SSR Memorial Lecture 2022 – Milan Meetarbhan: “What would Mauritius be without SSR?”
It is a real plea for the statesman that was Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Father of the Nation, by a Milan Meetarbhan who mastered his file. It was in front of an audience of invitations, including SSR’s son, Navin Ramgoolam, that he read about the life and journey of the man who gave us independence.
The event at the Octave Wiehé Auditorium on Wednesday is a preview of the September 18 rendezvous at Kewal Nagar for SSR’s 122nd anniversary. Guests include Kailash Purryag, Ameena Gurrib-Fakim, Armoogum Parsuramen, Raouf Bundhun, Joseph Tsang Mang Kin, Manou Bheenick, Anil Baichoo, and Dr. Gujadhur, among others.
From the outset, Milan Meetarbhan painted a portrait of ‘Chacha’, with, in support, touching archive images and sounds during which the ‘man’ recounts his childhood, how he lost an eye, his parents who died young, but who instilled in him the importance of education. “SSR was one of the most important figures of the 20th century. He integrated little by little, but understood that two things are needed: education and politics. He was keen that Mauritians could have the education to climb the social ladder”.
He points out that ‘Chacha’ cared about the welfare of his people whom he cherished. “Then, as he was the son of immigrants, he had this need to fight for an ideal, hence his political manifesto when he decided to get into politics within the PTr. For him, the key to political emancipation transmitted through education and reflection”.
Moreover, it was he who joined a college for girls in the North, because he was convinced that girls should go to school for their good and that of the country.
The speaker depicts the course of SSR in three phases: 1938-48, 48-58 and 58-68. “The first phase was for the right to vote, the second the emergence of political parties and the appointment of unofficial members that SSR fought and finally rejected, because it would unbalance the majority. After, the last phase the introduction of universal suffrage, but there was a political struggle around the retrocession of the country to France, there was a campaign of Hindu hegemony, the weight of the sugar barons”.
Milan Meetarbhan also points out that there was a time when there was “a Talibanization and it is part of our history that we must not hide our faces, because these are historical facts”. He concluded his speech by explaining that SRR has always said that “Diego Garcia is Mauritian territory and this archipelago should be ours”.
Navin Ramgoolam: “We must give dynamism to our economy”
Navin Ramgoolam said he was surprised that fuel prices were not lowered. “All over the world, prices have fallen, except in Mauritius. You have to have competent people who understand the economy, because with a drop in prices, that will give dynamism to our economy. What happens, we keep these prices for the next election campaign which is behind a door, ”he believes.
As for the first ministerial mandates in debate, he said: “We cannot put a commander for five years and after his election, we ask him to leave. I am preparing the next generation, because no one is eternal”.