of our dear fellow politicians. I should say that I have always believed and will always believe that all people are born equal.
Mauritianism gone missing..
However, I have witnessed unsavoury episodes where some people seem to be more equal than others.
Sounds funny, isn’t it? I kept thinking how it would be possible to create a “MAURITIAN DREAM” in a country where individual protectionism and favouritism widely exist? Where religious lobbies are being empowered instead of the population being empowered? Then I thought to myself. Do we consider ourselves to be sufficiently Mauritians in order to be able to have a “MAURITIAN DREAM”?
Establishing the pillars for a New Mauritius
The fundamental basis of that dream should in fact be based on values before anything else. In fact, I should call them the real MAURITIAN VALUES; mutual respect among the population, secularism, patriotism, meritocracy, hard work and dedication. And not on political favouritism, mind corruption, racial divisions and beautiful words that only sound good and that are never followed by concrete actions. The “MAURITIAN DREAM” has got absolutely no sense of meaning if it is not based on Mauritian Values.
But let us remain optimistic. We would not want to start a new year with negative feelings. Challenges exist and shall continue to exist. Can’t we create a “MAURITIAN DREAM” if each and every one of us unites around the same purpose? YES WE CAN…AND WE WILL.
Ridwaan BEEHARRY
On behalf of JEUNESSE MILITANTE (MMM Youth Wing)
A new year begins. 2011 will surely bring fresh hopes in the heart of the population. And many challenges as well. Challenges to the Government, to the Opposition and to all Mauritians in general.
I remember a few months back, more precisely on the 18th of November 2010, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Pravind Jugnauth, while delivering his budget speech, made reference to “THE MAURITIAN DREAM”. Immediately I started thinking about derogation from the famous “AMERICAN DREAM”. The dream of a prosperous future where each and every citizen would have the opportunity to achieve personal success irrespective of race, colour, religion or social background, but to be determined rather on hard work, commitment and dedication.
For a young person like me, such a dream should have made me quite enthusiastic. However, I did not get carried away. Why? Simply because I am quite well aware of the existence of certain “Mauritian Realities” as I get to often hear them from some of our dear fellow politicians. I should say that I have always believed and will always believe that all people are born equal.
Mauritianism gone missing..
However, I have witnessed unsavoury episodes where some people seem to be more equal than others.
Sounds funny, isn’t it? I kept thinking how it would be possible to create a “MAURITIAN DREAM” in a country where individual protectionism and favouritism widely exist? Where religious lobbies are being empowered instead of the population being empowered? Then I thought to myself. Do we consider ourselves to be sufficiently Mauritians in order to be able to have a “MAURITIAN DREAM”?
Establishing the pillars for a New Mauritius
The fundamental basis of that dream should in fact be based on values before anything else. In fact, I should call them the real MAURITIAN VALUES; mutual respect among the population, secularism, patriotism, meritocracy, hard work and dedication. And not on political favouritism, mind corruption, racial divisions and beautiful words that only sound good and that are never followed by concrete actions. The “MAURITIAN DREAM” has got absolutely no sense of meaning if it is not based on Mauritian Values.
But let us remain optimistic. We would not want to start a new year with negative feelings. Challenges exist and shall continue to exist. Can’t we create a “MAURITIAN DREAM” if each and every one of us unites around the same purpose? YES WE CAN…AND WE WILL.
Ridwaan BEEHARRY
On behalf of JEUNESSE MILITANTE (MMM Youth Wing)
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