Welcome, Princess!

We are ready to welcome the Princess not only because she is the Queen’s sister, she is a roving ambassador of goodwill

It is with great pleasure indeed that we have learnt about the visit of Princess Margaret to Mauritius. Royalty set foot in our island some thirty years ago. The new generation will be fortunate to welcome Princess Margate in September.

Only a few months back the press and the public of the world were on tenterhooks when the Princess was caught in a terrible dilemma: she had to choose between the call of her heart and the call of duty. By choosing the latter she revealed to the whole world of what sacrifice she was capable.

We are ready to welcome the Princess not only because she is the Queen’s sister also because in her we find a living link: she is a roving ambassador of goodwill. And, on the other hand, her charm and grace have no less claim on our admiration.

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The status of teachers

An order-in-council, proposed by the Acting Colonial Secretary and seconded by Dr Ramgoolam, recommending the change of status of 52 teachers working in Aided Schools into that of government teacher was adopted by the Legislative Council last Friday. We are happy that a grievance of long-standing has been remedied.

But what about Miss L. Gujadharsingh and Miss G. Gujadharsingh? They are not working at present. May we hope that their cases also will be dealt with as soon as possible? We have in mind their re-instatement with back pay.

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The New CP

The news of the appointment of Mr Desvaux to the post of Commissioner of Police came to many as a shock and a surprise.

Had not the motion of Hon Bissoondoyal been presented in Council the appointment would have perhaps passed muster. And had the Council not been so evenly divided the motion would not have left so much anxiety and excitement behind.

As things stood, people had a faint hope that some sort of inquiry would be set on foot to dispel doubts and fears. The inquiry never came. What came was promotion to the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

The appointment is certainly ill-timed.

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At Plaine Verte

The Plaine Verte Garden has become the biggest political forum of Mauritius. The meeting of the Labour Party held there last Sunday was a roaring success.

So we know now that it is Dr Dupre who will fight the by-election of Port-Louis on behalf of Labour Party. And we know also that the Labour Party unanimously rejects PR.

It is the turn of the rival Party Mauricien to give us its views. Or does it depend on Government to support PR on its behalf?

Let Plaine Verte develop the spirit of party politics and not individual bickerings.

* * *

In Council

The debate on the proposed constitutional changes which started last Tuesday in council promises to be extremely interesting.

The Acting Colonial Secretary, moving his motion to adopt the proposed changes, has said: “The purpose of any constitutional change is three-fold: first to improve representation of the people; second, to place greater responsibilities on the representatives of the people; third, to increase the efficiency of government.” He thinks that the proposed changes would secure all this.

It appears that we won’t see the wood for the trees very soon. Where is Responsible Government in the welter of side issues? Are we in fact going towards it?

The debate continues. It will reveal who are the real upholders of political emancipation.

* * *

 The Two Times

The correspondent of the London Times in Mauritius, writing to his paper on the reaction to the proposals of Mr Lennox Boyd, quoted JNR’s spirited article “Boycott the damn thing!” Introducing us, “micro-Times”, to the mammoth-Times, he described us as a “Hindu Nationalist Weekly”.

The correspondents of news agencies and foreign papers are learning that truth will come out no matter how it is concealed.

We are thankful to Peter Ibbotson for having exploded the Hindu nationalism myth in the London Times. And NMU thought that Peter Ibbotson was fit to write only in the Mauritius Times!

They have the cheek to call Mauritius Times a Hindu Nationalist Weekly when we have always been clamouring for ideological parties. We wonder what would have happened if we had advocated the setting up of a Hindu Party as Le Cernéen has recently advocated the setting up of a Christian Party!

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 Definition

Mauritius Abstract: A concrete pack of white lies.

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