While some have been fighting to try and erase communal differentiation from our political system, others are going on a crusade to pinpoint a given community within the constitution of Mauritius. And I can?t help being disappointed with such an action. The phrase ?general population? may not mean much when it refers to a certain section of the population but how far does the term ?Creole? better describe these same people?

We have been witnessing a ?reawakening? of the Creole community of this country. Often seen as the ones who have the most difficulty in making both ends meet, a problem which is frequently associated with their lack of identity, some seem to believe that a new designation will change their lives for the better. And the prime minister?s commitment to look into the matter and consider the proposal gives even more weight to this suggestion.

But how far is it true? How far will the term Creole make all these people feel better in their daily lives? Should we remind ourselves here that Creole could refer to every single Mauritian living on this island? This term refers to interbreeding and I suppose the vast majority of us are a result of the mixture brought about by our very history. So what?s the point of a part of the population being identified as Creole if the phrase can be applied to any other one? Really, this is giving me a hard time at the moment.

That some people have been experiencing hard times because of their roots and history can be easily understood. If those who are having such problems find in the Creole festival or the ?Fédération des créoles mauriciens? a certain relief that comes from being part of a group, fair enough? But I?m afraid that changing a term in the constitution will not help them achieve a better life.

True recognition must come from scratch. Instead of adopting a system where almost 40 % of children ? most of them being the ones who live in extreme poverty and can?t afford private tuition ? are left to their own devices after failing the Certificate of Primary Education, what needs to be done is to finally adopt the reform paper of the ministry of Education that the cabinet has already approved. It has to be firmly implemented so that all children can have the same opportunities. This is the first step towards real change for people living in extreme poverty.

Such initiatives are much more important than symbolical ?copy-paste? exercises?