As you approach your 36th Independence Day celebrations, I (a foreigner now living in this beautiful country) thought it appropriate to write about the typical Mauritian & how you seem to have evolved over the 12 years that I have been living here.

The original idea behind writing to the press was to talk about Midlands Dam & what a wonderful place it is for families to stroll about or ride bicycles, enjoy the fresh air etc. but after visiting it (via Dubreuil), I can tell you that it is not safe for families to stroll about or ride bicycles because, despite a big obvious sign there saying that it is a footpath, some inconsiderate Mauritians (who have no permits to drive a vehicle on the dam wall) still do so at a reckless speed and without any respect for others, especially those with young children, who would like to let these young children walk freely. Their argument is that they have paid their declaration and so have the right to drive there ? my retort back is it is not a public road so that argument fails !

Please correct me Water Resources Unit. A simple solution would be for your security guard to chain the barrier because otherwise these inconsiderate Mauritians simply lift the barrier and drive their vehicles through.

I had a discussion with some foreigners recently on the friendliness of Mauritians. Let me first give you some background. These foreigners are here on business, they have made regular visits to Mauritius since early this year and stay for at least 3 weeks at a time. They are European or to put it crudely white. They feel that Mauritians are friendly and the service they get at their hotel and everywhere else has been wonderful and that they will definitely come back here for pleasure with their families.

I told them that the reason they said this is because of the simple fact that they are white tourists and are treated differently from locals. I, being a foreigner, who can pass for a local, have never experienced great service (usually I am ignored), unless I speak English. But even then, I am still the wrong colour, I think.

Mauritians have no concept of good customer service, be it in an expensive boutique, shop, small shop, market etc ? I generalize of course but on the whole, my experience is negative rather than positive ? on the race occasion that I experience good service, you can be sure that I will return to that shop and tell others about it.

As the country turns 36 and it appears to be now categorized as a Newly Industrialised Country having been upgraded from a Less Developed Country, the manners of Mauritians in general have degraded or maybe some Mauritians have not been able to adapt. These examples are from daily life:

? Drivers who exhibit road rage, drivers especially those in big expensive cars, GM/RM cars,

4 wheel drivers who hog the fast lane or who drive like idiots in the slow or emergency lanes;

? buses who believe they are king of the road and above all laws (drive recklessly, overtake dangerously, refuse to use lay-by);

? motorcyclists who used to ride bicycles but now own a motorcycle and who stop on the left side of the road when they want to turn right;

? cyclists and motorcyclists who ride on the footpath just because the road is blocked and ignore pedestrians;

? cyclists, motorcyclists and (some cars) who turn into a main road from the left without checking for incoming traffic;

? At the workplace, the colleague who treats everyone (whether his/her equal or superior or subordinate) with no respect;

? In shops where the customer is not king. The customer is not even listened to;

? The public sector where the customer is again not king. The customer is made to feel small or stupid for asking a logical question.

Again, I have generalized but , after having lived here for 12 years, I can safely say that for every nice Mauritian I meet, there is always a nasty one soon to follow.

A ?foreign? Mauritian