Open Letter to the prime minister

The prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, took a courageous decision when he denounced the caste system last week. Indeed at the Clos St-Louis on Saturday 15th April 2006, during a function to celebrate the religious festival of Varusha Pirappu, he denounced the caste system in Mauritius as being ?fasil pou servi sa, pou fer dezord dan pei? (see l?express of Monday 17th April 2006). I agree with him on this. And I am sure that there is quite a few out there who would agree with this too. This was very courageous for him to do so when we know how the political system in Mauritius works. This is worthy of a leader. One who does what is good for the nation and is not afraid to voice out his views even if this goes against what opinion polls tell him to do. He showed that he was the leader of our country; that he was no more a game player but was now a rule maker. He certainly has the ability, as our PM, to change this.

Hope began to grow in me when I read about his speech at the Clos St-Louis. Hope that people might at least step up and fight this anachronistic caste system. Hope that one day, when we look at our neighbour, we see an equal individual who has the same rights and duties as us. However, this hope was short-lived.

I was shocked when I read Saturday?s newspapers. On Friday 21st April, the PM attended the first anniversary of the Rajput Socialist Party (RSP). The name of the RSP says it all and I shall add no more. To add insult to injury, as reported in Saturday?s Le Mauricien, he felt it necessary to declare that, had the economic situation been better, his Cabinet would have included three additional ministers.

These potential ministers, who were also present at the function, coincidentally had the same ?profile?. He also went on to point out that his Cabinet had recently nominated an ambassador and a chairman of a public authority. Second coincidence: these two nominees have similar ?profile? to the three potential ministers. Morale of the story: the caste system is an evil unless you can use it in your favour!

My plea: stop playing politics with us! We need a leader who has the courage to step up and show us the right way. Someone who will put the welfare of the people before re-election. The prime minister showed us on the 15th April that he can do it. I can only appeal to him to stop playing politics with me and my fellow countrymen but to stand up and lead us onto the right path.

A concerned citizen