Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam

Sir,

Allow me at the very outset to congratulate you and to express deep appreciation for your firm stand of late, both abroad and locally, on the burning issue of poverty and its attendant trials.

Your unequivocal stands on the question of poverty eradication, which requires immediate, short and long term actions, leave no doubt as to your determination to see the problem addressed in earnest with all the means and resources we can muster and in that you are on the same wave-length as SOS Poverty which today stands synonymous to « poverty eradication and elimination of social exclusion ».

Your public stand on the issue while Mauritius is faced with a string of no less important problems that need immediate and serious attention is another indication that you rightly grasp the full and harmful consequences of allowing poverty to spread and become a deeply-ingrained feature of our fabric with all its negative consequences on our future development and national objectives for a better Mauritius.

But still it must be acknowledged that there is nevertheless the necessity to agree on the manner the issue should be addressed, by any means in a bolder and more direct way than has so far been the case. At SOS Poverty, we remain convinced that money has been squandered on the issue over the past years precisely on account of the half-hearted fashion the problem has been tackled, hence the imperative need to review our strategy and methods if we really desire tangible results [?].

In the light of the above, SOS Poverty renews its claim addressed to you in June 2005 through an official letter, copy of which is attached for ease of reference, for a full-fledged Ministry to tackle all issues related to poverty eradication and elimination of social exclusion. At the same time, we renew an oft-made request to grant « bona-fide » organisation whose mission is primarily poverty eradication, official support, financial and otherwise, since no government alone can win the combat.

We trust you will react positively to our legitimate request.

M. Y. DAUHOO President SOS Poverty