Island of Hope

Mauritius Times – 70 Years

Editorial

1960 is, it is said everywhere, a year of decision for the whole world. That it is one for Mauritius is unquestionable. More than that, it is also a year of hope. After the last General Election, a false sense of disappointment gripped a large section of the population—a normal post-electoral phenomenon, which is but a natural reaction to the gap between pre-electoral promises and post-electoral achievements. The ill-timed increase in parliamentary allowances, coupled with the insidious campaign of the opposition, created a sort of widespread disappointment, and the defeat in the by-election in Curepipe gave the impression that the Labour Party was drifting toward perdition. The rapid rise in population, the effects of two devastating cyclones, and, again, the confusion created by the opposition tended to make matters worse. We wondered whether there would be no hope, no salvation… While we wondered, the public waited, and the opposition attacked, the Government was engaged in what Mr. Wilson calls a period of “silent meditation,” and today, we see some of the results of this meditation. There is hope now!

The budget speech of Mr. W.G. Wilson contains the boldest decisions the present Government has taken since it was voted into office last year. These are decisions with far-reaching consequences which, if not sabotaged, will place this country on a very sound footing economically and socially. Before going into the details of the Government’s financial policies, we would like to congratulate the Government on deciding to put “the whole weight of its resources and authority behind a policy of family planning, officially implemented, with the core of that policy being to encourage the limitation of families to three children only.” For years now, the Mauritius Times has advocated the necessity of birth control; it seems that we needed the views of Professors Meade and Titmuss before acting on what we already knew had to be done. Be that as it may, we welcome the Government’s decision, feeling that it is always better late than never. We must now ensure that this decision is successfully implemented. Lest we forget, let us also congratulate the Government on having taken this step at the risk of “political unpopularity.”

As expected, the Government’s decision to resort to family planning is being insidiously exploited by opponents of birth control. Already, Le Mauricien has begun misleading its readers. Les Enfants Du Crime, it shrieked yesterday. What crime? Who is going to compel anyone to accept any specific method of birth control? No Roman Catholic will be forced to adopt artificial methods of birth control, nor will they be compelled to work in that service. So why object? Why this wilful distortion of Government’s intentions? Let those who oppose artificial birth control understand this once and for all: one may claim the freedom to do or not do as one pleases, but no one has the right to prevent others from acting according to their beliefs. There should be no mistake about this. This is a country where the religious beliefs of all sections of the population must be equally respected.

It is now clear that the country will be able to face its economic difficulties. The country is not ruined, as some would have us believe. Mr. Wilson has certainly dispelled—hopefully once and for all—the myth that this Five-Year Plan is too ambitious. The tax increases will offset the deficit caused by cyclones and help us build stronger reserves in the future. We believe that the suggestion of Hon. J. E. Piat to increase the contribution of cane planters to the Cyclone and Drought Insurance Fund must be implemented. This would provide a strong safeguard. Although workers will now pay a few cents more for cigarettes and rum, they will pay less for imported fish. But that is not enough; we look forward to a reduction in the price of rice, oil, and flour. We welcome the Government’s decision to take 20 cents more per gallon of petrol from oil companies. However, it seems that more could be extracted from them. The time has certainly come for the Government to examine what can easily be described as the end-of-the-year compensation racket flourishing in private firms and sugar estates. There is no doubt that the large compensations granted to already well-paid employees of private firms are among the principal causes of inflation. This must be addressed. The Ministry of Finance must extend its reach to this so far untouched sector of the economy. Mr. Wilson also seems to have overlooked the vast amounts of money notaries collect each year.

We have great hopes now, and Mr. Wilson’s speech signals a bright future for this country. But we cannot rejoice too soon; we must wait, watch, and do our part. Beyond the contents of Mr. Wilson’s speech, we have also been asked to look forward to the announcement of other important decisions that will align with the Government’s plan. Additionally, we have been assured—another major decision!—that once our reconstruction plans are ready, our constitution will be revised. Mr. Macleod has been very categorical about this, meaning that in the near future, the silhouette of the Chief Minister will rise. Again, we hope that our already outdated constitution will be improved. We are, therefore, on the threshold of a new era in our island’s history, and we are reminded of the brave words of a no less brave statesman:

“Man’s possession is life, and since he is given but one, he must live it in such a way that he is not haunted by the shame of a cowardly existence and a trivial past, so that, when dying, he may say: all my life and all my strength were given to the finest cause in the world—the liberation of mankind.”

* The quote is attributed to Nikolai Ostrovsky, a Soviet writer best known for his novel How the Steel Was Tempered. Ostrovsky’s works and speeches often reflected themes of perseverance, dedication to communist ideals, and the struggle for social justice.

7th Year – No 294
Friday 15th April 1960

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 31 January 2025