{"id":16238,"date":"2018-09-03T08:28:44","date_gmt":"2018-09-03T04:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/?p=16238"},"modified":"2018-09-03T08:28:44","modified_gmt":"2018-09-03T04:28:44","slug":"messages-received-on-the-occasion-of-mts-second-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/messages-received-on-the-occasion-of-mts-second-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"Messages Received on the Occasion of MT\u2019s Second Anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"
Mauritius Times \u2013 60 Years Ago<\/u><\/span><\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

John Hatch, Esq
\n<\/strong>Commonwealth Officer, British Labour Party<\/span><\/p>\n

I have just heard that the Mauritius Times<\/strong> is celebrating its second anniversary on August 10th. We in the Labour party of Great Britian have read your paper regularly with great interest, for it brings us constant news of our friends and comrades in your island. May I take this opportunity, therefore, of wishing you a happy birthday, and very many happy returns of the excellent work you are doing. It is always a pleasure to us, in reading your paper, to recall the happy relationship we have had with the Mauritius Labour Party, and with the members of the delegation, whom we met on many occasions last year. We hope that you will continue with your good work, and look forward to increased membership and support for our friends in the Mauritius Labour Party.<\/span><\/p>\n

*\u00a0 *\u00a0 *<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Peter Ibbotson, Esq., London<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Mauritius Times<\/strong> is now two years old. It has already refuted the expectations of its political opponents who thought it would die within six months. It has grown to fill a very vital place in the political life of Mauritius, and wields considerable influence wherever it is read. Its air-mail edition is ready as eagerly, and awaited as avidly, in London as its ordinary edition in Mauritius; Mauritians in London have told me how much they miss their Times<\/strong> on Fridays. I wish the Times<\/strong> every success in the future. I wish it success also in all its efforts on behalf of the people of Mauritius.<\/span><\/p>\n

*\u00a0 *\u00a0 *<\/span><\/p>\n

Hon Guy Forget, M.L.C.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Je me souviens d’avoir dit, en substance, lors du premier anniversaire du Mauritius Times<\/strong>, que tant qu’il y aura dans le pays des injustices \u00e0 d\u00e9noncer, l’autorit\u00e9 \u00e0 alerter lorsqu\u2019elle est frapp\u00e9e de surdit\u00e9, des feuilles d’avant-garde, comme le Mauritius Times<\/strong>, auront leur n\u00e9cessit\u00e9 \u00e0 Maurice.<\/span><\/p>\n

O\u00f9 en sommes-nous depuis un an?<\/span><\/p>\n

La vente de nos sucres, en une courbe ascendante impressionnante, a atteint ou d\u00e9passe Rs 285,000,000 par an. Le co\u00fbt de production de ce sucre (produit par toute une population) est connu pour \u00eatre un des plus bas du monde, et les gages de nos travailleurs en g\u00e9n\u00e9ral ont tendance \u00e0 la baisse! La mis\u00e8re a commenc\u00e9 \u00e0 r\u00f4der de tous les c\u00f4tes, et quelqu’un d’autoris\u00e9 a pu s’\u00e9crier, devant un tel tableau, que nous vivons en \u00e9tat de p\u00e9ch\u00e9 mortel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nous? Mais qui, exactement? Les employeurs ou les employ\u00e9s\u00a0? Les gav\u00e9s ou… les autres?<\/span><\/p>\n

L’opinion publique est-elle suffisamment renseign\u00e9e sur nos probl\u00e8mes? Et le journalisme d’opinion, d’analyse, d’\u00e9tude et de critique objective, s’il existe encore chez nous, fait-il tout son devoir?<\/span><\/p>\n

On voit donc les possibilit\u00e9s qui s’offrent au journalisme local. D’aucuns ont voulu mettre l’accent sur la “virulence” du Mauritius Times<\/strong>, surtout \u00e0 ses d\u00e9buts. Mais si virulence il y avait, cette virulence ne r\u00e9pondait-elle pas \u00e0 celle qui se manifestait si violemment dans une autre section de la presse quotidienne?<\/span><\/p>\n

Que l’atmosph\u00e8re ait chang\u00e9 depuis, un peu partout, vers le mieux, cela n’a pu que r\u00e9jouir tous ceux qui ont vraiment \u00e0 c\u0153ur les int\u00e9r\u00eats et l’avenir de leur petit pays.<\/span><\/p>\n

Et ce petit pays compte aujourd’hui 560,000 Mauriciens. Ce chiffre est si impressionnant par lui-m\u00eame qu\u2019il n\u2019y a peut-\u00eatre pas lieu qu’on s’occupe des pr\u00e9fixes.<\/span><\/p>\n

*\u00a0 *\u00a0 *<\/span><\/p>\n

Hon Dr Edgar Millien, M.L.C.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Le R\u00e9dacteur du Mauritius Times me demande une contribution \u00e0 son num\u00e9ro anniversaire. Je le remercie et tiens d’autant plus \u00e0 honorer sa demande qu’un r\u00e9cent \u00e9change d’explications aurait pu faire croire, \u00e0 ceux qui ne voient pas tr\u00e8s loin, qu’il y avait une m\u00e9sentente grave entre Monsieur Ramlallah et moi. Je serai cependant tr\u00e8s court car la place se disputera sans doute, \u00e0 cette occasion, au Mauritius Times<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Il y a deux ans que ce journal a paru, et certes peu de quotidiens ont eu, en ce pays, un progr\u00e8s plus rapide. Pourquoi? Parce que la feuille \u00e9tait n\u00e9cessaire et qu’elle a rempli sa t\u00e2che avec une nettet\u00e9 d’orientation peu ordinaire. Je suis certain de n’avoir not\u00e9, en aucune occasion, au Mauritius Times<\/em><\/strong>, de ces accommodements qui font vivre… mais mal vivre! Certes la pens\u00e9e du Mauritius Times<\/em><\/strong> et la mienne ne sont pas toujours d’accord mais quoi de plus naturel et de plus n\u00e9cessaire, dans la recherche de la v\u00e9rit\u00e9, pour le bien commun, que des conceptions diff\u00e9rentes, pourvu qu’elles s’expriment avec compr\u00e9hension et loyaut\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quel grand m\u00e9tier que celui de journaliste! Grand pour la responsabilit\u00e9 de guider l’opinion publique, grand par le courage que cela r\u00e9clame de dire publiquement ce que beaucoup osent \u00e0 peine penser! En fait, un journaliste a le droit de se tromper — est-ce que la moiti\u00e9 de l’humanit\u00e9 ne se trompe pas? — mais il n’a pas le droit de tromper sciemment. Je souhaite donc sinc\u00e8rement que le Mauritius Times<\/strong> poursuive sa carri\u00e8re et suis s\u00fbr qu’il recevra la r\u00e9compense que m\u00e9ritera son effort.<\/span><\/p>\n

*\u00a0 *\u00a0 *<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Dr S. Ramgoolam, M.L.C.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On the 2nd anniversary of your paper I have great pleasure in sending you my heartiest congratulations. I am particularly glad to say that I appreciate deeply the support the Mauritius Times<\/strong> is giving to the cause of freedom.<\/span><\/p>\n

We, in the Labour Party, may not always agree with some of the excursions of your contributors, but we are most sensible of the contribution you are making towards a better social order.<\/span><\/p>\n

May you prosper still more!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

* Published in print edition on 31 August 2018<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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