<B> ?I was taught that religion was the life we live?

Although I have been asked to speak about the teachers who have influenced my life, I would like to start by saying that ?street education? has been equally important to me. The fact that I have lived and studied in Rose-Belle and New-Grove, Roche-Bois, Ste-Croix and Cassis has indeed moulded my character and made me the person I am to-day.

At primary level, I studied mostly at Notre Dame du Refuge RCA, New Grove where I was taught, among others, by an exceptional person ? Paul Bruneau. I learnt ?life matters? as it were, from him. Values of life such as hard work, devotion and selflessness, compassion and charity, ?respect for others? and honesty, etc. were as important as the candle we light everyday! We were taught that religion was the life we live and not only the creed we profess! Another thing he imparted to us was ?the love of reading?. He used to say that ?when you go to the shop and the shopkeeper wraps your purchase/s in a piece of newspaper/magazine, read that piece of paper when you return home. You will thus learn something new?.

After primary education, I joined Royal College Port Louis in 1959. During my years there, all my teachers have in some way or other, influenced my life and career. But I would like to mention, in particular, Gaëtan Beaupré and Suren Ramgoolam. Camille Nairac - the then rector who was also a former RAF pilot ? made me stand in front of him with shoulders straight and recite Rudyard Kipling?s ?If? whenever I displayed mischievous vibrations ? and that was not very frequent!

My love for philosophy and literature was triggered mainly by Gaëtan Beaupré while my passion for history, political science and public administration was instilled by Suren Ramgoolam. I consider both of them more as friends and elder brothers than teachers. Indeed Gaëtan Beaupré complemented what Paul Bruneau had started to teach me in my younger days. He used to quote the conversation that Polonius had with Laertes in Shakespeare?s Hamlet "? and, above all, to your own self, be true. ?And added words like ? Be your own master in all circumstances. Never let yourself be swallowed into the inferno of slavery. Don?t be afraid of your convictions. Never compromise on principles.? These thoughts ? and so many others from him ? have inspired me throughout my private and public life.

As regards Suren Ramgoolam, he was not as ?flamboyant? a character as some others. He was quite shy, and ?withdrawn? in a way. But what a wonderful and lovable person! He taught most of my history classes from Forms I to VI. It was he who encouraged me to take ?Economic and Public Affairs? (Government) at HSC level. This was not a taught subject in 1964 and Suren taught us voluntarily after school hours. I was among the very first students to have ?Government? on my HSC certificate as a passed subject! I suspect that Suren knew at that time that our country, which was on the eve of independence, would require people trained in public administration. He used to say ? and most of our management gurus are saying the same things today ? ?Learn to think of new ways of doing things. Be innovative and creative. Move off the beaten tracks.? And above all ? ?Learn to be humble ? for it is not the lofty sail that moves the ship but the unseen wind.? Thank you for having showed me the way ?ti-coco?!

When I joined the public service after university studies, my first posting was at the then Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs. The towering Frank Richard was the Permanent Secretary and most of my former teachers had been posted at that ministry as Senior/Chief Education Officers. It was a new and great adventure to work with them as colleagues in the administrative service to build a new Mauritius. But that?s another story!