Mauritius: Time for appropriate actions?

Living in Great Britain, I enjoy listening to Mauritius Top FM when I get the chance.

I am truly astonished and greatly alarmed to hear that all is not well out there in our beautiful cosmopolitan island under the sun, shooting stars and colourful rainbows. I am at grievance to know that law and order, two of the important social criteria which make one civilised have broken down throughout the tiny island. Rape, burglary, theft and disrespect for the property of others have become a daily affair.

The standards of conduct that are acceptable as right and proper in any country where one is able to discriminate between good and evil have plummeted. Where there was once fearlessness, there Fear rules the heart of the helpless but the so-called fearless help themselves at the formers’ expense. Personally, I felt safe in the 70’s when I was still living in Mauritius but now when I visit the island I am scared lest I say something right to the not-so right person. I leave it to the good readers to draw a conclusion.

Our inclination to search for the company of good and reliable persons who are eager to give a helping hand to the needy and lead us towards the right path has been damaged so badly that it will take time to forgive and forget. It has become very difficult to know who to trust. We seem to pay lip service to the human values which are inculcated in each one of us right from the moment of conception, when we were developing gradually into a foetus in an enclosed environment well protected by the ONE person from heat and dust, pain and sufferings.

The would-be parents would look forward to the grand day in their big life; only in some cases to be left bewildered a good few years later by the insubordination of the precious child from whom they expected a lot. .

I often ask myself what exactly is happening to the very fabric of Mauritianism which is a hotch-potch of diverse unrelated religious beliefs, cultures and thoughts put together to produce a unique Mauritian brew. Has the fundamental texture become fragile to touch due to excessive laundering or is it torn due to extreme wear? Who is guilty of this wear and tear?

Mauritius was, is and will always remain (barring a catastrophe) a stand-alone island in the Indian Ocean. It is a new nation, still trying to cut its wisdom teeth. I wonder how the citizens whom I will always admire have allowed themselves to be carried away by the ill tide and negative forces from within and without.

One becomes dynamic in different ways, namely : by –

•    experimenting and experiencing the art of living and learning from mistakes;

•    observation – watching others do the right things the right way and at the right time;

•    “distant-learning” from that person (secret guardian) ;

•     listening to the right person – parent, friend or well-wisher.

What we learn from books while we are studying only helps us to pass our examinations. We tend to forget what we have learnt from the texts as time goes by but our skills, experience and power of attention never fail us. The question is how many good guides are there left in Mauritius and how many of us are prepared not to be influenced by anyone unless we know they are genuine.

Are the “rulers” always wrong that no one forgets or are they right sometimes but one never remembers? Or are we difficult to please and they are pleasingly difficult? The current is visible to the naked eyes but the dangers lurking in the depth of the still waters are even more disastrous. It is time we harnessed nature so that we can nurture our thoughts naturally.

The question is: “Does one practice what one preaches?” We have seen and known personally many so called “Lecturers”, “Intelligentsia” and “Enlightened” ones. Who is the torchbearer amongst them? It is really difficult to come across someone who is willing to put his money where his mouth is. In this scientific age, the majority of us have become too materialistic. Wise men say that this is a very unfair world; but unfairness is unfair, to suffer unfairness unfairly is also unfair – it is time for appropriate actions.

If we do our level best to live according to the precept of the Bhagavad Geeta, I am sure that we will derive a lot of benefit. We will spread love towards Nature, tolerance for other cultures and by doing so, we will live a life of tranquillity where peace and harmony will prevail.

Life is about enjoying, in a unique way, the sharing of activities in a familial entente; where cornucopia – which the Immortal One, whom we mere mortals address by many a name synonymous with grace: Prabhu, Dieu or Allah – has already bestowed on mankind without even asking.

But one has to do one’s best to reap a portion of that abundance altruistically without an iota of “I, me and mine”. Our restless mind, which is the swiftest traveller one knows, does not allow some of us to share grandiosely among ourselves. Greed and envy, these two vices envelop our thoughts and we are unable to use our faculties ideally to enable a PANACEA to reign and an UTOPIA to prevail.

I strongly believe that it is not too late to change course and face the challenge(s) head on, rebuild the crumbling foundation and allow the skeleton ample time to regenerate its flesh. It will be a beautiful picture to watch. Its pulse would be felt beating rhythmically, the blood-pressure will abate, stress levels will be a thing of the past and the heart of the nation will again beat with momentum. This can only be achieved by ethically-minded people with realistic ideas and I am happy to say that there are many desirable ones still out there. The nightmares that have alarmed us for a certain period will, with time, become clear. Visions turning into dreams that we would like to dream of again and again. Let there be light.

 


* Published in print edition on 27 December 2013

An Appeal

Dear Reader

65 years ago Mauritius Times was founded with a resolve to fight for justice and fairness and the advancement of the public good. It has never deviated from this principle no matter how daunting the challenges and how costly the price it has had to pay at different times of our history.

With print journalism struggling to keep afloat due to falling advertising revenues and the wide availability of free sources of information, it is crucially important for the Mauritius Times to survive and prosper. We can only continue doing it with the support of our readers.

The best way you can support our efforts is to take a subscription or by making a recurring donation through a Standing Order to our non-profit Foundation.
Thank you.

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *