?As an expatriate living in Mauritius for the past nine years, what never ceases to amaze me is the ambivalent attitude of Mauritians to English language. Most Mauritians learn English at school, write the language reasonably well but they are very uncomfortable speaking it. However, the realization has dawned on them that English is now the only business language of consequence and weak speaking skills in English will hinder their progress. A prime example of this is the call centre business. The system of education in Mauritius is partly to blame for this confused attitude to English. As the foundation is weak, the ability to communicate in English suffers. English is also neglected in the media. I still remember an incident where my wife and I were walking down the road in our neighbourhood with an English newspaper with us when our neighbours asked us whether the paper was from the UK. When we told him it was a local paper, he was dumbfounded and asked us whether we were sure it was printed in Mauritius! There are hardly any programs in English on the TV or radio. For Mauritius to improve its English skills, a concentrated effort should be made by the government to create an interest in learning English from an early age. The joy of reading in English has to be inculcated so that children develop a liking for the language??