I believe in my country, its people and potential. This is why I loathe uncalled for, petty criticism coming from a minority of the Mauritian diaspora, which has a compulsive tendency to despisingly compare their motherland with their host countries. One never improves one’s image by humiliating others, this you should always bear in mind. A criticism should always be solution-oriented; otherwise it’s either an offence or a waste of time.

Uncle’s Venen remarks against the discourteous attitude of that lady cashier of a renowned supermarket were however fully justified. I fail to understand how she never reciprocated his ‘good morning’ each time he went to buy his morning paper, bread and croissant during his stay on the island last January. ‘She does not even dare look at me,’ he rightly complained each time I went to visit him.

He was confident that, bidding a louder ‘good morning’ each day, would call upon her attention, self-esteem and customer care skills but he left the country in vain.

Chief of protocol of an international organisation, Uncle Venen has made a career out of manners and etiquette. What would have been discarded as trivial by some of us is as vital to him as it should have been important to that supermarket front-liner, had she realised that her job was dependent on customer satisfaction.

Our own lenient attitude towards such rude, impolite behaviour, may contribute to an unfortunate recurrence of similar incidents. We are being trapped in the modern philosophy that, unless tangible return on investment is anticipated, we are not ready to do some things. Courtesy sometimes wrongly falls in the category of unproductive deeds.

Why should I say ‘thank you’ to that lady cashier who gives me back my change? Is it not her job after all? Why should I leave my seat for an older person in the bus? How would I benefit from him sitting while I stand? Why should I give way to traffic? Can’t they wait till the road clears? What will I get from being kind to them?

These little things we do to show our consideration for others can be summed up as manners. They may seem unproductive at first sight but they are worth their, weight in gold believe it or not. Who are we to discard universal codes of conduct, which have served people and royal courts, (from which court-esy originates), for centuries?

Courtesy facilitates human interrelationships. It shows to the least an outside appearance of how we should be on the inside, loving, caring and cooperative.

Courtesy enhances hospitality upon which our country has built a solid reputation in the tourism industry. Is it a wrong investment to uphold that reputation? Think twice before being rude to others though some might not care about it. It’s only by making courtesy a habit that it will become second nature.

Progress in technology should not outweigh our human nature. I have noticed that some people send messages from their mobile phones at dinner tables or else some children would be allowed to play with their electronic games at gatherings instead of being encouraged to socialise. This is as prejudicial to etiquette as it is to our humanity. It’s not surprising that, in spite of scientific progress, we still are miles away from a peaceful and understanding world.

There is one thing you should bear in mind, kids, we are lucky to be humans capable of feelings and emotions. What we call happiness is but an elusive, intangible state of mind that depends on our fellow human beings. Behaving rightly towards them is therefore a seal of happiness though not immediate and readily tangible.

Old is gold, why not stick to traditions and against all odds celebrate our rich legacy of good manners? Why should we befriend brutes who in the end are sure losers?

He who wins is he who usually makes of politeness a second skin; that’s why international organisations give so much importance to protocol…

Alain Jeannot</B>